Page 43 of Devlin

“It’ll give us a chance to see where the food might be crossing over,” Cole confirmed.

“One of us should stay back and keep an eye on Mia,” Todd interjected. “Figured you’d want it to be you.”

Devlin’s grin widened as he remembered something she had mentioned in passing to Farid. “Just so happens, she’s got the day off.” His heart kicked up at the thought, though a flicker of doubt tried to settle in. What if she had plans? Then again, if she did, he’d find a way to change them.

They turned in soon after, but Devlin found sleep elusive. Not that it mattered. Years of operating on minimal rest had conditioned his body to push through exhaustion, but this was different.

The vise grip that had clenched around his heart for years had loosened. The familiar ache of being without her had shifted and transformed into something else—something sharper, more urgent. Instead of drowning in the past, he was now restless with anticipation and eager for the hours ahead, for the time he’d have with her.

By the time the first streaks of dawn brushed across the horizon, he was up, showered, and dressed. The camp was already stirring, dust rising in lazy swirls as people moved between the tents. Devlin made his way to Mia’s door and knocked. Silence greeted him. A frown creased his brow.

“Mia?” he called, his stomach tensing. He prayed she hadn’t spent the night overthinking everything.

A door creaked open, and Ritah’s head popped out from next door, a bright smile on her face. “Good morning, Devlin. Mia’s already gone. I think she headed to breakfast.”

He exhaled, relief unfurling in his chest. "Thanks." With a wave, he strode toward the dining hall. The scent of warm chapati and eggs filled the air, mingling with the ever-present smoke from nearby cooking fires. The moment he stepped inside, his gaze sought her out as precise as a marksman locking onto a target.

She was seated at a table, laughter lighting up her face. Her skin glowed, her hair shone, and her eyes twinkled. Fora moment, he tried to steady his breathing, remembering how much he’d lost in the past years since she’d been in his life.

She wasn’t alone. Robert, Charlie, Ravi, Percy, and Karen surrounded her, their laughter blending with the morning chatter. But Devlin noticed immediately—Robert and Charlie were vying for her attention.

His steps slowed as a ripple of possessiveness flared in his chest. He observed the way Robert leaned in and how Charlie grinned a little too widely in her direction. Of course, they were vying for her attention. Why wouldn’t they? She was beautiful. Intelligent. Sweet. And as far as they knew, she was single.

Technically, she was still single. But Devlin hoped to change that soon. With an easy confidence, he slid into the empty chair beside her. The moment she turned toward him, her eyes brightened, her lips curving ever so slightly, sending warmth flooding through his chest.

"Good morning," he murmured, leaning just enough that his shoulder brushed against hers.

“Good morning to you,” she responded, her voice soft, intimate, as if the rest of the world had fallen away.

“Sleep well?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said, holding his gaze. “Surprisingly well.”

The others greeted him with nods and casual acknowledgments, but Devlin didn’t miss the way Robert’s jaw tensed and Charlie’s brows lifted in curiosity. Karen, however, smirked knowingly, her gaze bouncing between him and Mia.She knows,he thought. Mia must have told her. Good. Let the gossip spread. Let it be known that Mia wasn’t available. At least, not to anyone else.

"I thought I should warn you," Mia said, her voice softer now, meant only for him. "Our parents know we’re both here at the same time."

His brow lifted. "Oh?"

“I talked to my mom last night. I mentioned you were here for work. I asked her not to say anything to your parents, but…” she hesitated, her lips twitching, “I got a message from her this morning. Apparently, your mom hopes we’ll have a chance to talk.”

Devlin chuckled, shaking his head as he shoveled a bite of beans onto his fork. “What did you tell her?”

“I just told her that we talked and, after a long conversation, decided that we could try friendship.” She glanced around the table, ensuring the others were distracted, before leaning in. “In case you’re wondering, I haven’t seen your parents since… well, in a long time.”

“I know,” he said, voice thick with regret. “And I’m sorry. That’s on me. They missed you. I haven’t been home much, so I haven’t seen yours either. Though, I doubt yours wanted to see me.”

Before Mia could respond, Charlie leaned in with an exaggerated expression of intrigue. “What are you two whispering about over there?”

“Charlie, mind your own business,” Percy drawled in his haughtiest British accent, playing up the theatrics.

Robert, however, didn’t play along. His tone was darker, more assessing. "Yes, I was curious about that myself."

Devlin didn’t hesitate. "We knew each other years ago."

Mia nodded. "We were just catching up on each other’s families."

"How delightfully cozy!" Percy declared, pressing a hand to his chest in dramatic flair.

---