Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Del
In my stolen Henley and sockless Doc Martens, I’m not dressed for bush walking. My temper tantrum at Lachlan’s behaviour, however, didn’t give a rat’s bum about that fact.
I’m sitting on an ancient wooden bench seat in a tiny clearing where the path I’d stomped along ended.
It’s farther up the mountain than I’d intended to go.
There’s a breathtaking view of the deep valley, sandstone cliffs, gorges, and distant waterfalls.
I get the feeling it was once a dedicated lookout back when the convicts built the Cloudkiss homestead.
Based on how overrun the path leading here is now, it isn’t used much anymore.
That’s okay. I need to be alone for a while to clear my head. I’m being petulant. I know I am. The fact Lachlan seemed ready to go all Hulk on Jared when he thought Jared was my privacy-crashing fan shows he wasn’t just using me. I think.
Staring out over the view, I chew my bottom lip.
There are enough people in my life now happily in love to prove that love, the soulmate forever kind of love, can happen. So why am I grumping about up the side of a mountain instead of talking to him like a mature, reasonable adult about the possibility we might have something special?
Is it because I’m…afraid?
A hot lump fills my throat, and I let out a wry laugh. “Chicken,” I murmur, withdrawing my phone from my bag, “thy name is Del.”
Checking the signal bars—a whole two 5Gs—I drag in a shaky breath and Facetime Stevie.
Her worried—and a tad pixelated—face fills my screen on the second ring. “Where are you? We thought you went back to your room, but when—”
“I’m scared, Stevie,” I cut her off, part confession, part bewildered disbelief.
“Scared?” She frowns. “Are you in danger? Is it your Instagram stalker? You really shouldn’t be alone.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I shake my head. “No. I’m scared of all these big feelings overwhelming me, and how…how…big they are.”
“Ah.” Her lips curl. “I see.”
I huff into my hair. “I mean, I’ve never failed at anything I’ve set my mind on doing.
Never. I was first in all my subjects at school, captain of the debating team, captain of my field hockey team, the best freaking cousin anyone could ever have—” she laughs “—and I defied everyone’s expectations to become a professional cosplayer. I’ve never failed.”
“But?” she prompts, her voice gentle.
I chew on my bottom lip again, shaking my head even as I skim my blank stare over the valley view.
“But love?” I return my attention to her.
“That’s a totally unknown scary with no prescient outcome.
What if I open my chest, hand Lachlan my heart, and he gets sick of me?
I know I’m a lot. I’m not shy, or demure, or submissive.
I’m chaotic neutral. At best! Or worse still, what if we give it a go and just don’t work? ”
Stevie narrows her eyes at me. “Are you really telling me, cousin, you’re not even brave enough to try?”
The question, more like a condemnatory accusation, punches me in the chest.
“Good gravy,” I grumble. “I need to stop being pathetic.”
“You do.” Her pixelated face grins back at me.
“Right now. Go find him and kiss him senseless. And then could you pretty please with sugar on top put your butt into bridesmaid mode? I’m getting married tomorrow, remember?
And I really want you here to distract me from my nerves.
Not that this isn’t a first-class distraction, mind you.
I’m talking—” she does a chef’s kiss “—on distraction levels, but I’d rather you were actually in the same room with me, if that’s okay?
For starters, I still haven’t decided how to do my hair! ”
“Yeah, yeah.” I laugh, getting to my feet. “It’s always about you, isn’t it.” I sigh. “I really am sorry, Stevie. Awesome Cousin Del is back on duty.”
“Love you, Del,” she says with a soft chuckle.
“Love you too,” I reply and turn around.
OnlyFans Galadriel is standing behind me. Right there, less than a foot away. Smiling. “Hi, Delly.”
A ragged noise—part gasp, part chuckle—bursts from me. Heart pumping faster, I mock-scowl into my phone at Stevie. “Seriously? You sent one of your university friends after me?”
Stevie frowns. “What do you mean? I didn’t send anyone after you.”
I lift my stare to the woman in front of me.
She’s still in her bachelorette party fairy costume, which is kind of weird, although the wings are MIA.
She smiles again. She’s got a lot of teeth.
And there’s a spray of freckles painted over her nose and cheeks.
Purple freckles. Like the ones I wore last…
Oh… Fuck.
A cold tension squirms up my spine.
“What uni friend?” Stevie asks.
My pulse a growing drum in my ears, I flip my phone’s camera so the woman fills the screen. “This one.”
“Del,” I hear Stevie say. “I have no idea who that is.”
My heart smashes up into my throat.
“Oh fuck,” I mutter, staring at the woman in front of me.
“Hi, Delly,” she says again, stepping closer. “I’m so glad we’re finally alone. I tried to get your attention at POPcon, but you were just so busy.”
I gasp, recoiling. My heel snags on something—a rock, or a root, who the fuck knows—and I stumble backwards, arms pinwheeling as my phone flings out of my hand.
Up.
And out.
Over the yawning drop of the valley far below.
Gone.