Page 7 of Shiny Things

“You’re actually not a terrible sister. Did you know that?”

She grinned. “I do have my moments.”

Kim

Chapter 3

“Why is he still here?” I practically yelled at Gia after the breakfast crowd finally dispersed. Everyone but Elias.

“He’s not going to leave until you talk to him.”

“What? Are you serious? I don’t want to talk to him right now. I think I made that pretty clear by avoiding him.

She shrugged. “Men. They’re clueless most of the time, or he may just see it as a challenge. Regardless, he’s planning on camping out all day if necessary until you talk to him.”

“You act like that’s just no big deal. Aren’t you the one that told me to stay away from him?”

She frowned. “You didn’t tell me it was serious between the two of you.”

I blushed. “He told you that?”

Gia nodded and my heart did a sort of flip in my chest.

“It’s nothing. I swear. I’ve never even kissed him. We’re strictly, one hundred percent, just friends. You know it could never work out for us. So why encourage it? You told me yourself that your mother would freak out if there was even a rumor of the two of us together.”

She sighed. “Is that why you won’t let his raven meet yours?”

My cheeks were burning now.

“You can’t be talking to him anymore. I don’t talk to you about him, and he shouldn’t be talking to you about me.”

I was furious and embarrassed that he’d said anything to Gia. She was my friend, but she was also my boss. It wasn’tright, and he was going to get an earful about it when I stopped wallowing over the sight of Felicity Dean draped all over him.

“He wouldn’t have to come to me if you’d just talk to him.”

“You’re encouraging this now?”

“Kim, he truly believes you’re his true mate.”

“Shh! Would you keep your voice down?”

“Well, it’s clearly not news to you. Why don’t you just let your birds meet and get it over with then?”

“Because then what? So we’re true mates. We still can’t act on it without becoming the biggest scandal in the whole Congress. Both of our Flocks would freak out and you know it. You’ve even said it yourself.”

She hugged me. “I’m sorry for that. It wasn’t fair to either of you. For the record, I don’t think he’s good enough for you.”

I snorted. “Yeah, sure, that’s it.”

She pulled back and glared at me. “I’m serious, Kim. You’re too good for any of my brothers, though it’s a well-known fact Eli is my favorite. So if it has to be one of them, then I’m glad it’s him.”

“You act like this is a done deal. Nothing’s happened and nothing is going to happen.”

“You’re not even going to see if he’s right?”

“No. I do not want to know. I’ve made that very clear to him.”

Gia scowled at me. “Having found my perfect mate, I can assure you that you do not want to settle for anyone else. If he’s your true mate, then that’s it. That trumps all other social norms as far as I’m concerned, so figure it out already.”

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