“Either that or an escaped mental patient turned serial killer who’s just waiting for some unsuspecting teenagers to drive past.”
“That’s it—no more scary movies for you.” He squeezes my hand with fingers gone slightly clammy. Guess I didn’t realize how nervous he is, and everything I’ve said since I got in the car has probably only served to make it worse.
I need to try harder. He’s worked his whole life for this moment. And I have to stop questioning every last detail.
He pulls to the side of the road, sets the brake, and checks his reflection in the rearview mirror. As I peer through the windshield at the lone car parked on the other side of the place where the roads intersect.
Once again, we have to go to him. He can’t even get out of his car and meet us halfway.
I clamp my lips shut before I can break my vow and put a voice to the thou
ght. My dislike of this man is irrational and better kept to myself. He’s never actually given me a reason to loathe him like this.
“He has another engagement in Albuquerque,” Auden says. “So we need to make this quick.”
“Quick works for me.” I gather my gown in my hands, while Auden leaps from his side and comes around to open my door. A holdover from the days when I couldn’t see, but it’s sweet all the same.
It’s even hotter out here than it was in Enchantment. And with the blanket of clouds overhead, the air feels so heavy it’s like a thermal canopy has been draped over us. Auden folds my hand in his and leads me across the dirt road toward the car with the headlights blazing so bright, I’m forced to lift a hand to my forehead to shield my eyes from the glare.
I lean into his shoulder, seeking comfort in his touch. Determined to enjoy every second I can from this moment on. I’ve already wasted too much time feeling grumpy, and we both deserve better.
Despite Daire having a pretty good plan, despite all of us having studied it again and again until we’ve memorized our parts, there’s no telling how this will end. The least I can do is enjoy every last moment of peace I can find with my boyfriend.
I stop just shy of the car, and say, “I’m happy for you, Auden. I really, truly am. I’m sorry if I made it appear otherwise.”
He drops a kiss on my cheek. “I know, flower.” He grins. “You’re just looking out for me. You’ve always got my back.” Then he leads me the last few steps to the car, where we angle our faces away from the lights, as Luther climbs out of the car.
“Sorry about the glare. It’s so dark out here, I figured we could use the light.” Then looking at me, he says, “Xotichl, wow. I’ve never seen you so radiant.” He grins, extends a hand, and not seeing a viable alternative that wouldn’t be considered inordinately rude, I clasp it in mine. “How are you getting on?” he asks.
I extricate myself from his grip and shoot him an uncertain look, not exactly sure what he means.
“Auden tells me you got your sight back. That must be a truly incredible experience.”
It’s all I can do to nod in reply. The heat is so heavy, the air so thin, it’s rendered me dizzy, light-headed, like I’m two breaths from fainting.
“Going from a world of total darkness to a world of color and light . . . I can’t even imagine how that might feel.”
My eyes graze past his absurd ponytail and double hoop earrings, and focus hard on his lips, trying to determine the color of his words. But his speech flows frustratingly clear. “You’d be surprised,” I say, finally finding my voice. “My world wasn’t nearly as dark as you think.”
He quirks a brow, stares down the bridge of his nose.
The moment of awkwardness is broken when Auden says, “We should probably get started. We’ve got to get to the Rabbit Hole, and I know you need to get to Albuquerque . . .”
Luther turns to him with a look I can’t read. His face obscured when he says, “Right. Let’s get on with it then.”
He leans into his car, reaches across the passenger seat, and returns with a beautiful designer briefcase stuffed with a thick stack of papers he sets on the hood.
“I know, it looks like a lot.” Luther glances at me. “But this should only take a minute. Two at the most. The signature lines are all tagged. All Auden has to do is sign, and you’ll be on your way.”
“You’re not going to at least look them over?” I turn to Auden, assuring myself I’m being supportive, as opposed to mistrusting.
“I’ve already seen ’em. This is just the formality, right?” Auden looks to Luther to verify.
“If you want to read through it again, s’okay by me.” Luther grins in a way that makes his cheeks appear waxy and tight, as though they’re unused to the move. “Don’t worry about me. I can be a few minutes late. After all, Xotichl’s right. This is your future. You can’t be too cautious.”
Auden lifts the stack of papers, does a quick scan of each page. “Looks good,” he says, rooting around in his pocket in search of a pen.
“You serious?” Luther squints at the Bic. “You’re not really planning to sign with that, are you?”