Page 397 of Lodestar

“Why wouldn’t they?”

“Lyra doesn’t.”

The doorbell rang for the third time. Impatient, much?

“One minute!” I called out. To her, I said, “She doesn’t like that you talk so much, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t likeyou. It means talking is hard for her. It means she’s shy. It means that it’s not as easy for her to formulate words as it is for you.

“Her challenges are not your challenges,” I reminded her softly.

Though she bit her lip, she repeated, “Her challenges are not my challenges. It’s okay, Star. You can get the door.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m sure.”

Another squeeze to her shoulder was my parting farewell, but her sweaty fingers caught my hand, though, and she patted it.

“Thank you, Star.”

I smirked at her. “For being sick?”

Her nose crinkled. “You can’t call yourself that.”

“Sure, I can. I’m the sickest thing in New York.”

Her laughter warmed my heart but it was only compounded when she said, “Sometimes, you can be.”

Chucking her under the chin, I headed over to the door, feeling a little better after last night’s nightmares, and tugged it open to reveal the washed-up version of Aidan Sr.

“Padraig,” I greeted smoothly.

He frowned. “Did I get the wrong apartment?”

“You’re not on the top floor,” I said blandly. “This is Aidan and Savannah’s apartment. You’re here by my invitation though.”

“By your invitation? Savannah?—”

“Savannah asked you for me,” I lied.

“She did? Why?”

I hitched a shoulder. “Wanted to get to know you. You’re close to Conor, aren’t you?”

“Getting there,” he agreed. “We were closer before I left.”

“A nearly three-decade-long absence doesn’t make for enduring friendships,” I pointed out.

“Is this going to be about you getting in my face?”

“About abandoning him? Nah.” My lips curved, though, as I thought about the shit he was going to get dealt from Jennifer Valentini.

I stepped back so he could enter the apartment, and he glanced around the space then asked, “Where’s Savannah?”

“In the kitchen.”

“Savvie! I swear she just said her first word!” Jennifer shrieked from the other side of the apartment.

Savannah came skidding out of the kitchen. “No way! Was it ‘Savvie?’”

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