Chapter 27
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
Phin started down the stairs, heard Jessica’s voice, and turned right around and ran back to her bedroom. The last thing she needed was her sister nosing about her business that afternoon with Rhaz.
But naturally, her mother had other ideas. “Phin, is that you?”
Phin cringed. “Yeah, Mom. What do you want?” There was no use fighting it. She might as well get it over with.
“Your sister’s here. Come say hi,” Mom called from downstairs.
Phin trudged down and entered the kitchen. “Hey, Jess,” she said with little enthusiasm.
“What’s the matter with you?” Jessica asked.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with your sister,” Mom said. “After all, she’s just spent the afternoon with a handsome man, and they went shopping.”
“Shopping?” Jessica said with interest. She looked Phin over as if expecting to see her wearing something new. “So what’s the deal, sis?”
“Nothing. There is no deal,” Phin insisted. “We went and had a milkshake at Frosty’s, and I took him downtown so he could see some of the shops. Nothing interesting.”
Jessica merely eyed her. “Well, if there’s nothing new...” She was still studying Phin.
Phin didn’t like the look in Jessica’s eyes. It meant she didn’t believe anything Phin was telling her, and she was going to go into interrogation mode.
Phin turned around and trudged back up the stairs, and sure enough, Jessica followed. “All right, out with it. What happened?” Jessica asked as soon as they were in Phin’s bedroom.
“If you must know, nothing,” Phin said.
Jessica quickly scanned the room, and Phin cringed. She hadn’t put away the ring yet. It was still sitting in the little bag on her dresser.
“Aha!” Jessica pointed. “You bought something. What’d you get? Can I borrow it?”
They both raced for Phin’s dresser, but Jessica beat her to it. She grabbed the bag and looked inside. “Phin! Oh my gosh, look at this! When did you get— What the— You can’t afford?—”
She tripped over her words. “Oh my gosh! He bought it for you, didn’t he? Rhaz.” Jessica sucked in a breath. “I can’t believe it. This is an expensive-looking ring.” She looked it over. “Where’s the receipt? How much did it cost?”
“Just never mind what it cost. Good grief, Jess.” Phin went to the bed and flopped onto it. “He bought it for me because he wanted me to have something in case he left and never came back, which is probably what’s going to happen because that’s the kind of luck I have.”
“Oh, stop it,” Jessica said. “I think the two of you make a lovely couple.”
“Doesn’t matter what you think, sis.” Phin sat up.
“He’s not interested. Rhaz is nice, that’s for sure, but he’s not going to marry me or anything.
” She noted the pang in her chest when she said it.
If she were ever to get married, it would certainly be cool to get married to somebody like him. Wowzers.
But it wasn’t meant to be. She might as well forget about it. In fact, the sooner she forgot about Rhaz, the better. Who knew what he was going to do?
Jessica nudged Phin’s foot. “Uh, sis? A guy doesn’t buy you a ring like this just for a little something to remember him by. He must be loaded. This... this is...”
“It was a thousand bucks, okay?” Phin said, finally caving.
Jessica gaped at her. “A grand? Oh, he is serious.”
“No, he’s not,” Phin insisted. “So just drop it, will you?”
“Phin, you’re an idiot,” Jessica said and sat on the bed next to her. “Here you’ve got this handsome guy who’s obviously interested in you.”
Phin rolled her eyes.
Jessica, of course, ignored it. “And you’re not going to give the guy a chance?” She took a breath. Phin was really in for it now.
Jessica let the breath out. “Okay, so maybe he really is just gifting you with an incredibly gorgeous and fantastically expensive ring just to, you know, make sure you don’t forget him and really isn’t sure what he’s going to do.
But you have to admit, he’s obviously interested, or he’d buy you a cheap necklace from one of the gift shops, or maybe a T-shirt. ”
Phin had to laugh at that. “All right, I get what you’re saying, but things like this don’t happen to me.”
“No, but they could,” Jessica said hopefully.
Phin wasn’t sure how to take that. Was she hoping that Phin would see it in her heart to believe somebody would be interested in her? Was she that down on herself?
No, she didn’t think she was.
“Well, it doesn’t matter anyway,” Phin said. “My guess is he’ll be leaving soon, and that’ll be that.”
“Have you asked him?” Jessica gave her a knowing look.
“Not outright,” Phin said.
Her sister flopped back on the bed. “Well, there you go. You need to ask him personally.”
“I don’t think he knows,” Phin said.
“Then find out.” Jessica sat up again. “You are the worst. He could be pining away for you, and how would you ever know because you never ask?”
“Well,” Phin drawled, “what if I don’t want to ask? What if I want to pretend that he’s really into me?” She blushed a deep red. It was embarrassing to admit, but there it was.
Jessica put an arm around her. “You know, sis, having a boyfriend’s nice. I love it. Richard is so kind, and he really cares for me. He doesn’t just tell me. He shows me.”
“And that’s great. I’m really happy for you, Jess. But I don’t even know what I want to do with my life yet, let alone know if I want a boyfriend.”
“Yeah, but if you did want a boyfriend, Rhaz is quite the catch, if you ask me.”
Phin frowned. “Yeah, well, I didn’t ask, did I?”
“Ouch,” Jessica said.
“Sorry,” she said with a sigh. “But I’m kind of over Mom and Dad doing things to push me toward someone. And yet they don’t want to see me move out.”
“Oh. I guess I can understand that.” Jessica brightened. “So what should we do? You need cheering up. We could make cookies.”
“Oh gosh,” Phin groaned. “Then Mom’ll want to talk to me and she’ll ask questions. Whatever you do, don’t tell her about the ring.”
“What do you think I am, crazy?” Jessica said with a laugh. “I’m not about to say a word. But it means you can’t wear it.”
“I know. But then Rhaz will want me to, won’t he? Or will he care because we’re just friends? He said he was buying it for a friend. Something to remember him by.”
“Oh, trust me, he’ll want to see you wear it.”
“Are you sure?” Phin made a face, biting her lower lip. “Somehow I don’t think so.”
“He will,” Jessica said. “They all do. Richard bought me a pair of earrings. I didn’t wear them, and of course he asked.”
“He did?” Phin made another face. But if she wore the ring, then their mother would see and?—
“Oh, good grief. I hate this.” She flopped back onto the bed.
Jessica laughed. “Stop worrying so much about it. Everything’ll be fine.”
“Easy for you to say. You don’t have Mom and Dad waving at you from the porch telling you to be careful.”
Jessica almost choked on her own spit as she sat up. “They what? Oh, they didn’t.” She looked at Phin, exasperated. “They wouldn’t.”
Phin gave her a mock grin. “Oh, trust me, they would, and they did.”
“You’ve hardly known him two weeks!”
Phin rolled her eyes. “I know, right? Does that mean they’re trying to get rid of me?”
Jessica laughed and put an arm around her again. “Don’t worry. It’ll all work out. Besides, if he keeps wanting to spend time with you, that’ll be a really good sign.”
“Yes, well, after today we’ll see what he does.” Phin didn’t sound convinced, even to her own ears.
Rhaz paced back and forth in the living room before finally settling on the couch.
“Prince of Dragons,” Anon drawled as he entered the room. “What is in your craw?”
“Craw?” Rhaz said. “What does that mean?”
“It means you’re pacing a hole in my floor. What’s wrong? Didn’t you have a good time with Phin?” He sat in a red velvet chair.
Rhaz sat on the couch and leaned back as he thought about his time with Phin. “I did. I had a wonderful time. I even bought her a gift. In fact, I bought her more than a gift. I bought her several, one of which, by your realm’s standards, was very expensive.”
“Do tell?” Anon said with raised eyebrows. “Whatever did you get her? Some clothes? Jewelry?”
Rhaz stood and resumed pacing. “A ring.”
Anon sat up with interest. “A ring? What kind of a ring?”
Rhaz shrugged. “Decorative. Pretty. Made of a stone I am not familiar with.”
“What color was it?” Anon asked.
“Blue. And the band looked silver.”
“Oh, no doubt pure silver. How do you do with silver, by the way? Can you touch it? It gives me a frightful rash.” Anon shuddered.
“Yes, I can touch it. It doesn’t bother me.”
“Oh, lucky you.” Anon waved that aside. “Never mind about that. You got her a ring, and that’s it? What’s the problem then?”
“She was nervous about taking it,” Rhaz confessed.
“How nervous?”
“Very nervous. In fact, she didn’t want to accept it at all.” He heaved a sigh and stared at the ceiling.
“Oh dear,” Anon said. “She’s probably not used to getting things from a gentleman. I don’t think she’s ever had a boyfriend.”
“No?” Rhaz turned to Anon, trying not to sound interested.
“She’s been in school since I’ve been here. And of course she volunteers for the fire department. Between that and her studies, she’s been busy. When would she have time?”
Rhaz nodded. “Phin mentioned something similar. And now she’s trying to decide what to do. She’s looking for a job. She was going to try the hardware store.”
“Oh yes, Joe’s Hardware. Nice chap, that Joe. Fishes a lot. Was she going to apply anywhere else?”
“The fabric shop,” Rhaz said, trying to remember. All he really remembered was the look on her face when he’d given her the ring. Part of her had obviously been thrilled. The other part had been terrified. Why would one be terrified about accepting a gift from someone genuinely wanting to give one?
He just didn’t get it.
“You know,” Anon said, “she hasn’t known you long, and she’s trying to figure out what you’re about.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Well, Rhaz, let me put it this way. If Louise were to buy you an expensive gift and give it to you after she’d only known you, what, a week? Would you accept it, or would you wonder what the motive was?”
“Motive?” Rhaz said, his face twisted in confusion. “I have no motive other than I wanted to give her something to remember me by.”
“Are you sure that’s all?” Anon asked with raised eyebrows. “Or does that ring mean something more than friendship? And trust me, there are such things as friendship rings. But is that what you actually gave her?”
“Well, it... I mean, of course it... Well... I gave it to her because I saw the longing in her eyes. Because I knew she wanted it. So that’s what I did.”
Anon eyed him with obvious suspicion. “I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that. But she obviously likes you.”
Rhaz stopped pacing again. “She does?”
“Of course she does, you silly dragon. Anyone can see it. And I’m sure you’ve known for a while there’s an attraction there.”
He couldn’t deny it. There was an attraction. But he also didn’t want to get too attached to Phin. If the door opened, he’d have to return. It was his duty.
Anon kept watching him. “This is really bothering you, isn’t it?”
He stopped and faced him. “It is. And I just can’t help it. I don’t know what to do, Anon. I’ve never met anyone like her.”
“Aha! Now we’re getting into the meat of it.” Anon left his chair, sat on the couch, and patted the spot beside him.
Rhaz found himself sitting before he realized what he was doing.
Anon clapped his hands together. “Now tell me all about it. Does your heart flutter when you’re near her? Do things get heated? Does she make your blood boil?”
“Anon!” he said in shock.
“Well, you know, different supernaturals react to love in their own way.”
“I’ve known her maybe a week,” Rhaz countered.
Anon raised a finger. “It can happen quick. You never know.”
Rhaz tried not to roll his eyes. After all, Anon was simply trying to be helpful.
“So, is she attracted to you?” Anon waggled his eyebrows.
“Oh, for the love of fire.” He never should have gotten into this conversation.
Just then Basil entered the living room, took one look at the two of them on the couch, walked over, hopped up, and wedged himself between them. “What’s going on in here? What are you two talking about?” the gnome demanded.
Oh, this was not what Rhaz needed. “Nothing, Basil. What did you want?”
“I am baking. Hana gave me a recipe to try. I came to see if you wanted sprinkles, Your Highness.”
Anon laughed. “You’ve come in here and interrupted a very important conversation about sprinkles?”
“We were not talking about sprinkles. We were talking about…” Rhaz snapped his mouth shut.
“What were you talking about?” Basil demanded.
Anon grinned. “Your prince is in?—”
Rhaz slapped a hand over Anon’s mouth. Now he was just being facetious because Basil was there.
“He’s in what?” Basil asked, glancing between them. “All I want to know is, do you want sprinkles?”
“Of course he does. Who doesn’t like sprinkles on one’s—” Anon stopped and laughed. “Oh, never mind. Now run along. Keep baking whatever you’re baking.”
Basil narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “I don’t trust you, bloodsucker. For all I know, nobody likes sprinkles around here.”
“Do you even know what sprinkles are?” Anon shot back. “Do they have sprinkles in your realm?”
“Of course we have—” Basil stopped. “Oh, wait a minute. No, we don’t.” He looked at Anon, then quickly away. “I forgot to ask Hana what sprinkles look like. Do you have any?”
Anon laughed. “Of course I have sprinkles. What good cook doesn’t keep sprinkles in the cupboard?” He rose from the couch. “Come along, gnome, and I’ll show you where they are.”
He turned to Rhaz as he started toward the dining room. “And you, stop worrying. Follow your heart, Dragon Prince.” He winked and left.
Rhaz wondered if Basil understood him. If so, he was being unusually quiet. Hopefully the gnome would forget about it and be so intent on learning what sprinkles were that he wouldn’t question him later.
Rhaz leaned back on the couch, scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed. “How did things suddenly get so complicated?”
He was just trying to be nice, after all. He thought of the ring and Phin, and knew in his heart of hearts that this went beyond being nice. That he was more than just attracted to her.
Perhaps the vampire was right. Maybe this was much more.