Page 30 of Knotty, Nice, & Holiday Lights
I’m in awe.
“CheckPoint Games was how we met,” Asher chimes. “Well, not by me interviewing Izzy, but I’d been hired to voice some characters in Death of an Archon. They had an in-house recording studio, so I’d spent long days there. One afternoon, I bumped into Izzy in a corridor.”
“Seems to keep happening,” she muses, lips pursing with humor.
Asher chuckles. “That it does.”
“So, Izzy. Which character was your favorite to design?” I get out the question that’s been burning my brain throughout this entire conversation.
She gets this sparkly look to her eyes as her gaze casts upward, as though she’s looking into the past.
“Gavrilla fromDeath of an Archon,”she says. “That woman was a force to be reckoned with. Kicked my ass, actually.”
“How’s that?” I ask.
Her eyes settle on me. “She had a lot of little intricate parts to her armor that I needed to model separately. Like, multiple thigh sheathes with everything from daggers to vials to handguns and wooden stakes.” Her laughter is joyous. “And then she had costume changes, like all the other characters in that game. When you leveled up and upgraded your armor, either parts of or the entire outfit would change, depending. But honestly,” her smile broadens, “Gav was the most beautiful character I ever designed. We really pushed the limits of the technology in that game, and the 3D designs were just about as realistic as we could make them back then. She’s always stuck with me, and I know she always will.”
The passion she emits enraptures me. All I want is to hear more about her work, which she obviously loves. But I know there’s a sadness there, too, for what she’s lost.
And in me, there’s a realization.
I am absolutely in love with Izzy Ross.
Chapter Nineteen
Nothing like eating pie and drinking booze with friends. It’s something I haven’t done in years, but I've always enjoyed it.
There’s some action movie on the TV, but it’s more ambiance than anything, as we chat with increasing animation, courtesy of the hard liquor.
We’d started with homemade hot cocoa and Iz’s favorite peanut butter whiskey, which Will thanked me again for turning him on to, and then graduated to heavier stuff.
Peace settles in my chest the longer I’m here with them all, and I know it isn’t just Iz who’s responsible. There’s some strange camaraderie between me, Asher, and Will. Something I’ve never felt before with any of my friends, and as an only child, I don’t know if this is common for actual brothers. But the feeling driveshome the fact that these two Alphas are absolutely my pack brothers.
I just don’t know if it’s right of me to be here. I may not have had an episode today, but I’m still the weakest link. But this is still very nice, even if it’s temporary.
Iz’s laughter catches my attention. “And the first time I called him ‘Matt,’ I got an earful.” She eyes me with a smirk.
I raise my right brow at her in that way she used to love, and her eyes grow hooded. “My name is Matthew, notMatt.”My disgust is evident in my tone
“And that’s why his gamertag is ‘NeverMatt.’” She roars with laughter, bringing smiles to Will’s and Asher’s faces.
I’m amused on the inside. “Okay, Miss ‘LadyIsabelleOfRoss.’”
That quiets her down and makes the others laugh a bit harder, though Will does try to hold it together.
Iz throws a shocked expression my way that turns into an adorable pout. “I just never changed it since I was a kid,” she says, crossing her arms and looking defiant with her chin raised.
“Well, mine’s ‘Samohtlliw,’” Will chimes in, looking embarrassed.
“What the hell is that?” I ask.
“My name backwards,” he says with a cringe. “Will Thomas.”
We laugh before all setting our gazes on Asher, who is looking way more innocent than should be possible.
There’s a moment when he looks around before he grumbles, “BlackAsNight509843006.”
The laughter that overtakes me is so loud that I think I scare everyone, but Iz sends me a knowing look as Will appears confused.
