Page 81 of Partnering with the Artist

Bottle creaking in his hands, Zakery clears his throat. “I…realize it’s sudden, and this is the first time we’ve met, but—” His chest shakes as he lets out his air. “—a week from tomorrow, there’s an event known as the Creator’s Ball happening a few hours from here.”

“I think I saw something about that on the news,” Dad murmurs, settling in beside Mom.

Zakery nods. “I’ve been invited, along with most of my brothers. And there’s a good chance Maelin’s ex is going to be there.”

My parents, in unison, scowl, lips curling with disgust.

“I’ve asked Maelin to come with me, as my plus one. She’s…” Breath leaves him again as he fixes his gaze on me. “She’s made this beautiful suit, and she’s been working on this gorgeous, gorgeous gown… Inevitably, paths will cross. Feelings might rear. It might come to light that I am little more than a rebound or stepping stone away from the hurt that her ex caused. If, however, afterward Maelin decides that there’s more here thanhealing or learning and she’d like to, I have asked her to marry me.”

Mom’s eyes bug as my father’s mouth drops open. He asks, “You’ve known each other for how long?”

“It’s almost been a month,” I say.

“I love Maelin.” Zakery squeezes me and lifts a hand to push my hair back from my face, going dazed as he watches the strands. “I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want to spend the rest of my life keeping her comfortable and happy.” He halts, pulls his focus off me, and returns it to my parents. “So, please. If she so chooses, grant me permission to marry your daughter in eight days.”

My parents’ brows lurch.

Lightning strikes.

Thunderbooms.

And then the room plunges into pitch dark.

Chapter 30

?

Home is where the Maelin is.

Zakery

Is it a good or bad thing that Maelin’s parents didn’t immediately laugh in my face and sayno? Is it a good or bad thing that Hank said,Looks like we have a minute to think about it… Mae, come help me find the flashlights?

Feeling Maelin’s weight leave the couch beside me was almost as daunting as watching her mother’s phone light illuminate the whites of her eyes. Painful, still moments passed while that light gleamed across Taylor’s cheeks, then she shook her head and said,It’s bad out there. Would you feel more comfortable sleeping in Morana’s bed or on the couch, Zakery?

Naturally, I sat there, on the couch, with my mouth hanging open, as my world crashed and burned around me.

Dreams of decompressing over noodles and going home evaporated, leaving me stranded in a static overlaid by pouring, pouring rain. I still don’t know where I’m sleeping tonight. I just know that when Maelin came back from the other room, she was carrying a little electric lantern and looked as beautiful as an angel. Her mouth moved. Her mother’s mouth moved. She looked at me. She said something else to her mother.

At some point, I think we had sandwiches for dinner over candlelight, but I don’t completely remember.

And now I’m in a tiny bathroom with a spare toothbrush that Maelin clasped in my hands a few minutes ago. Staring at the gaunt lines of my face in the lantern light and counting my strokes, I let my mind race beneath the thunder pounding in myskull.

They didn’t sayyes.

They didn’t sayno.

They didn’t get a chance to answer before the power cut. All I saw before darkness swallowed us was their appalled faces.

Maybe in that split second after the lights went off, they calculated the fact we wouldn’t be able to leave safely tonight, so maybe they knew better than to tell menowhile I would be trapped here with the shame of not being good enough for their family. Maelin’s kind. I bet they’re kind, too.

Kind enough to spare me a night of humiliation.

Maelin reappears, wearing a cotton nightgown and offering me a white t-shirt. “Dad says you can wear this to sleep in.”

I search her, spit out my foam, rinse my mouth, take the shirt. “Should…I beg now?”

“Huh?”

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