Page 22 of Dark Night Golden Dawn
He nodded and she slipped out of the great room while he dialed his phone, a look of subtle joy on his face that bothered her. She went up one floor to Larkin’s room and knocked.
“Come in,” Larkin called.
She was wearing sweats and had removed all the makeup she’d worn at the party. Harlow had to admit that she looked more herself this way, more comfortable and real. And happier. She didn’t look the way Harlow always looked when she wore sweats, frumpy and miserable. She looked like Larkin, like the essence of Larkin, athletic and fresh. And cheeky as seventeen hells. The little silly was grinning her head off like she’d gotten away with murder.
“Why did you ask him in?” Harlow asked sharply.
“For the same reason you brought me home. He needed it.”
Harlow closed her eyes.Heneeded it. “What about me?”
Larkin shook her head, smiling. “You needed it too. I remember how you used to talk about him. Whatever happened between you, you should fix it.”
“It’s complicated, pal.”
Larkin shrugged. “I may not understand why people fall in love, or how, but I know what two people in love look like.”
Harlow threw a stuffed bunny at Larkin. “We are not in love.”
“You were though,” Larkin said, wise as a sage as she caught the threadbare rabbit. “And maybe you will be again.”
“Fat chance.”
“I’ve always thought that expression sounded like it meant there was a really good chance that said thing was about to happen,” Larkin mused. “Plus, he seems nice. I don’t know why you’ve said so many mean things about him.”
Larkin was too young to remember the way he’d shattered her. Too young to remember her broken heart. And she’d never told the sillies everything, only Thea and Enzo. Larkin only remembered that once he’d been Harlow’s friend and then for some reason he wasn’t.
“I’m gonna go change.”
“Mama packed you and Thea’s spare things in cold storage when the attic closets got moths, remember?”
“Damnit. Thanks for reminding me.”
She left Larkin and went to her parents’ room, a vibrant peach palace of decadent love. Harlow dug through Selene’s drawers until she found the only thing she hoped wouldn’t make her look like she was trying to seduce someone, a pair of lavender cashmere drawstring joggers and a matching sweater with a wide neck. When she changed, the sweater fell off one shoulder in an alluring way she’d rather avoid, but Selene didn’t own clothes thatweren’talluring and nothing of Aurelia’s would fit her.
“Damn you, Mama,” she said as she looked in the mirror. She looked sexy, like she wanted to be touched, which was of course the point of this outfit. Selene was in perpetual seduction mode, even after hundreds of years of marriage.
“No wonder the two of them are always doing it,” she muttered as she shut off the light.
In the great room, she found Larkin and Finn arguing over which horror movie to watch. They were laughing, talking about directors and their favorite actors. She’d forgotten he loved movies, that horror was one of his favorite genres.
The door buzzed and Larkin jumped up. “I’ll get the pizza.”
Finn handed her several bills. “No change, okay?”
Larkin nodded, grinning at the big tip he was going to give. Her sister was very interested in tipping well and he’d clearly impressed her.
When they heard her feet on the stairs, his gaze turned to Harlow, slowly as though he was afraid to look at her. “You look…”
“Ridiculous,” Harlow finished for him, grabbing her phone from the charger. “I had to borrow something from Selene and all her casual clothes look like she’s about to seduce Aurelia. Believe it or not, this was the best I could find.”
“I was going to say you look beautiful,” he muttered, not taking his eyes off the screen as he scrolled through the horror section.
Harlow was stunned. He’d never said anything like it to her. Not even before, and certainly not with that quiver in his hands. He tried to hide it, but she saw. His hands were shaking. Akatei blessed them, and Larkin came back with the pizza before she had to think of something to say. The three of them sat on the floor in front of the coffee table, and Larkin chose a ghost story.
Harlow checked her phone. There were messages from the maters asking for an update on how Larkin was doing. She texted back to let them know they were home safe and that she planned to spend the night.
She apologized again to Enzo for abandoning him, and got a text back that said he hoped she had a great night. A winky emoji followed and she texted a question mark back.
