Page 28 of Forget Me Not
Syve studied him, clearly taken aback by his apology. Well, obviously, if she was friends with Gunther, she probably wasn’t used to men owning up to their faults.
Gunther. How the hell did she know Gunther? Now was not the time to ask, not that he had any right to ask in the first place, but damn if curiosity was not going to kill him.
“I’ll text you later? I have more questions, maybe we can get together and you can help me figure this shit out?”
“Of course, I’ll help any way I can. I imagine it’s overwhelming, it’s a pretty big change to literally everything you’ve ever known.” Bastien laughed once then rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not sure if your…sleepwalking will still be an issue now you consciously know what’s happening. If it does and you haveanycontrol, just be careful? It was way too easy to approach you. Not everyone has good intentions.”
“If I have any control of it, I won’t go back there.”
The haunted look in her eyes agreed. He could not even fathom the pain that place inflicted.
“If I do…if I end up over there again…will you be there?”
Bastien reeled back, blinking at her, questioning whether he heard her correctly. Did she want him there? That was…unexpected.
“Oh, I—yeah, I mean…It has been nice to go for a run every night. It wouldn’t be out of my way to swing by and see if you’re there…if you wanted?”
Syve smiled. It was a tiny little thing and did nothing to hide the pain in her eyes, but it was beautiful nonetheless.
“If you’re in the area. I guess I’ve grown used to my wolfy companion. Not being alone is oddly comforting.” She shrugged one shoulder and looked away from him, turning her head up toward the stars. “I’d better get back in therebefore Aimi has a coronary,” she added, looking back down to him and pointing over her shoulder with her thumb.
“Right, thanks for keeping her from killing me back there. I’ll talk to you later.”
Syve smiled, waved at him once as he started down the stairs, then she was through the door and gone.
Bastien was certain there was no way the day could get any more chaotic.
“Mama? I’m home!”
Bastien slipped his coat off and hung it on the coat rack.
“Mama?”
He toed off his boots, freezing when he went to nudge them under the bench. There was already a pair of boots there. Men’s boots. The hot shower he had been daydreaming about for hours would have to wait. They were not expecting any visitors as far as he knew.
Quickly stepping through the living room, Bas made his way to the kitchen. It didn’t matter who was here, Soriah was a creature of habit and that was where she would be. Sure enough, when he stepped through the doorway, there she was.
Soriah was at the stove mixing what could only be her famous cocoa, but what made him stop dead in his trackswas the man sitting at the island stuffing food into his mouth in a way that made it seem like he had not eaten in weeks.
“Mijo! You missed dinner, but there should be a little left in the fridge.”
Bas grunted an acknowledgement at his mother, watching as their guest wiped his mouth and stood.
“Hey, brother. Long time no see.”
Bas met the man with a handshake that turned into a half hug.
“Cyrus. Did they teach a class on showing up unannounced for visits at that fancy school of yours?”
Cyrus Jay Laperle. East coast’s wealthiest nepo baby, Soriah’s honorary third son, and Desiderio’s best friend.
Syve
Aimijerkedawayfromthe window when Syve slipped back inside, like she was absolutely not peeking through the blinds. The look Syve gave her roughly translated to, ‘really?’
“No, you don’t look at me like that! You!” She pointed at Syve, her opposite hand on her hip. “You didn’t show up for coffee this morning for the first time in ayear. You didn’t answer your phone, you didn’t open the shop, and when I let myself in you weregone, Syve. Do you haveanyidea how fucking worried I was?!” She threw her hands in the air, her voice rising with each word. “I thought something happened to you. I thought…”
She was whispering now and Syve didn’t need her to finish. She knew exactly what her friend thought. After Erhard and Noah passed, Syve had been in a really dark place. Aimi was the one who slept over for weeks, forcing her to eat and bathe, to go to therapy and drink water. Aimi was the only one who knew Syve still struggled everyday with the guilt she felt.
