50. Chapter 50
Chapter 50
Cedric
T hough I admit I’d been hoping to be alone with Delilah, I’m glad she asked Faye and Marcus to stay.
I know she feels indebted to them, to some degree, although I think they both did their part gladly. Faye is undoubtedly the type of true friend that would take a bullet for you. And as far as Marcus is concerned? I don’t doubt he’s grown to like Delilah, even in the short time he’s been in her presence; but I know that ultimately, he’d have done anything to ensure I was happy. To ensure I could get this chance to be with her, even though his own life still doesn’t belong to him.
I suppose I should thank Blaine for biting him, too.
Even so, after tricking Delilah so she wouldn’t pay for dinner–she’d better get used to being spoiled, because I don’t plan to stop anytime soon–and the four of us have all but inhaled the fried Fern and mouth-watering ravioli we took home, Marcus excuses himself.
Delilah gestures after him and mouths, “ Go on ”.
Marcus is stepping down the porch steps when I follow him outside. “Hey,” I say.
“Mon frère,” he replies with a tired smile. “Did you want to tell me there’s something stuck in my teeth?”
I cock my head, my stare silencing his attempt at comedy.
“I’ll be fine,” he says.
“Will you, though?”
Marcus shrugs, his glasses glinting beneath the moonlight. “Eventually.”
“We– You found a solution for me. If you truly don’t want to stay here, we’ll find one for you. I promise,” I say, squeezing his shoulder.
He inclines his head in a small nod. “Do you remember when mum accidentally hurt Mr. Bowtie?”
The name conjures a fuzzy image of a chubby tabby cat, its tail swinging lazily from our room’s balcony. “I thought he’d left and never came back,” I say.
Marcus clicks his tongue, shaking his head. “Nope. They were cuddling, and one of her canines got stuck in his collar, and–well, I suppose the context might seem humorous, but the point is: she didn’t mean to.”
At that, I frown for a second. But his expression turns distant, and that’s when I understand why he chose that particular memory.
“You didn’t mean to either,” I say.
“Yes, but perhaps you were right to worry so much. Accidents can happen everywhere.”
“Marcus, I don’t believe you’ re going to–”
“I suppose it’s a good thing you’ll be here to keep an eye on me,” he interrupts. I understand that although he brought the topic up, he no longer wishes to talk about it.
“I hope you’ll come to see that Fern Port is not so bad,” I offer weakly.
He glances at the window, the sound of Faye and Delilah’s laughter carrying through the evening breeze.
“Yes,” he agrees. “I just might.”
He leans in and gives me a brief yet firm hug, his hand patting my back pocket. I relish the knowledge that, if anything, he’s safe for now.
“I assume I will not be seeing you until tomorrow, so… Give the ladies my best, would you?” he asks before stepping off into the night.
Delilah
“Can you imagine strolling through Fern Port naked?” I say as Faye dabs a small tear from the corner of her eye. “Even with the curfew Mayor Sawyer instated for full moon peaks, considering my luck? Someone was bound to see me.”
“They’ve seen worse than a naked lady in these streets,” she says before taking a sip of wine.
That, I can’t deny.
I rest my chin in one palm as I look over at my beautiful, incredibly brave friend.
“Are you alright?” I ask, knowing better than to use my free hand to reach out for hers.
Faye sobers up quickly as she rolls her shoulder. “I’m not the one that had a hellish night in the woods, worried their boyfriend would never speak to them again. ”
“You do this all the time,” I sigh.
Her black eyebrows scrunch on her forehead.
“Just because I went through something–”
“Shitty as hell?”
“I was going to say unpleasant, but sure–it doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to feeling overwhelmed. You had to leave your siblings with your grandmother again, canceled tonight’s show at the theater, not to mention I must have terrified you when–”
“Lila,” she interrupts, crossing her arms against her chest as she leans back into the chair, her gold hoop earrings tinkling lightly with the shift in position. “You’re my best friend. Goddamn, you’re my only real friend. You don’t owe me anything, and you know that.” I know exactly what the pointed look she gives me refers to.
I know getting Faye to talk about her feelings will always be an uphill battle, and I know it’s not that she doesn’t trust me with them, but I still wish she didn’t feel like she had to be the strong one all the time.
“You were really upset about the idea of Cedric giving up,” I add.
“I wasn’t about to allow him to ruin your–you know, whatever you call the thing you have going on,” she says, clearly affronted.
“You can say I don’t owe you, but I’ll still babysit whenever and wherever, and for your entertainment, I’ll force Cedric to tag along,” I say with a wink.
“The children inexplicably like him,” she says with a mildly horrified expression. “No offense.”
“ Some offense taken!” I laugh.
“Look, you want to do something for me? ”
“Yes, and though I know ‘giving you my undying affection and loyalty’ is not what you’re about to say, I want to point out you already have those.”
Faye ignores that, though a hint of a smile tugs at her lips. “All I ask is that you keep it quiet.”
I cock my head, unsure what she’s referring to.
“Tonight, when Campbell fucks your brains out–”
“ Oh my god ,” I groan, smacking my forehead with a hand. “You don’t have to worry about that,” I add even as my cheek flush, and the memory of the last time Cedric and I got close to that makes something tingle low in my stomach.
“Hhm, I think I do,” she says, raising one eyebrow and her glass simultaneously.
“Maybe I should ask you the same though,” I add after a minute, feigning innocence.
“Excuse me?” Faye’s fingers still around her glass.
I lean forward, keeping my voice low. “Maybe you and–”
“Let me stop you right there.”
“You don’t even know what I was going to say!”
“Oh, I know, Lila. We will not be going on double dates anytime soon, I assure you.”
I open my mouth, then promptly close it.
“Fine, you heartbreaker.”
Faye tips her glass my way, and though it might be that I’ve gotten just a few hours of sleep, I could swear a shadow passes over her bright eyes.