His gaze flicked between Mr. Kelly and me before settling fully on Mr. Kelly.
“I hope our intern isn’t bothering you, Mr. Kelly.”
Something in my chest shriveled up. My fingers curled automatically around the edge of the clipboard, the plastic biting into my palm.
I hadn’t realized how much space I’d been taking up in the conversation until that moment. Or how it probably looked to the people around us. What if they all thought I’d been harassing him?
Before Mr. Kelly could answer, the words rushed out of me. “I’m so sorry,” I said, stepping back from the railing. “I didn’t mean to keep you. Thank you for your time, Mr. Kelly.”
The apology tasted bitter.
I turned to Mark, my shoulders pulling in slightly.
“Sorry,” I added again, quieter this time.
Mark gave a short nod, like that was the correct response. “All good,” he said lightly. “Actually, Cove, since you’re free—Marissa needs someone to help with the ray feed. Think you can head over there?”
Relief and humiliation twisted together in my stomach. The rays were on the complete opposite side of the aquarium. He wanted me far away from their precious donor.
“Yeah,” I said immediately, trying to force a smile. “Of course.”
I shifted the clipboard under my arm, already stepping away.
“Sorry again,” I said once more, glancing briefly toward Mr. Kelly before looking away again. “Have a good day.”
Then I turned and hurried off across the gallery before anyone could say anything else.
I’d be back in California in no time if I kept behaving like this.
3
Tobias
I did not kill Mark.
Admittedly, though, it did cross my mind.
My first conversation with Cove had been going so well—better than I’d hoped for, actually. It was obvious that the best way to acclimate him to me would be by allowing him a space to freely speak about his passions—hyperfixations, really—without fear of judgment.
I had been learning so much about his behavior, and then that imbecile had decided it had been his place to butt in.
From Cove’s reaction to his scolding, it was clear thisMarkwas a superior of his.
It was beyond aggravating.
And then for him to try to talk to me once Cove had effectively been run off?
I had very little patience for that.
It had taken a great amount of restraint not to dismiss him outright. Not because I required his approval, but because causing unnecessary friction within the environment Cove occupied would be… counterproductive.
At least for now. It could be helpful later on.
Still, the irritation lingered longer than I would have preferred. Not because of Mark himself—he was ultimately inconsequential—but because of the disruption he had caused.
Timing matters.
Momentum matters.
