Page 46 of If You Give an Artist a Killer Muse

She immediately nods, focusing on the menu, “Yes! I’m so hungry.”

I catch the waitress’s eye and nod, signaling we’re ready to order. As she approaches us, I lower my arm and smile at my mom. Glancing down at the menu, I wait my turn while my mom asks questions about a dish.

A prickling sensation heats up on the back of my neck as I listen to them. Frowning, I rub my neck, but the weird feeling intensifies. I glance up and turn around, my gaze skimming through the people around us.

That familiar lurch in my chest hits me again.

She wouldn’t be here... She's not here...

“Rurik, sweetheart?”

I whirl around to look at my mum and the waitress watching me.

“It’s your turn,” My mum says, slightly concerned.

I blink. Shit.

“Uh, yeah, sorry,” I quickly choose a random dish from the menu and smile politely as I look up, “Chocolate chip pancakes, please. Thank you.”

As we gather our menus to hand them over to the waitress, I still can’t shake that annoying feeling of being watched.

My phone vibrates, and I immediately grab it. My eyes widen at the text message.

CRAZY MIGRAINE:

-Why are you smiling at her like that?

What. The. Fuck. I look up and turn around, my eyes frantically looking around to locate her. I knew I was being watched, and I knew it was her!

“Rurik? You okay, sweetheart?” I can hear my mum’s voice asking with concern.

“Yup!” I say, clearing my throat as I continue looking.

Where the hell is she? My phone vibrates again, and I whirl around to look at it.

CRAZY MIGRAINE:

-Did you forget that you’re mine?

-Keep smiling at her like that, and I’ll break her adorable face.

I let out a string of curses, and my mum nearly chokes on her water.

“What is wrong, Rurik?” she asks, dabbing herself and looking around. “Tell me this instant.”

“Sorry, Mum, just my boss asking me to come in for a shift this evening,” I lie through my teeth.

She believes it, and it makes me feel like a shitty son.

“Ignore it,” she scoffs. “You’re off today, and we’re busy keeping your mother company.”

I nod, deciding to ignore Briar’s texts. Seconds later, my phone vibrates again.

CRAZY MIGRAINE:

-Are you ignoring me?

-You are!

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