Page 95 of Tail, Dark and Handsome: Celestial Mates
She didn’t, and that became more apparent by the day.
“No, Joe, the problem is that youthinkyou know this guy, the infamous Winter Cayne. Everyone does, but you don’t know the real Winter Cayne.” She struggled to find her next words. Never before had she had a problem sharing relationship details with Joseph. Even when they were giggly teenagers, they shared all the gory particulars about their crushes and awkward first kisses. “He’s different in private. The media makes him nervous.”
“Nervous? Mari, this guy attacked me. That was in private. No cameras.”
“Joe, listen. He gets nervous, and he’s protective of those he cares about.”
“Including you.”
She hoped so.
“Mari, including you? Fuck. that shouldn’t be a question. Tell me he cares for you.”
“Look, I’m driving. I need to pick up Zero. Can we talk later?” A total lie. She had plenty of time left in her drive to Zero’s school.
“No, we’re talking now because someone just got off a long shift since he’s the only pilot and he doesn’t like flying. You owe me.”
“Mom knows I’m staying. I did actually tell my mother that. She should have hired another pilot.”
“Oh, yes, the infamousI signed a contract for a yearmemo.” Exhaustion burred the edges of his voice.
“Joseph, what’s going on? This isn’t about me.” Not entirely.
“Valerian is making noise about selling the company.”
“Okay.” After everything she did to keep the company out of Nox’s mitts?
“And traveling. Apparently Corra has crystal caves?”
“Stars.” Mari saw Valerian’s plan to invade. “How far away are you now? Like is this a courtesy ‘we’re a day out’ call or do I have time to let my brand new fiancé know my mother invited herself over to visit?” Most likely to stay.
“We’re still at the station.I’dactually tell you if something that big happened.”
“Ouch, Joe. Ouch.” But deserved.
“What were you thinking, Mari? You told us you were staying for a year. What did you think would happen? That we’d forget you were supposed to come home?”
“No,” she said slowly, because that was ridiculous. “I was going to tell you.”
“Eventually, when we got invitations to the wedding?”
“You know I can’t keep a secret, so don’t act like this is some deep mystery you’d never crack. Remember how I gave away your birthday cake?”
Joseph had been ten, Mari twelve. Valerian showed Mari the cake decorated with the cartoon action hero, the Flying Fox, that Joseph adored, but told her it was a surprise so don’t say anything.
Despite Mari’s best intentions, after finishing their dinner, she asked if it was time for the Flying Fox cake.
Joseph’s eyes went wide, smiling with glee, and Valerian never let Mari in on another surprise birthday cake.
“Marigold,” Joseph said with another sigh. Shame fluttered in her chest.
“I’m sorry. I know it was a crummy thing to keep from you but everything happened so fast. I just wanted this to be between me and Winter for a little bit.” Plus, she had her doubts about the realness of the relationship. Winter had been very upfront about the practical reasons for taking a mate so quickly—a mother for Zero, a happy family to appease the investors. His logic sounded cold, but when they were together, when he held her, nothing between them felt cold.
“Are you okay? Is he there? Can you talk freely?”
“Oh my stars, I’m fine. I’m driving. Alone. I told you that.”
“Yeah, well, the next time we get together, we should go to the park and feed the ducks,” he said, using the code they developed long ago to indicate that they could not speak freely.
