Page 47 of One Last Wish

Once the furniture was back in place, I dealt with a few customers in the fantasy section, advising them on some personal favourites of mine.

By late afternoon, I’d done well at avoiding Darce. When everyone started to finish their shifts, I screamed internally, realising it was only the two of us left to lock up tonight. Being alone with him wasn’t a good plan. I’d have taken Theo over Darce right now, and that said a lot!

“Were you planning on speaking to me at all today?” Darce asked, watching me cash the till.

“Not if I could help it!” I didn’t even look at him as I spoke.

“Alora, last night...”

“No, I got it! Don’t worry,” I interrupted, not wanting to hear his excuses. “I’m done chasing you, Darce.I’m. Fucking. Done!”

“Things with you and me, well.... they are...complicated.” Did he not hear me? I didn’t care! “Alora, please look at me.” The anger was bubbling to the surface again. Being rejected by Darce last night hurt. It wasn’t a feeling I’d ever allowed myself to feel, but that was what his actions had done. I’d let him in slightly and he’dhurtme. I didn’t want to listen to his excuses. He was gutless; that’s all I needed to know. “Alora!” His tone was annoyed now as I refused to look at him and carried on cashing up. “Why are you always so stubborn?”

That got a rise from me. “I'mstubborn?” I yelled, finally turning to face him. “You refuse to act on your feelings and come up with some bullshit excuse of why it’s safer if I keep away from you. I did as you fuckingasked, and you’re having a go atme? Fuck you!”

Darce watched me and tried to pick his words carefully. “Can’t we go back to being friends?”

“Mmm... Well, after last night, when you explained you could do anything to my body exceptpenetrateme orkissme, I kind of think that ship has sailed!”

“I’m not allowed a moment of weakness?”

“That’s the problem! I want you to have more than amomentof weakness. I want you to let that guard of yours down and take me. You want me, that much is clear. It’s why you won’t act on it that makes me go crazy.”

“I’m driving you crazy?” He asked, like it wasn’t an obvious thing.

“YES!I’m even dreaming about you!” His face altered, and I couldn't read his expression.

“Y...You’redreamingabout me?” Was that fear in his eyes? “What kind of dreams?”

“Oh, me dreaming about you isn't enough? You want all the juicy details?”

“I’m curious.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Something was troubling him deeply, it was written all over his face.

“Some have been sex dreams. In others, we’re mostly fighting. There was one by a lake, and I could tell my fantasy books were invading my mind because there were two moons in the sky.”

“What about the other dreams? What were your surroundings like?”

“I had a large, white marble bed in one dream, and these two weird dog-like creatures were in my room. They liked you, though. Well, one of them definitely did. It was rubbing up against you.”

“That’s quite an imagination you’ve got,” Darce joked, taking a step back. “I’ll go and start closing things down and turn the lights off.” He wasn’t fooling me—something was deeply bothering him—but I let him go.

“Are you worried that I dream about you?” I asked while we were locking up. “You’ve been acting a little strange since I mentioned it.”

“Your infatuation with me is a little concerning,” he smirked, looking down at me. That playful glint in his eyes was back. “You should probably find someone else to dream about, though.” How could I tell him that I had a feeling I was dreaming about him before we’d even met? It had been so long since those earlier dreams, but the voice was his. I was sure of it.

“My mind is broken. I wouldn’t be flattered that I dream about you.”

“What makes you think your mind is broken?” Darce asked, following me. It seemed like he was walking me home again.

“Oh, I’m not going into that. You already think I’m crazy!” I snorted

“Humour me. What do you think is happening with your mind?”

“It blocks feelings and makes meseethings sometimes,” I admitted as we turned to make our way to the bridge.

“What do you mean it makes yousee things?”

“I should have died on that bridge,” I blurted, pointing toward the Brooklyn Bridge. We hadn’t reached it yet, but it dominated the skyline.

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