“He’s playing games with me,” I said, something in my middle clenching. “This is all a game to him.”
“For now.” Austin’s voice was rough. “Nothing changes. We still need to prepare. Given his schedule so far, it seems like we’ve got a couple months before his next move. That’s enough time.” He put a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll be well underway with a pack by then, Jess, and you’ll have grown leaps and bounds again. In two months, we’ll be ready.”
I hoped he was right. Even if he wasn’t, Elliot Graves was clearly much too invested to walk away. He would come for me eventually, and when he did, I had no choice but to be ready.
“Best get some champagne,” I said, heading into the house. “It’ll dull the anxiety.”
Austin didn’t follow me inside, and I paused to say goodbye. He stared down the street for a beat, his body tense, as though indecisive. When I opened my mouth to speak, he sagged, as though defeated. He turned toward me.
“I’ll tell Mr. Tom to pour me a glass, too,” he said.
I started in surprise. “Oh. Are you sure— Wait.” I smiled, suddenly warm and fuzzy. “You’re using his made-up name!”
A grin worked at his lips. “A good friend asked me to. It’s hard to say no to her.”
I beamed at him. “He’ll be so happy. After the stress with my parents, he’ll really appreciate it.”
“Jess, listen.” He clasped my arm. “I don’t want to mess anything up with you. You are incredibly important to me. That’s all I meant earlier. I want to be the man you need me to be, not the mess that I am. A little bit of space will get my head back on straight, that’s all.”
My mother’s words echoed in my ear.
Well, that just sounds like fear, that’s what that sounds like.
I hugged him. “I know. And you’re right, a little space will go a long way. It’s good timing, too. I still need to make a show of sitting in the office so I can look over the house finances.”
A wave of tingles washed over me.
I’d asked Niamh about it like Austin had advised. When I sat at that desk, my first order of business would be to officially transfer the house to me. This wasn’t done by a deed, though. The transfer happened with a blood oath. The fate of Ivy House and my council would be magically tied to my life, and be my ultimate responsibility. If I failed in doing right by the house, I would die.
At least, that was what Niamh had said. I hadn’t asked any more about it. That had scared me right down to the ground. I’d need another moment to build up some courage to face that.
Clearly Austin wasn’t the only one afraid. Maybe we both just had to get over it.
Eventually.
I patted his chest as I pushed away. “Now let’s go welcome in the new people and hope the normal people of this house crew finally outweigh the strange.”
“That won’t ever happen.”
“One can dream.”
I barely heard him murmur, as though a thought to himself, “A guy certainly can.”. ~ . ~ . ~ .