Chapter 8 #3
She washed down the pill with the whole glass, then said: “Since we’re feeling chatty, what did my aunt say about your ribs?”
Eris
Everything looks fine but she stressed again that only an xray can tell for sure
She also strongly recommended I see a speech therapist
Had to pull my ‘I’m overwhelmed, I need a break’ flashcard to make her stop yapping
I can see who you take after
“You realise that’s a compliment, right?”
Eris smirked.
Thankfully, Denny didn’t have a chance to read too much into it because her phone providentially buzzed again. It was Rocco, this time.
“Ludwig’s here,” she announced. “Don’t wait up for me, alright?” She kissed Eris’ cheek and rushed to the door.
Halfway there, her heart jumped into her throat.
She’d kissed Eris.
What an idiot. What an insensitive idiot, kissing someone who could barely stand a light touch. Eris was going to hate her now, and she would be absolutely entitled to.
She turned back, trying to come up with an excuse that could justify that unforgivable slip, but Eris had gone back to the dishes.
Guilt assailed her as she dragged herself downstairs. She had to apologise, no lame excuses—admit that she’d acted impulsively without considering Eris’ boundaries. And pray that Eris would forgive her.
She offered Ludwig a big tip to thank him for the late delivery, which he politely declined.
“You’re one of my favourite clients, Denny. I’d show up in the middle of the night if you called.” He gave her a fatherly pat on one arm and wished her and Rocco a good night.
“Well then.” Denny took in the hundreds of white and pink roses that covered the shop’s floor, trying not to feel too overwhelmed. “Let’s get cracking, son.”
The arrangements in the reference photos weren’t overly elaborate, but required a lot of snipping and trimming and even more precision, which wasn’t one of Denny’s renowned qualities on her best days, let alone on a sleepless night when she was running on chocolate and pure desperation.
If they survived this, she’d gladly let Eris kill Rocco.
One hour into the job, he was sugar-high from eating half his weight in sweets.
“We’re grinding!”
Denny wasn’t particularly present. Her body was working on autopilot while her mind kept straying to that ill-advised kiss.
She hated that she couldn’t stop thinking how soft Eris’ cheek felt. Despite the acne scars, despite how poorly Eris took care of it, her skin had the exact same texture of the petals of the roses in Denny’s hands, but with a warmth that no rose could dream of.
Denny’s shoulders drooped. This wasn’t good. Whatever her feelings were doing, they needed to stop. Stat.
The door flung open. She and Rocco jumped. Eris came in carrying a delicious-smelling pot that awakened a rumble in Denny’s belly. Eris unceremoniously laid the pot on top of a bunch of green scraps. Tomato soup with cheese, Denny’s favourite comfort food.
Rocco looked like he might cry. “I love you, Mistress of Darkness!”
Eris walked out with a scoff, returning shortly after with bowls and spoons and a pack of flatbread.
They gobbled up the entire pot, half spooning, half dunking the bread. The soup was as delicious as it smelled, with a kick of flavour that Denny swore her original recipe didn’t have. Might be a pinch of chilli powder.
Eris seemed her usual self. It looked like the kiss hadn’t even registered to her.
Good, Denny tried to tell herself. No reaction was better than a negative reaction. She hadn’t ruined anything, after all. Except now that she knew what kissing Eris felt like, she couldn’t get that feeling out of her head.
Catching her staring, Eris cocked an eyebrow at her.
Denny ducked her head like the coward she was.
There were three words on the tip of her tongue.
She didn’t know how or when they’d got there, or what to do with them, but letting them out wasn’t an option.
You’re beautiful, she couldn’t stop thinking.
She knew that it was only an early symptom of something bigger that she couldn’t afford to fall into.
When there was nothing left but dirty dishes, Denny assumed that would be it, that Eris would collect everything and go back upstairs.
But she didn’t.
She pushed up her sleeves, instead, and stood between Denny and Rocco, waiting for instructions.
“You don’t have to do this,” Denny stressed while her inner self flailed. You’re so so beautiful.
‘I want to’, said Eris’ unswerving look, and Denny felt herself slip an inch deeper into that forbidden thing that she was supposed to keep away from.
“Okay,” she sighed. Any help was welcome. She would find a way to repay Eris for this. “I’ll show you what to do.”
Eris learned much faster than Denny ever could. With nothing but the arrangements Denny and Rocco had already finished as a model, she got to work and only stopped every once in a while to pour herself a cup of tea, her trademark pensive frown unrelentingly in place.
You’re beautiful.
The thought kept haunting Denny for the remainder of the night.
She had the impression that her heart was growing lighter and heavier at the same time.