Page 17 of When Sinners Rise
Hey Shaw, it’s Miri. Would you like to get coffee tomorrow?
I throw the phone to the other end of the sofa after I hit send.
And at the sound of the little ding, I lunge for it.
I can’t do coffee. I can do dinner? Tuesday?
I suck in my lip and read the words on the screen. Dinner sounds much more formal, and it will be just the two of us – and whoever else is in the restaurant, I suppose. Something about the idea of dinner feels more intimate than coffee, though.
Ok. Deal. Send me the details and we can meet?
It wouldn’t be a proper date if I didn't pick you up. I need to keep my pure-as-snow reputation intact. I am a gentleman, remember.
Nice try! We can meet at the restaurant; your v card is safely intact.
This guy seems to pull all of the courage from me. I’d never flirt like this face to face, but I want to with Shaw. I’m not sure if that should be setting off warning bells.
You were the one to mention the v word. Have you been to Steel? I’ve heard good things. We can meet there.
No, but I’ll take your word for it. See you there.
I smile, feeling good about something will help with the conversations that might come later tonight.
The taxi journey is quick and efficient through London traffic towards Earlwood. Despite my best efforts, I still feel a little in awe whenever I arrive back here. It’s the same with Tallington Hall. It’s like I’m a kid again – the scared kid who didn’t know what was happening when we first pulled up here.
“Hello!” I call out my arrival as I step into the entrance hall.
“Hey,” Willow greets as she comes into view. She comes straight towards me and bundles me into a hug. Despite wishing I could remain pissed off, Willow was my first friend here – she took me in after a brief meeting and a request from a stranger.
Since then, I’ve always sought her approval and see her as a source of safety. That doesn’t balance when I’m feeling annoyed.
“Are you going to stay? Your room’s still made up? Drink?” Willow fires the questions off.
“Um, no, I think it would be better for me to go back tonight. I’ll have a drink, though. Anything but tequila.”
“Tequila? Not the normal for you.” We talk and head into the main reception room, and she goes to fix a drink.
“I went out last night, and we had a few drinks. It was fun.” I smile, genuinely happy to share. “I even have a date.” My smile gets bigger, and the excitement starts to bubble despite being back here.
“A date?”
“Yeah.” The look on her face quashes all my enthusiasm, and I feel silly for wanting to share this with her.
“Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to dampen things. It’s just, oh, hell, I don’t know. It’s the first time you’ve mentioned something, and I want to be happy. But I want to make sure you’re safe.” She smiles warmly and takes my hand before handing me a glass of wine.
“I’ll be safe. It’s a restaurant with people. No personal information has been shared. I thought you wanted me to have fun and enjoy my life. Now you’re worried?”
“It’s confusing, I know, but I’m allowed to be concerned for you and look out for you, aren’t I?”
The sound of footsteps doesn’t break the awkwardness, but we both take note, happy for the distraction. Landon walks in and looks between us. “Miri,” he greets.
Willow sets to fixing a drink, and the air fills with tension.
We go through and sit for dinner, still in relative silence.
“Miri, how’s your training with Neil going?” Willow starts as we’re served some sort of meat and gravy dish.
“Fine. Good.”
