Page 60 of Nora's Kraken

Well, no one other than Elias, but it’s just as nice to have two best friends in my corner backing me up.

“So he, what?” Kenna asks. “Just thought he’d breeze into town, come to your apartment and, what? Kidnap you? This is some scary shit, Nora.”

I shake my head slowly. “I don’t think he would go that far.”

Kenna opens her mouth to argue, but I press on. “I mean, he’s a congressman. He comes from one of the most high-profile families in the country. And enough people know about our history and the fact that he was in Seattle to connect the dots if something happened to me. He’s an asshole, yeah, but it’s hard to believe he’d be that stupid.”

It’s what I’ve been telling myself all week, the silent reassurance that keeps me from slipping too far into a panic spiral.

“So, what do you think he wants?” Holly asks gently.

The million dollar question. If I knew, maybe I’d feel comfortable going back to my apartment, stop startling every time I see a brunette man out of the corner of my eye.

I shrug. “I don’t really like trying to put myself in his head and guess. And, I mean, it’s been three years since I left, so I have no idea why he’d want anything to do with me.”

That’s not entirely true. I do have some idea why he wouldn’t let it go, why he would hate losing the one person he could control completely. Doesn’t take a big leap of logic to assume a man like Daniel would take it as a huge blow to his ego to lose that kind of control.

“Anyway,” I continue, “Elias is getting some help from a friend of his at the Bureau.”

“That’s good,” Holly says, still in her gentle, soothing tone. “I hope they get all of this settled soon. And in the meantime, let me know if you need some meditation tips or guided affirmations. It’s always better to focus on inward reflection and healing rather than directing anger and negativity outwards.”

Over the past few months, Holly’s been entering her granola era. She’s always been a spiritual person, but since her breakup she’s been really leaning into it.

Hiking trips all over the state, meditation, eating vegan, all of it meant to cleanse and cut out what she calls the ‘spiritual baggage’ that she’s been hauling around since Cody left.

I’m not sure if it’s working, but I don’t blame her for trying. I also can’t help but smile a little at the contrast her zen attitude poses to Kenna’s bombastic one.

“Alright, alright, I know you’re getting all ‘eat, pray, love’ over here, but c’mon, Hol, some people just really need a beat-down.” Kenna stabs another piece of sushi and pops it into her mouth, shamelessly talking around the bite. “I mean, a prick like Daniel does, anyway.”

Holly frowns and pokes at her seaweed salad. “I just think we should be focused on Nora.”

That takes some of the wind out of Kenna’s sails. “Well damn, when you put it that way…”

“It’s fine,” I cut in, then think better of dismissing how I’m actually feeling. “Well, I mean, not fine. But fine. You know? I feel good about having Elias helping me out with everything.”

That gets both their attention fixed squarely back on me, and as my face heats up, I mentally kick myself for saying anything at all. I love my friends, I truly do, but their combined powers of interrogation truly are a sight to behold.

Kenna smirks. “Oh? And how are things going with that kraken of yours?”

I chomp down on my piece of maki roll to buy myself a few more seconds, but they’re undeterred. Even Holly’s eyes light up with interest and she rests both her elbows on the table with her chin in her hands, patiently waiting for me to spill.

“Notmykraken,” I croak when I finally swallow. “Justakraken.”

“The kraken you’re dating,” Holly chimes in. “I think that makes him yours.”

I give her a glare that has no true weight behind it, but Kenna cuts back in before I can speak.

“I’ve been doing a little research about krakens,” she says, grin growing even wider. “Well. Maybe not research in the scientific sense, but it has been… enlightening. Does Elias have any friends he could set me up with? Cousins? A hot brother?”

“Oh, my god.” I cross my arms on the table and drop my head down on top of them. “No. He doesn’t have any kraken friends I know of.”

“A shame,” Kenna sighs. “Because, from my research, kraken tentacles really open up a whole world of—”

“Stop!” I say, choking on a laugh. “Seriously. Not going to talk about my sex life with my… well, with Elias.”

“So there is a sex life, then?” Holly asks with a wink. “Good for you, girl.”

My face is tomato red as I fling a piece of edamame at them both, but we’re all laughing as the conversation steers back to topics that are far, far less likely to get us kicked out of this place.

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