Page 15 of Tears of Revenge

“I’m sure we’ll be able to think of something. Marcus always has enjoyed music.”

A chuckle came from the other side of the room, surprising her and causing Marcus and Varos to whip their gaze towards Lysander.

“What?” Marcus snapped.

“You really think she will enjoy hours of classical music?”

“She is sitting right here and can hear you,” Varos chimed in, turning back to her again. “We don’t have to go to something classical. I’m sure we can find something all three of us will enjoy.”

“If I never try it, how am I supposed to know if I like it or not?”

Marcus stood and returned to his own desk, a new bounce in his step. “I’ll get right on it.”

Lysander rolled his eyes but Marcus elegantly ignored him.

She set her empty salad bowl aside, grabbing her cake and turning to Varos. “When will we be able to pick up our paintings?”

“Later today.”

“You can keep mine if you like. I like the idea of the three of them staying together.”

“We would be delighted. Although, most are likely to stare at yours than ours.”

“I still think you did great. And it’s the time you spend with it that matters, not the outcome.”

“It will remind me of an evening well spent with you.”

Her stomach twisted, in the good kind of way.

“See how he left me out of that?” Marcus mock-whined with a playful smile. “As if I weren’t even there! Did he not have a great evening with me too?”

She laughed and leaned back in her chair, her eyes drifting to the view of the park. The sun was burning down, though she wasn’t as harsh as she was in the summer.

“You are welcome here at any time,” Varos offered, reaching forward to take her trash.

“I could sit here for hours. Have you ever watched the sunset from here?”

Marcus laughed. “With Lysander being attached to his job like a newborn to his mother’s breast we spend most of our time here.”

Lysander was less than amused.

“Maybe you should take him out more often?” she suggested with a smile. “Me and my best friend in high school used to have set days we would get out, no matter how we felt or how much stuff we had to do.”

Marcus snickered, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Like taking him on a walk?”

Lysander stiffened and his jaw clenched.

There was clearly some inside joke there, but Ava didn’t quite understand it. “We always enjoyed a milkshake date or the library.”

“Sounds like you two had lots of fun.”

She nodded, returning her gaze to the skyline. She listened to Marcus and Varos mumbling as they searched the web, though they didn’t say anything specifically to her. Just as she was on the cusp of dozing off, Varos pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Avalon, I believe it’s time for you to leave us again.”

She sighed and stretched her legs. “Unfortunately, I think you’re right.”

“We enjoyed having you here.”

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