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We’d agreed he’d leave before Laura, so I could grill her on what she thought of him.
“I’ll see you at home,” I said, getting to my feet.
Laura’s eyebrows shot up. “You two already live together?”
Caligo bent to kiss me. I caught his face between my hands, making it last longer than we’d planned. Then I leaned close to his ear.
“You did well,” I whispered.
“I breathed almost as often as I should have.”
A laugh escaped me. He gave me one last kiss and said goodbye to Laura, who watched him leave with frank appreciation.
“Well?” I asked once he was out of earshot. Assuming there was such a thing where Caligo was concerned.
“Well, what?”
“What do you think of him?”
“He’s gorgeous. A little intense, but then you seem to attract that type.” She picked up her Pepsi and took a sip. “He clearly adores you, and you’ve spent the entire evening looking at him like you can’t quite believe he’s real.”
I laughed despite myself. “Anything strange about him?”
“Other than describing fox behavior as if he’s conducted personal interviews with them? No.” She narrowed her eyes. “Why? Is there something I should know?”
I sat back in my chair, a tiny sigh slipping out. The plan had always been to tell her. It had seemed sensible when Caligo and I had discussed it at home. Now, faced with the prospect of seeing how she’d react, I considered leaving the restaurant, changing my name, and moving overseas instead.
“He is real,” I said. “But his name isn’t Pascal. Not when it’s just us.”
Laura set down her glass. “Rowan.”
“It’s Caligo. Caligo. Cal. Pascal. Get it?”
For a second, she simply stared at me. Then she looked toward the door he’d gone through.
“The lemon cake?” she said.
“He actually likes it.”
“You sat here and let me flirt with him. I told him he had lovely hands.”
“He does have lovely hands.”
“That’s hardly the point.” She glared at me. “You told me he was gone.”
“He was. Then he came back.”
“As a man.”
“He learned how to look like one.”
Laura sank back into her chair. “I really couldn’t tell. I didn’t even get that feeling I used to get when he was around.”
“That’s why I wanted you to meet him. If you couldn’t tell, then it was proof that we can really make this work.”
“You tested him on me?”
“I tested us on you. I also wanted you to see what he’s like when you can sit and talk to him without being frightened.”
