Page 62 of Deadwood
My eyes fell to the ground as I tried to process all of this. I’d gone from being isolated and dining alone, save for the nights my father bothered to invite me to eat with him and Heidi, to being surrounded by people at all times, especially for meals.
Siara elbowed Flynt’s arm. “You scared her,” she whispered, though I heard it loud and clear.
“You’re the one coming in here like a bat out of hell,” he muttered back.
I lifted my head. “I’m not scared. This is just…a lot.”
They both pasted on a smile, as if they hadn’t bickered at all.
“Will you come?” Siara asked, a small plea behind her words.
A dinner with a bunch of strangers in a town I’d never heard of before. Not only that, but Bowen would be there, too. What could possibly go wrong?
“The Bulars are invited as well,” Siara added.
Just what I needed.
“It sounds lovely, but?—”
“Please,” Siara begged. “It’d be nice to have another girl there, other than myself. These men are insufferable sometimes,” she added on a mutter.
Flynt shot her a look.
I inhaled, hoping it wouldn’t be too bad. “Okay. I’ll go.”
Flynt grinned, but it was small compared to Siara’s gleaming smile.
She came forward, grabbing both my hands. “I’ll come get you before.”
The front door opened, letting a burst of wind inside the house that rustled my hair, and Lander appeared. He still wore the clothing from our trip, the fabric torn and dirty.
“Auria,” he said sternly. “A word?”
Siara dropped my hands, glancing at Flynt as he gave a small nod toward the door. She turned back to me with a slight furrow in her brow. “If you need anything, come find one of us.”
I almost didn’t want them to leave, despite the two being strangers. “Thank you. I appreciate the clothes.”
“Of course.” Then she and Flynt left, closing the door behind them, and leaving Lander and I alone in the foyer.
“An entirely separate house?” he practically snapped. He didn’t sound happy.
“It’s how it’s been the entirety of the trip,” I said, moving to sit in one of the chairs at the table. The weight off my ankle was a relief.
“This is the longest stay we’ll have, Auria. Not to mention in a town like this.”
My brows pulled together. What did he mean by that? “What difference does it make?”
His fingers stretched before he balled them into fists. “We’re supposed to be engaged.”
“Yes, and we’re not yet married.”
“But we will be.”
“And you said it yourself, you’d rather be friends.”
He inhaled deeply through his nose, visibly trying to control himself. “To the eyes of the people, we aren’tjustfriends. We have to keep up appearances. We’re the underdogs here. Do you know how irate Paxon is?”
“More than you?” I surmised.
