Page 10 of Knowing Trust

“No, never completely,” I accepted.

“So the real question is—are your feelings for him enough to put up with that bullshit knowing it will probably get better? Do you see a life and love with him enough to put up with the same crap you would deal with to be with Hudson? That level of comments and crap?”

“I don’t know. I don’t…”

She nodded and let go of my hand, getting back to her own food. “Then tell him that, Tams. Let go of the guilt that what you’re doing isn’t right and give him the information to make the decision. That’s what you did for Hudson, Julian—all of them. That’s why you’re the best. You’re always fair. Be fair to him and let him decide.”

“I’m scared.”

“Because you’re also smart.” She gave me a soft smile when I looked at her. “You’re going to change everything. You already have, but now you’re going to do it for real. Yeah, scary as fuck. I’ve gone through that now and I get it. But you have an awesome winning streak, Tams. You know what you want and trust your gut. What does your gut tell you?”

I swallowed loudly and finally admitted what I knew in my soul even if it was to Izzy in our minds. “That my life will never fully know joy and my soul the happiness it should unless Neldor is in my life and at my side where he should be.”

She nodded. “Then you know your heart. I’m telling your head that I see the tide turning, and I think you guys could be out in a few years and not deal with everything you validly feared and kept you apart. I would ask others as well. I know Katrina agrees with me. We’ve discussed it and are shocked at how fast it came about.”

I wasn’t shocked they had discussed it. They were both lovable meddlers and becoming tighter and tighter since Izzy was going to become my second advisor after she graduated.

But after she said that, I did want to hear her opinion on the matter.

Which was why I teleported to her after my morning classes to ask if she could join me for dinner… Only to pop into something again.

Namely, Taeral’s hands all over her.

“Taeral!” I exclaimed and used my magic to throw him off of her.

“Darling, I was rather enjoying that,” Katrina chuckled after she did a double take and saw it was me.

I blinked at her and felt my face flush all the levels of lava. “I apologize. I didn’t—I thought—it—”

“Yes, I understand where your head was,” she teased, giving me a wink to say there weren’t any hard feelings. “The idiot man finally admitted he likes me, so please release him since I reward good behavior as you do.”

“Oh, right.” I’d thrown him into the wall and held him there. I released him and shrugged when he sighed and fixed the damage to Katrina’s store. “Okay, well, I wanted to ask you to have dinner and ask you your advice about something you’ve been discussing with Izzy, but now I also have a million questions about this.”

They both opened their mouths to object to that.

I threw back my head and laughed. “Oh yeah, neither of you have any leg to stand on with that. You meddle and interject yourselves into my love life every day of the fucking week so yeah, the shoe is on the other foot, and fuck off if you’re going to tell me it’s none of my business.”

“Well damn, well played,” Katrina… Praised? It was half praise and half complaint. “Yes, let’s have dinner.” She waved off Taeral’s protest. “You waited this long to finally ask me out, you can wait until Friday to have a real date planned. I think that was what you were going to say you had on the agenda?”

I smirked at him as he looked a bit lost for words. “You weren’t actually stupid enough to show up here to ask her out and for the same night, right? Are you going to pick up McDonald’s too and expect sex the first night like a complete duffer? If you need advice on how to treat a woman—”

“Thank you, Your Highness, but I was objecting to the discussion of our personal matters, but you are right that turnabout is fair play,” he fibbed. He moved closer to Katrina and took her hand, raising it to his lips. “Does six work for you on Friday? I’m at your disposal for any time and I will make plans accordingly.”

Nice.

She said that was fine and waited until he left. She knew where my mind was because she didn’t even make me ask. “I know Iolas is your godsfather, but he was my lover first. Yes, he’s tried to rekindle, but he loved your mother. For a fling, that’s fine. I will never be second to another woman or have a real relationship now that she’s gone. I deserve better.”

“Absolutely. That isn’t my worry even.” I thought of how to phrase what I wanted to ask when she frowned, but then I saw understanding light up her eyes.

“Yes, they are competitive twits. That was why I didn’t jump on Taeral’s hints or flirting but made him suffer and be blunt. I wanted to see if this was fairy foolery and male ego or if he likes me.”

I debated to tell her what I knew but then realized she deserved it because of all the help she’d given me.

“I never could know for sure, but I’ve caught several thoughts of Taeral’s when you were around that Iolas was a fool for not appreciating you better when you’re the full package and not a fling. I think it’s not competition, but he was worried it could start trouble if Iolas was really into you now and no woman would be worth upset between the commanders.”

“He admitted that much to me when he finally asked,” she confessed. “Good, then let us have dinner. What are you in the mood for?” She didn’t give me a chance to answer. “Fun. You always need more fun. There are a few restaurants that opened here recently. I will handle it.”

“Thanks, Katrina.” I leaned in and kissed her cheek before returning to Artemis, shrugging when my security gave me shit looks for teleporting away on them.

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