“That’s not delusion.That’slove.”Shecocked her head. “Isthat why you freaked out about me and the girls drinking on the beach?”
“Maybe a little,”Iadmitted. “Iget a little neurotic about peopleIcare about being near the water.Iget overprotective whenIget close to someone.Itmakes dating hard.I’venever fallen in love.There’sa part of me that has to be disconnected to do my job.Idon’t get attached.Iwouldn’t survive ifIresponded to someoneIloved having an emergency, and then lost them in the process.Somedays,Ifeel likeIdied whenLucasdid.”
Instead of saying a word,Auroraclosed her eyes and rested her head on my shoulder, simply sitting in the discomfort of life and loss.
WhenIpulled up to the house and cut the engine, she hadn’t budged.
“You gonna do any more work on the house today?”Therewas plenty of time left in the day, but a morose fog had settled over the two of us.Itwas entirely my fault, butAuroradidn’t seem put off by it.Iliked that.
“I don’t think so.”Shelet out a deep, weary exhale. “Ineed to take a day and regroup.”
I glanced up at the house. “Youwanna come inside?”
I could see the hesitancy in her eyes.Shewas going to say no.
Aurora unlatched her seatbelt and grabbed her book. “Okay.”
I could have been knocked over by a light breeze.
“Yeah?”
“I mean,I’mgoing to keep reading.Butyour couch is more comfortable than mine.”
I let out a laugh and picked up the copy ofHalcyonIhad checked out at the library. “Fineby me.Ihave a little reading to do myself.”
Aurora groaned as she slid out of the truck. “I’mgoing to regret this, aren’tI?”
I shut my door and threw my arm around her shoulders as we walked up to the house. “Youready for the running commentary?”
“No,” she groused. “Keepyour thoughts and facial expressions to yourself.Betteryet, sit behind me soIdon’t have to watch you read.Andif you hate it, don’t tell me.Idon’t need to know.It’snot my business.”
I unlocked the door and flipped on the lights before lettingAurorawalk in first.Shekicked off her flip-flops in the entryway and crept into the living room.Seeingher there again was a potent hit of déjà vu.Icould still remember the way she felt stretched out beneath me.Theway she tasted.Theway she breathed.Theway the two of us fit like a lock and a key.
I settled on the couch beside her.Auroraopened her mouth to argue about us reading side by side, butIturned and pulled her into my lap so that her back was to me.
"Is this alright?”Isaid, getting comfortable against the throw pillows and openingHalcyonto chapter one.
Aurora’s hair brushed over the page like a feather-light signature, claiming her words. “You’rea nice chair.”
I inhaled the scent of honeysuckle and sawdust.Somethingdistinctlyher.“Good.Settlein.”
16
AURORA
THE BAD WEATHER CLICHÉ
Rain thrummed on the roof asWillowandWhitneychatted away on my computer screen.Ithad started to hurt less when they talked about all the cool projects they were working on.Theache hadn’t completely lessened.Butlike my ankle, it only bothered me when the weather was moody.
“What are you working on,Wander?”Willowasked.
I glanced up from my email inbox. “Whilethe writing has stopped, the emails haven’t.”
They both groaned in understanding.
“How’s the income?”Whitneyasked. “Haveyou started earning royalties yet, or are you still earning out the advance?”
“I earned out the advance fromPetrichorand, for that, my bank account gives thanks.Ineed to finish the house soIcan get it on the market.Igot the name of a local realtor.Ineed to give her a call.Buthonestly,Imight try to sell it myself.Iwant to keep as much of the sale as possible.”
