When only one bite of a berry tart remained, Sage clasped his hands in his lap and leaned away slightly.
“You should have it,” he encouraged.
“Absolutely not,” Conrad challenged.“It’s yours.”
Sage shook his head.“I want you to have it.”
“I will not.”Conrad picked it up and brought it toward Sage’s mouth.Sage turned his head away with a bubble of soft laughter, but Conrad went after him, leaning closer as he grasped the back of Sage’s neck with his other hand to keep him from escaping.Sage yelped and grabbed his wrist.
“I relent!”he pleaded, opening his mouth so Conrad could feed him.
“So stubborn,” Conrad grumbled, though it was laced with affection.
“I never promised you otherwise.”
Conrad gave a gentle hum.“Only the mutual benefit of a temporary arrangement, if I remember correctly?”
Sage’s grin fell as fast as his magic in his chest.“Yes.”
“I suppose we both got what we were after,” Conrad went on, moving their empty plate to his other side so he could slide closer to Sage on the bench.
Sage looked down as Conrad took both of his hands, wrapping his fingers around them on his lap.He noted how warm they always were compared to his own.“I suppose we did.”
“I’ve something exciting to tell you.”
Sage met his gaze, smiling bravely.“Oh?”
“Torquil has offered me a place to stay when I arrive in London.They said I’ll be doing them a favor by taking up residence in their townhouse, which I’m not entirely sure that I believe, but I am not so proud as to pass up such an opportunity when it is given.”
As heavy as the moment felt, Sage could not deny the relief that washed over him.He would’ve been willing to find Conrad no matter where he settled, even if it meant visiting the worst parts of the city.The street Torquil’s townhouse sat on was a far cry from the docks.
“Apparently they are eager to see Mrs.Pimpernel removed from the difficult memories there.”
Sage thought of the affection he’d seen her share with Iris Wrenwhistle.
“It will be no hardship for her to find a soft place to land,” he guessed.
“An ideal situation for all parties,” Conrad said, giving Sage’s hands a gentle squeeze.“I’m to travel with her to London so that she might instruct me on running the household.It will make for a smooth transition, and it will give me something to do until the Council reconvenes.”
The news left Sage unable to take a full breath.
“You’re leaving…tonight?”
“Yes.”Conrad flashed a mischievous smirk.“Fortunately, it will not take me long to pack.”
Suddenly, Sage was angry.How could he find humor in a moment like this?As the emotion took over his features, brow furrowing and lips curving into a frown, Sage pulled his hands away and stood up.
“You cannot leave now,” he said weakly.
Conrad’s surprise was evident.He reached after Sage as he got to his feet, reclaiming both of his hands.“What’s the matter?”he asked.“We both knew I would have to leave eventually.”
“But not like this!”Sage felt them then, all of his unspoken words, rising up to be heard even if he did not feel entirely prepared to say them.The man had that effect on him from the very beginning.“I—” he tried, before letting out a huff and staring at their joint hands, unable to look Conrad in the eye.“I do not want to be apart from you.The trifling idea of it is enough to put me out of sorts.”
“Sage,” Conrad breathed, reaching to cup his cheek.Sage wished he hadn’t.It only made it harder to continue without more emotion creeping into his voice.
“I meant to ask you to come with me instead,” Sage went on, thoughts a tangle even as he said them.“You could spend the rest of the summer with me.You could meet my family.”He was certain that they would all adore him.
Conrad’s answering smile was steady, if not a little sad.
