Page 82 of The Gargoyle and the Songbird

As much as I want to have faith that we can beat the odds, I have a sinking feeling that eventually, we’ll drift apart.

The very thought makes me want to scream and weep, to rail against the unfairness of finally finding my soulmate only to have the universe conspire to tear us apart. But I refuse to let my fears taint the perfection of this moment, wrapped up in Graeme’s arms and wings.

So I take a steadying breath and burrow closer, breathing in his familiar scent of stone and earth.

For now, this is enough. It has to be.

And I silently vow to savor every second of our time left together, to pour a lifetime’s worth of love into however many hours remain.

I’m encasedin a thick mental fog as we say our goodbyes in the morning. Graeme assures me he’ll be back to visit very soon, that I’ll be so busy I won’t even know he’s gone.

Numbly sitting in Natalie’s office later that morning, I keep finding myself losing the thread of what she’s saying as my thoughts return to Graeme over and over.

When we finally parted, his eyes had glistened with unshed tears, his voice rough with emotion as he swore that this wasn’t goodbye. Not really.

But even as I cling to that promise like a lifeline, I can’t ignore the yawning ache in my chest, the sense that a vital part of me is missing. It’s as if Graeme took a piece of my heart with him when he left, leaving behind a gaping wound that throbs with every heartbeat.

I can still feel the ghost of Graeme’s touch on my skin, the memory of his farewell kiss seared into my very soul.

Natalie’s voice cuts through my melancholy, sharp and impatient. “Ecco, are you even listening to me?”

She stops in front of my chair, her perfectly manicured hands planted on her hips as she fixes me with a pointed stare.

I blink, forcing myself to refocus. “Sorry, Nat. I’m just… a little distracted today.”

Her expression softens a fraction, but her tone remains brisk. “I know you’ve been through a lot these past few weeks. But we need to capitalize on all this media buzz you’ve been getting. Strike while the iron’s hot, so to speak.”

I nod, gazing around at her gorgeous modern office distractedly.

The mid-century furniture is chic and expensive-looking, stained wood and smooth black leather. Her massive desk curves around so that she can swivel her chair toward the stunning view of the city when she’s not in a meeting.

But there’s no time for gazing at views today. Natalie slides a stack of papers across the desk, the sheer volume making my head spin.

“Your PR team has you booked solid for the next month. Interviews, appearances, performances… we’re going to make sure your name is on everyone’s lips in the lead-up to the tour.”

I nod mechanically, my gaze skimming over the daunting schedule without really absorbing the details. If I’m honest, the thought of throwing myself into work is almost a relief—a way to keep the grief at bay, to stop myself from dwelling on Graeme’s absence.

“I’m in,” I say, hoping Natalie can’t hear the slight tremor in my voice. “Whatever it takes. I’m ready to dive back in.”

She smiles, satisfaction in her eyes. “Excellent. We’ll start this afternoon with a round of radio interviews. I’ll have your stylist pull some looks for the TV spots later this week.”

Natalie launches into a rundown of the various outlets clamoring for a piece of me, and I let her words wash over me, my mind already racing ahead. If I’m too busy to breathe, too busy to think, maybe I won’t have time to feel the gaping hole Graeme’s absence has left in my life.

Maybe I can outrun the heartbreak nipping at my heels. And if not… well, at least I’ll have my career to fall back on.

Even if it’s a cold comfort in the face of all I’ve left behind.

31

GRAEME

Istand in the center of my childhood bedroom, taking in the spartan furnishings:

A simple bed with a scratchy wool blanket.

A rack of weapons gleaming coldly on the wall.

A battered wooden chest for the few personal belongings I kept from my childhood.

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