Chapter Thirty-One
Tulya
“Did we have to go out?” I spoke a touch above a whisper to Prim, who was sitting next to me in a maxi dress and gladiator sandals, looking on top of her game.
“We did. I know you’re a homebody, but there is only so much sulking one can handle.” She stared at me, presumably taking in my skinny jeans, black tank, minimal makeup and my hair down rather than pulled back.
I didn’t respond to her comment or perusal, instead I took a sip of my Malbec. It had been a long day with the whole “Emelee’s feelings” situation.
“You’re not still upset over what happened with Bruno? You had to know it would happen eventually. I’ve been pining for him since we discovered boys. And let’s be honest, he needs someone who loves him for him. I’m good for the man.”
Another sip of Malbec as I looked around The Toasted Onion.
It was one of a handful of taverns we had in Rubia.
If I had to go out, it was my favorite place to go, which was why I suspected Prim chose it.
It was lined with shelves filled with books and knickknacks, and chandeliers made of candelabras hung from the ceiling.
It was Beauty and the Beast meets shabby chic.
I smoothed an imaginary stray hair; I’d straightened my red hair to within an inch of its life and left it down.
I felt naked without my bun. “If Bruno is the hill you want to die on, go ahead. My mom will never allow it, and you know that. I hate being brutally honest, but there is no other way to put this.”
“Look, you’re clearly in ‘don’t mess with me’ mode.
” Prim addressed my mood but not my dose of reality.
“Tuv—I’m your friend, and you need to talk with someone.
Choose me. Caro is your sister, but her loyalty to your mother’s social standing is her weakness.
I’m not in Ezza’s camp of favorites…as you just highlighted—”
I interrupted. “Nor will you ever be.”
“You said that already, but we can’t help who we love.
” She tucked her own hair behind her ear, her diamond stud twinkling at me.
Leaning in, she spoke again. “So, if you’re not upset with me, what is it?
Writer’s block? You’ve been totally absent since returning.
I don’t care about your injury.” Waving at my hand, Prim hit on several of the elephants in the tiny tavern bar, but not the main one.
A third gulp of Malbec was in order.
“You can’t keep hiding behind your wine. Something is going on. You’re back, and not the same, and I don’t believe it was only the transfer. Although I know it was hell, but that’s not it. Period.”
My eyes swept the room, searching for a diversion. “I’m writing, a little. I mean, it’s been a whirlwind since I got back, but I’m trying to settle into it.”
“Tuv—spill it.” It was the second time she’d shortened my nickname. I knew she meant business.
“There’s someone.” Two words came out on a whoosh.
Prim stared at me wide-mouthed. “Who? What? When?” Her questions came out in short bursts, her expression somewhere between shocked and incredulous.
“That was not what I was expecting.” Her hand dug into a bowl of nuts sitting in front of us.
She rolled several cashews in her palm, and I chalked it up to nervous energy.
I tried to let her down gently. “It’s not going to be anything.”
“Why?”
“Stop with the questions. Seriously, put your excitement to bed.” I waved my hand in front of her mouth, hoping she understood I meant for her to be quiet.
“I will do no such thing.”
“Can I get you two another round?” For one moment, luck was on my side as Milly, the bartender, interrupted the discussion.
“Put a pin in this,” Prim sadly told me and then turned to Milly and said, “Yes, two more rounds.”
“Two more?”
“We can call Bruno to get us,” was her response.
“Umm, I’m nowhere near that stage of acceptance when it comes to you two—”
“Hush” is what she told me.
A small tremor hit my weaker hand, and I stuck it under my leg. I still tried to hide any lingering reactions I had to the transfer. I’d successfully helped Emelee, putting me back in my mother’s good graces. Truthfully, I was unsure why I wanted to be there, but I did.
Maybe it was all I’d ever known.
“Back to you.” Prim brought me out of my haze. “You’ve been busy since you returned?” She raised her eyebrows.
“Stop, shh,” I pleaded.
Milly slid our drinks in front of us, taking us seriously, leaving two apiece.
“It was while I was in Florida,” I said. “It shouldn’t have happened, but it did, and now it’s complicated.”
Prim’s eyes looked like they were going to bulge out of her face. “Donovan?”
I nodded.
“I told you he liked you. At the party.”
The nape of my neck started to burn, and not because Prim was feeling any sort of sadness toward Bruno. This was all me. I’d started to react to my own shitty feelings.
Sliding a delicate elastic off my wrist, I tugged my hair into a low ponytail and wrapped it tightly. “Maybe we’ve always had some sort of weird crush. I don’t know, but it can’t be, or whatever. I’m a yin to his yang, but it’s not allowed, if that makes sense.”
Prim took a long sip of her martini. “Is this some book crap? Fiction you made up? Yin and yang usually work. He pulls, you push.”
I felt my head shaking. “No, our powers are opposite and both strong forces. We don’t sync like that. Mixed together, we’re not a match. That’s what our mothers would say.” It was the most I’d talked about Donovan, and a wave of relief washed over me.
“But you had a tryst?”
I couldn’t help the laugh escaping me. “No need to be so dramatic. We had a few nights, some tender moments, celebrated Christmas. Maybe that’s why—we bonded over the holiday, nothing more.”
Her eyes flew to my ears. “Oh my Lord. I thought those were out of the ordinary for you to choose.”
“What?”
“The earrings.”
Again, all I did was nod.
“This is why he came back guns blazing, dragged the human—Valerie—out of here. He was beside himself over the medic not going to you. There were rumors, but I thought this was all born out of guilt.”
“No, he brought the medic and that was that. The end of the line when it came to me. I’m a delicate piece of glass and he’s a hammer; that’s how much we don’t fit.” I was sucking down Malbec number two, and all of a sudden happy to have number three waiting.
Prim grabbed my hand and squeezed. “This is absurd. You’re not listening to your mom. Look at you, a woman who’s smitten.”
“I have to. Plus, he won’t go against his mother.”
“Nonsense. He’s a grown man, and you didn’t see him when he returned. We took it as maniacal warrior, but it was man in love.”
“Not love,” I quickly interjected.
“Oh? Want to bet?” Prim batted her eyelashes at me and then tossed her chin up.
I didn’t tell her there was no need to alert me to Donovan being here; my entire spine was chilled, goose bumps running up my legs. Judging by how freezing I was, he was close.
“Ladies,” I heard.
Prim looked like a cat who ate the canary and was in hot pursuit of a second one. I wanted to tell her to wipe the grin off her face, but Donovan was standing by my side now, and imaginary icicles were forming in my undies.
Prim spoke first. “Hey, Donovan.”
“Prim, how are you on this lovely evening?”
“Tuvy and I were just getting all caught up.” She winked, and I wanted to smack her.
“Is that so, Tulya?” Donovan turned toward me, using my full name, differentiating himself.
“We haven’t seen one another in a long while,” I said, hoping to end Donovan’s visit.
“Yes, it’s been great, but we were just about to call Tulya’s brother to get us. Maybe you can drive her home?” Prim tossed the suggestion out there as if it was a normal one.
“Of course. Now?” Leave it to Donovan to pick up what she was putting down and take advantage of the opportunity.
Jerk. Not to mention, Prim would get alone time with Bruno now.
“I’ll settle up.” Prim shooed us off and Donovan didn’t waste any time.
“Let’s go, Tulya.” He tugged on my stool and waited for me to stand, his hand resting on my lower back as we made our way out.
Judging by how cold I was in the middle of late spring, I was in big, big trouble.