Page 99 of Even in the Dark

Silas grins. “Noted.” Then he can’t help getting in one last playful dig at me, so he adds. “You wouldn’t believe some of the picky eaters we get passing through here.”

“People with a refined palate, you mean?” I smile sweetly.

“People with a refined palate probably shouldn’t be eating at a joint that serves nachos and fries and chocolate milk.” He smiles back. The kind of smile the Big Bad Wolf would probably sport if he had a profile pic on Insta.

I have no quick comeback, so Silas wins this round. I kind of love this volleying back and forth with him. That, despite the grumpy disposition, it’s obvious he isn’t the kind of guy who takes these sorts of barbs seriously. I think he enjoys them as much as I do.

Maggie wanders over, wiping her freshly washed hands on a dish towel she tosses to the side of the table.

“Jackie and Seb are choosing a game,” I tell her. “In case you want to jump on board with that.”

“Oh, cool. Sure. Guaranteed, I’ll choose something cooler than whatever they’ll come back with. Board games are kinda my jam.”

Xavier slides down in his seat, totally man-spreading. He stretches his arms out on either side, too, along the back of the bench seat, and his lips curl into that snarky grin I’ve only seen him wear around his parents or his brother’s nannies. “Huh,” he grunts. “Surprising for someone who’s such a buzzkill.”

There’s a loaded silence, smothered only slightly by the chorus ofCigarettes Will Kill Youby Ben Lee coming from the speaker just above us.

“Oh, no,” Maggie responds without a second’s hesitation, cool as a cucumber. “You see, I’m able to enjoy pretty much any game I play, because I’m not one of those people who throw a temper tantrum as soon as things don’t go my way.”

I focus closely on their interaction, searching for hints about what the hell the story is between these two. But they volley back and forth so quickly I don’t have time to dissect their barbs.

“Yeah, on second thought,” Xavier drawls. “I could see how board games would be your thing. You know—since you’re such a stickler for following rules.” His upper lip curls into that same obnoxious grin. If he wasn’t so good looking, it would be totally off-putting. As it is, Xavier Rockwell’s appearance matches his name perfectly: princely and slightly exotic, despite how hard he tries to counteract his aristocratic beauty with a rotation of ripped jeans and frayed T-shirts.

"Whatever you say." Maggie's eyes move to Dylan and me. “I’m going to pick out an awesome board game, while Lord McGrumpster here sits out like a sulking sloth in a party hat.”

I can’t help the laugh that escapes my lips. That was a seriously epic insult.

Xavier rolls his eyes and scoffs. “Bite me—” He arches an eyebrow. “Shit, what’s your name again? “

Maggie has already turned, strolling towards the rows of board game-stacked shelves, her wavy pink hair swaying back and forth along the collar of her newspaper print fitted T-shirt. “Oh gosh, no need to bother remembering my name,” she throws dismissively over her shoulder. “I’m just a lowly commoner.”

Xavier doesn’t answer this time, but I notice his knee bobbing up and down beneath the table. Maggie totally gets under his skin… and I’m sort of here for it. I haven’t seen Xave thrown off his game before. He is never anything but mister chill, easy-going, and unflappable.

He pulls out his phone and starts scrolling through social media. Dylan and I end up following the others over to the rows of board games, heading towards the back of the café. He leans against the wall with his non-injured hand in his pocket while I pull out a few boxes to read the descriptions on the back.

“I, uh…” he starts, but then stops and clears his throat.

I turn to face him, holding a mammoth box that feels like it’s housing a small city instead of a board game. The hesitation lets me know he’s trying to say something that doesn’t come easy to him. I stack the game back on the shelf and lean beside him against the wall.

He tries again. “What you said… at the bonfire. About me making your personal issue into a public thing…” He swallows. Rakes a hand through his hair, then drops it by his side. “You were right. That was—I don’t… I think…”

“I know,” I tell him. “And it’s okay.”

“It’s not okay.”

I slide my hand along the wall until the tip of my pinky touches his warm skin. I slide it over another inch and hook it around his pinky. He doesn’t pull away.

“It is definitely okay,” I repeat. “I’m out with cool people, about to eat nachos and play a nerdy board game I probablywon’t understand. Possibly nab free front row seats to Xave and Maggie launching into a full contact smack-down.” I grin.

Dylan doesn’t acknowledge my joke.

“Seriously. I’m good.We’regood.” I squeeze his pinkie. “I hated that you reacted that way. But I get it… I would probably hulk out too if someone who had done something horrible to you waltzed back into your life and made you want to disappear. So I mean it—we’re good, Dylan.”

He shakes his head. “It was shitty.”

“Okay… Let’s make a deal.” I change tactics. “From now on, you can stand by my side during my battles. Be my wingman. Just as long as you don’t muscle your way in front and fight them for me.” I glance over and our eyes meet.

His narrow, like he’s mulling over the meaning behind my words.

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