Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5)(10)

He murmured, “It’ll be all right, Caro. I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but life does move on. The decision you two made could continue…or it could change, depending on your future choices. But from what I’ve seen, love like you two have won’t die. You’ll always have each other, even if it does transform into a different relationship.” His warm fingers ran through my hair. “Change isn’t always bad.”

With my chest shaking, my inhalation was fragmented. “It hurts when he’s gone.”

“I know,” he whispered, kissing my temple again.

I realized his actions were that of parental compassion. The revelation almost caused my thoughts to derail further. This is how a loving parent is supposed to act. I couldn’t say it made me feel any better, but it was unique.

I didn’t move, for fear his manifestation of affection would vanish too quickly.

Even if I wasn’t sure I wanted it.

But, as if he knew I needed it, he continued consoling me. Simply…caring.

I had no flipping idea what I was supposed to do with that.

Many minutes passed before he stood. “Take the day to rest, but I will want you at breakfast tomorrow.” Quick like an unwanted spark, he was back to business. He began walking away, uttering over his shoulder, “We had guests arrive this morning, and it won’t do to have the Prodigy Elemental missing.”

Thank him. I should thank him.

My voice hoarse, I croaked, “Thank you.”

At least I had the day to wallow—though it was certainly not long enough to recover.

It was a day to hide the hurt.

Either way, I had done it before. I could do it again.

I pulled Sin’s pillow against my face, while Isolde curled against my stomach.

“You’re welcome, Caro.” He locked the door behind him as he left.

Exiting the shower later that night, I moved on autopilot. A day’s worth of awful, sporadic weeping had taken its toll. My face was a puffy mess. My eyes could rival blood splatters.

Attractive, I was not. Not that I gave a damn.

Really, I didn’t give a f*ck about much at this point.

I wrapped a large, soft towel around my body, but I paused when I heard the sound of my television playing in the bedroom. Pretty sure I hadn’t turned it on during the day, I lifted my gun from the bathroom’s benchtop—still not panicked as I should be with a possible threat—and slowly opened the door, my gun aimed.

Silver eyes flicked to me, unhurriedly roaming my face, then lowered to my towel-covered body. As if an afterthought, he glanced at the gun I held before calmly peering back to the television. Leric lay reclined on my bed, dressed casually in a pair of white flannel pajama pants and a white cotton t-shirt. “I didn’t knock.”

I lowered my gun, setting it back on the bathroom benchtop. “And I’m in no mood for company.”

He only put his hands under his head on the pillow as he got more comfortable and continued to watch television. “I know.” He carefully maneuvered his bare, tanned feet around where Isolde watched him from her puffed up position on the end of my bed, her bitty growl emanating from her equally tiny chest as he stretched his legs out. “But I’d like to watch a movie. In here.”

I snorted, tightening the towel around my body as I moved into the room, digging through the dresser drawers for my pajamas. “You mean, you’re going to watch it in here no matter what I say.”

He hummed quietly. “Yes. Pretty much.”

“Wonderful,” I grumbled, grabbing a spare t-shirt of Sin’s I had stolen and a pair of pajama shorts. “Don’t expect me to talk.”

“That shouldn’t be an issue. Talking isn’t required when watching a movie.” He paused as he leaned to the side and lifted a large brown bag from the bedside table. He placed it in the center of the bed. “I brought food since you weren’t at any of the meals today.”

As if by command, my stomach growled. I still stared at the bag with distaste. “I’ll pass.”

He shrugged a shoulder, his attention back on the television as he used the remote to change the channel to the movie selection. “It’s there if you want it. Some of it’s mine though.”

I moved into the bathroom to change into my nightclothes and brush my teeth in a mechanical routine. Leric had already chosen a movie when I glanced out again, a comedy I had seen a million times, but it was a classic that never grew old. Deciding there could be worse things to occupy my thoughts, I left the bathroom light on, flicked off the overhead, and burrowed into bed. I watched as he absently dug into the enormous brown bag, rifling through it until he pulled out a round tin with a clear lid and flipped off the top.

My stomach growled again under the covers as a wonderful smell permeated the air from his uncovered dish. Isolde curled up between my feet and rested her tiny chin on my right foot, staring at Leric and growling. “Hush.” I jiggled her face even as I peeked at Leric’s food, and her bitty growl cut off. My stomach was suddenly churning.

Not in sickness but in hunger. Hell, it was parmesan fries with ranch dipping sauce. I licked my lips, pointing vaguely as I ogled. “Did you get any more of those?”

He glanced down at his food, chewing his bite with his mouth closed, then swallowing before lifting the round tin in my direction, his eyes back on the show. “No, but feel free.” Not needing to be offered twice, I took the gift from him and carefully tested taking a bite as he dug through the bag again. Leric lifted out a white square container and plastic fork before settling back to watch the show, chuckling quietly at its silly capers.