Page 26 of Peacocks

“No big deal.” I turned back to the counter and gave it a wipe, even though it didn’t need it.

The sound of Lane’s crunching toast filled the quiet, and I glanced over to watch him chew with his eyes half-closed like it was the best thing he’d eaten in days.

I couldn’t help but smile to myself.

“So, um…” Lane finished eating and set his fork down a little nervously. “I’ve got a short day at the clinic today. Want to meet me for lunch? Say… noon?”

I blinked, caught off guard. We’d never done lunch before. Breakfast, sure. Dinners too, mostly at home. Lunch felt… different. It was the time of day when all the Thicket gossips would be out and about. Not that I expected Lane to, like, lay one on me in the middle of the Thicket Tavern or anything.

Though I sure wouldn’t mind if he did.

Could this be a step toward un-casual? Or is it just lunch?

Suddenly, I felt nervous too, and my mind flew downstairs to the best, most important Entwinin’ wreath I’d ever made—one I’d started designing back in February ’cause it needed to be special, a wreath to end all wreaths—and would probably never have the guts to give the man I wanted to be Entwined with.

“Yeah,” I managed to choke out. “Yeah, I could do lunch. I’ll meet you at the clinic.”

By the time I walked into the clinic at 11:59, I’d ridden a roller coaster up and down ten times, alternately hoping this lunch was a sign of un-casual-ness and convinced this was a prelude to a breakup… or whatever you called it when you weren’t actually together.

When I opened the door, the bell above it jingled. Lane had been in the middle of talking—“Pete, can you update Jinx’s file tosay—” but he came to a halt as he caught sight of me and smiled sweetly.

The roller coaster went up again, sending a warmth through my chest I didn’t know what to do with.

“Howdy, neighbor,” I managed.

It looked like Lane was trying to restrain his grin, maybe to be professional or something, but he couldn’t quite do it. “Hey.”

“Dear God,” Petey groaned. “This is like the anal glands all over again. You’re late, Jay,” he informed me. “It’s nearly noon. Snack time’s come and gone.”

I blinked at him. “Everything okay, Petey?”

He sighed. “Actually? No. No, it’s not. I’ve been on thirty-two dates in the past two months, and none of them have gone anywhere for… well, reasons… and now I’m out of options.” His cheeks blushed. “And meanwhile, I’ve had to watch a couple of guys who are a hundred percent head over heels for each other wring their hands and dance around each other, utterly oblivious.”

“Ooof.” I shook my head. “That’s rough. Some people, huh?”

Petey inhaled a sharp breath through his nose. “Yeah, Jay. Some people.” He shook his head. “And it’sPetenow. Or Peter. Petey makes me sound like a freckled nine-year-old.”

I looked Petey—er,Pete—over, taking in his short stature, messy hair, and the line of tiny brown spots over the bridge of his nose. I opened my mouth to say something… but when I saw the look in his eyes, I realized immediately that it would be better unsaid.

“Right,” I said instead. “Pete. Got it.”

Pete lifted one eyebrow in Lane’s direction. “So what’s the occasion for lunch today? Pre-gaming the Entwinin’? Gonna talk about, you know… wreaths? Love declarations? Stuff like that?”

Lane’s face went red, and he stared at the wall. “N-no?—”

“Jay…” Pete cocked his head at me. “You have lots of experience in the Entwinin’ game. You’re practically the Thicket’s Entwinin’ expert. Anythingyou’reparticularly looking forward to tomorrow?”

“I, uh… Well, I…” I glanced at my feet.

Before I could come up with an answer, the bell over the door jangled again. I was too busy trying to get my hot cheeks to cool off to see who’d arrived, but when Pete did, he inhaled sharply.

“Oh my God. My dry spell may be over,” he whispered under his breath. Then he summoned a blinding smile and said more loudly, “Good afternoon! May I help you?”

“Lane!” the newcomer said, his voice smooth, confident… and entirely too loud for the clinic’s front room.

Lane turned his head as if he’d heard a ghost. “Chad?”

I stepped aside as the newcomer strode toward the desk. He was tall and broad-shouldered, wearing a suit sharp enough to cut glass. His hair was perfect, his watch glittered under the fluorescent lights, and his smile was polished and practiced.Smarmy, I thought immediately… which was an unkind thought, yes, but that didn’t make it untrue.

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