Page 47 of His Beautiful Revenge
“No, tell me. How would you feel? If someone murdered Norah, if someone shot her six times when she was carrying your child, if someone ended her life in cold blood …”
“Stop.” Giacomo felt sick. Even though he knew Orlando was really talking to himself now, the images he was conjuring were making Giacomo’s heart beat so hard against his ribs that it was painful.
Orlando dropped his head into his hands and Giacomo could see his shoulders shaking.
“Lando …stop torturing yourself. It happened.”
“Giacomo, what if, by being careless, I’ve ruined Zulika’s life and my life? I want my friend back, but I’ve hurt her. I know I have.”
Giacomo hugged his friend in his distress. “Lando, I promise. You will get through this. It’s not an impossible situation.”
Orlando walked slowly over and pushed the door open. TheAnthologywas empty of customers. Norah looked up at him and he raised his eyebrows at her. She grinned and wandered out to the back room. Orlando walked to the counter and saw Norah push an equally confused Zulika into the store. Norah shut the door behind her, leaving them alone. Orlando braced himself, but was wrong-footed when Zulika gave him a shy smile.
“Hi.” She blushed a little.
“Hey.” He shook himself and smiled back. “You okay?”
She nodded and poured out coffee for him. Orlando sat down, not wanting the spell to break, but not knowing what to say. Zulika seemed at a loss too.
“Zul– “
“We have new cupcakes. Pumpkin.”
He laughed and a moment later she grinned. “Sorry. That was the lamest conversation opener ever.”
“Nope. Nope. Pumpkin cupcakes. Way early for Halloween though.”
“Test run.”
“Ah, so I’m your guinea pig?” He picked one up and peeled the paper back.
“Yep. I was going to say it’s because of your fine palette, but really it’s because you’ll eat anything.” She grinned at him, relaxing. Orlando nodded.
“Pretty much.” He bit into the cake and chewed. “It’s good.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Your face is saying something else entirely.”
Orlando shrugged and grinned, putting the other half of the cake down. “You got me. Sorry, sweetheart, they’re not great.”
She grinned. “Yeah, that’s what Norah and I thought.”
Orlando’s eyes widened. “Ah, so, you just thought you’d have a little fun with me, then?”
“Yep.” She was laughing at him now, looking like his Zulika rather than the stressed-out wraith of the last few days. “Why waste some perfectly good, or as the case may be, not so good cupcakes?”
“Ha ha ha.” But he grinned. “Seriously, you okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Getting there. You?”
“Same. Look—”
“Don’t say anything. Not yet. Let’s just enjoy …” She gestured around the both of them.
“You got it.”
She gave him a grateful smile. “So, not pumpkin. I need ideas for Halloween food. We’re going to have a kid’s party here. Fred’s idea. Maybe Ferma could come?”
He smiled at her. “I think I can guarantee she will.”
