Page 36 of Twisted Gift

Max follows me into the other room. “I’m thinking something at the pub. Drinks, food, music—the whole lot. You could close it to the public for the night and have it be an invite only thing so it doesn’t get out of hand if you’re worried about that.”

Part of me wouldn’t mind if the place burned to the ground.The memories of Jules that are attached to that place still make it difficult at times to be there.

“Get Allison to do the invites,” I suggest. “She’ll know who to contact better than me. I’ll deal with the food and the drinks, and all you’ll have to do is make sure to get Oliver there on Friday night.”

For a split second, Max looks surprised as if he didn’t think I’d agree to help him. It’s cute. “Sure,” he says, “I can do that.”

“Good. Is that everything?” Just as I finish speaking, my phone rings from the counter beside me. I glance down and see Oliver’s number, making me smile slightly. “Speaking of the birthday boy.” I pick up the phone, swiping across the screen to answer the call. “What’s up, Oliver?”

“I wanted to apologize again for what happened earlier, and I was thinking, Max and I are going out tomorrow night, and I thought you and Tristan could join us for dinner. Sound good? I don’t want things to be awkward after tonight.” After I walked in on him ass naked, bent over the desk, with Max—nope. I refuse to relive it.

I look away from Max’s arched brow. “I don’t think I can.”

“Is something wrong, Aurora?” His concern is clear.Fuck. I don’t want him to worry about me.

“I’m feeling really rundown. Trying to figure out where I want to start job hunting is stressing me out. I promised myself a quiet weekend.”

“Then we’ll have to go out after you get a kickass job and celebrate.”

I smile even though he can’t see it through the phone. “Absolutely. I’ll talk to you later.”

After I hang up and set my phone down, I look over at Max to find his eyes narrowed. “What?” I ask.

“What’s the deal with you and Tristan, anyway? He won’t talk about it.”

I shrug. “What makes you thinkI’mgoing to?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t get it, blondie. He’s a fae leader. You’re a fae leader now. You’d think that would simplify whatever the hell is going on between the two of you.”

Are we seriously discussing this right now? Max and I don’t talk like this—it’s weird.

“It’s not about me being fae. Not really.” I sigh, unsure whether I want to continue this conversation with him. “I need some time to figure things out.”

He crosses his arms over his chest, wrinkling the dark blue suit jacket he’s wearing. “Figure out what? If you love him?”

Love. That tiny, four-letter word punches the air out of my chest.

“It’s more than that,” I mumble. It’s a thin excuse, I’m coming to realize. By the irritated expression on Max’s face, it’s clear he agrees.

“That’s crap and you know it. The shit that happened with Jules is messed up, but whatever you and Tristan mean to each other isn’t. I’ve seen the way you look at each other. It’s fucking annoying, but it’s genuine. I don’t care what Jules did to you—he didn’t dothat.”

I blink back the wetness gathering in my eyes. “You sound so sure.”

“Because I know Tristan. He barely looked at humans before you came along, and even then, he’s never looked at anyone the way he looks at you. Though I haven’t known you long, I imagine it’s the same for you when it comes to him.” He sighs as if this conversation is as awkward for him as it is for me. “I understand you’re scared, and that’s fine. Love is terrifying. It’s fucking insane that I can’t take my boyfriend out to dinner without someone giving us a dirty look, but that’s not going to stop me from doing it. Just like you shouldn’t let your fear of... whatever it is you’re afraid of keep you from being with the one person you don’t want to live without.”

“You don’t know what Jules did? He made sure you took me that night. He made sure I was set in Tristan’s path. Hell, Max, I just found out he was my fae ancestor. Things are so messed up right now.”

He scoffs, but he does look a little surprised. “So what?”

“If he hadn’t intervened—messed with my life—I wouldn’t—”

“Have fallen for Tristan?” His eyes narrow slightly; he’s calling bullshit.

My pulse thrums loudly. “It’s complicated.”

He shakes his head. “That’s an excuse. That’s you allowing your fear to latch on and control your life, and that’s just as bad as Jules doing it.”

My chest tightens under his words. I don’t want to believe them, but... “So, I should just disregard all of my doubts and—?”

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