Chapter 10
Chapter
Ten
Trent wrung his hands as he approached the Aquatic Horticultural Emporium.
Why didn’t I ask Leo to do this instead? Or Grady? Or Cas? Or Ordelia? Or any of my nine siblings?
They could have picked up Jasper’s medicine so Trent didn’t have to. Then he wouldn’t have to face Mr Marin again.
But of course, if Trent asked them to, they’d want to know why. Then he’d either have to lie or tell them the truth. Which was that he’d asked Mr Marin on a date and had been harshly refused.
“The idea just has no real appeal to me.” Mr Marin’s response echoed in his ears.
His stomach sank. Trent closed his eyes and took a deep breath, shaking his head and trying to dislodge the words.
Why had Mr Marin had to be so cruel in his refusal?
Whilst Trent had always assumed that it was highly unlikely that Mr Marin would be interested in going on a date with him, he’d not expected the harshness of the siren’s rejection.
Had Trent offended him by suggesting the date? Had he crossed a boundary he didn’t know existed? Did Mr Marin see it as offensive to have someone like Trent ask him?
“I just cannot imagine enjoying myself in such a situation.”
It stung. And because the words kept tumbling through his head, he’d barely slept. His gut had kept roiling as he played through the awful events and Mr Marin’s words over and over and over again until he thought he might vomit.
He’d tossed and turned, getting tangled in the sheets. For once, he’d lain in his bed, thinking of Mr Marin with his cock completely flaccid. He had no desire to jerk himself off thinking of the horticulturist. He doubted he ever would again.
There was too much shame now.
Trent definitely had no desire to explain what had happened to his siblings.
They’d feel bad for him and probably be angry with Mr Marin on his behalf.
They’d take over getting the medicine and also suss out the man who’d insulted their baby brother.
Maybe they’d even confront Mr Marin. It would make it all so much worse!
No. Best not to involve his siblings. He’d just keep going himself.
And his siblings had their own lives. Their own responsibilities. He didn’t want to bother them with having to pick up the medicine. He would just suck it up and do this simple task.
Which meant having to face Mr Marin day after day after day until Jasper got better.
Trent hoped Mr Marin would be kind today. Before yesterday, he’d not believed that the siren could crush a man’s hopes with such heartless precision.
With every step he took, the muscles in his body tensed. He turned the corner and approached the emporium. He held his breath. The shop grew larger and larger, looming before him. He fixed his gaze on the door.
And then Trent simply kept walking. He walked straight past the emporium and continued down the street. After several moments, he stopped, staring ahead.
Well, that wasn’t the plan.
He turned and walked back. But when he should have stopped and entered, he once again just strode past. Again he stopped a short distance away. He dropped his head into his hand. He groaned.
Trent just needed to go in and get it over with. Then hopefully he could get past his foolish embarrassment and his crush.
He turned. He walked towards the door. He swallowed. His footsteps slowed. He lifted his hand, preparing to reach for the handle.
Then at the last second, he turned and walked away. A few steps later he stopped. He stared ahead.
“Come on, Trent! You can do this.” He turned on the spot. Then he paced in a circle. “Just go in and out. Order the seeds. No extra questions. No Merry Christmases. Just in and out. The embarrassment will pass eventually. You’ll see. But you have to make a—”
“Mr Berry,” a melodic, accented voice called out.
Trent’s head snapped up.
Mr Marin stood by the open door. “I’ve been keeping an eye out for you today. I noticed you out here.”
Cauldrons and clusterfucks! No!
Mr Marin had seen Trent pace back and forth outside the shop. He’d seen him talking to himself and trying to convince himself to enter. And Trent thought he couldn’t feel more mortified. He wanted to melt into a puddle and disappear.
“Do you wish to come in?” Mr Marin asked. “It is quite chilly.”
No! I want to flee and never return! But instead, Trent just stammered, “Ah… Yes… Thanks.” And he followed Mr Marin inside.
The room felt hot. But that was probably because his whole body felt like it was on fire. It wasn’t bad enough that Mr Marin had cruelly rejected him yesterday. Now he’d seen Trent acting a fool. Could it get any worse?
Mr Marin walked around the counter. He pulled out the tank with the elothea grass.
Trent, like a scared cat, hung back for several moments before slowly creeping forward.
Mr Marin rested his hands and tentacles on the side of the tank. A slight frown marked his brows. He didn’t move to pick the seeds. Mr Marin cleared his throat. “Mr Berry, I wish to discuss our conversation from yesterday.”
Fucking frog guts! Why? Why would he want that? Did he want to make Trent suffer more? Trent shook his head, gaze fixed on the wood of the counter. “I really don’t see any need for that.”
Mr Marin paused. “If you’d indulge me a moment, I would prefer if we did.”
Trent’s shoulders sagged. “Okay.”
“Yesterday,” Mr Marin began. But then he paused, as if not sure how to continue. He started again, “Yesterday you asked if I wished to go to the Christmas markets. Is that correct?”
“Yes,” Trent whispered. What sort of emotional torture was this? Was this some sort of mind game? Maybe sirens were cruel after all.
Mr Marin had taken his webbed hands from the tank. They lay flat on the counter. “And am I to understand, that in your question regarding my desire to visit the Christmas markets, was an included implied invitation to accompany you?”
“What?” What the fuck did that mean?
Mr Marin pursed his lips. “Were you asking me to go with you to the Christmas markets?”
“Of course.” Hadn’t that been obvious?
Mr Marin nodded, as if expecting the answer. “Then you must forgive me my rudeness. You see, I had assumed you were simply asking if I had a general desire to visit the Christmas markets. And you see, although I’ve never been to them, they’ve never held much appeal to me.”
Mr Marin paused. “From my understanding, the markets are very loud and bright. And there are so many people there. I am not certain I would suit such an environment.” Mr Marin took off his glasses and pulled out a cloth.
“But I had not realised I was being invited to go with you.” He wiped his glasses and swallowed. Mr Marin appeared…nervous. Trent had never seen the siren nervous before.
“Wait.” Trent straightened. “You didn’t realise I was asking you to go with me?”
Mr Marin let out a breath. “Exactly.”
Had Trent not been clear? He couldn’t remember what he’d said. But he wouldn’t be surprised if he made a mess of it. “So does that mean you would be interested in going to the Christmas markets with me?”
The hope that had been extinguished the previous day burst into fiery flames within his chest. He stood up taller, gaze on Mr Marin, waiting for the next words to fall from his lips as hope and terror danced within him.
“Well…like I said, I have not been before to these Christmas markets, and I’m not sure how I would find them,” Mr Marin said.
Trent wanted to say he would be happy to go somewhere else, as long as they’d be together. But the siren kept speaking, “But I will happily accept your invitation to join you.”
Trent smiled. He thought he’d burst with joy.
A few moments ago, he’d been despairing, thinking his hopes had been harshly dashed. But no. Now he had a date. A date with Mr Marin!