Page 16 of Exile

“That sounds…exciting.”

“Works for me,” he said with a shrug. “Not everyone needs to be entertained every second of the day.”

I didn’t press him. He didn’t want to open up, and I wasn’t about to push my luck.

“So then…” I said, forcing a casual tone. “Can you tell me what people around here do for fun at night?”

“Fun?” He snorted as if the concept of it was foreign to this village.

“Yes, fun,” I said, giving him an expectant look.

He sighed, leaning forward again to rest his elbows on his knees. “The locals go to the bar. They play pool. Drink. That’s about it.”

“Do you go?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t enjoy sitting around listening to half-drunk idiots argue over who gets to break first.”

“Fair point. I might go. Check out what the locals are like. Unless you say they’re all like Theresa. Then I won’t go.”

That got a laugh out of him.

A real one.

Then his expression went back to serious. The grump was back.

“Theresa’s a witch. But she’s a good friend.”

“That’s not how I would want to be talked about by a friend,” I said honestly, pursing my lips. I set the mug back on the coffee table in front of me.

He didn’t respond; he just watched me as I got up and put on my brown leather jacket. His gaze felt heavy, and when I glanced back at him, his eyes were locked on mine, intense and merciless.

“What?” I asked.

“You think I’m an asshole.”

That came as a surprise.

I turned toward him and shook my head. That wasn’t what I thought of him. He was grumpy, in a bad mood, and kind of dry. But he wasn’t an asshole. “I think thatyouthink you’re an asshole.”

His furrowed brows softened, and my words made him think.

I smiled, wanting to leave him with that. Think about what I said.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come to the bar?” I asked, my voice softer now.

He didn’t answer immediately, his gaze trailing from my face to my hand as I adjusted my jacket. The room felt smaller, and the air charged with something I couldn’t quite name.

“No,” he said finally, his voice lower than before.

I forced a smile. “All right. Can I come see you again tomorrow? Or do you want to grab lunch with me?”

It was a simple suggestion to spend more time together and for him not to be alone. Even if that’s what he supposedly wanted.

“Maybe.”

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