Page 21
Story: Petty AF
He stared at me, his expression a mask of confusion. “You said you weren’t going to hide. I’m helping.”
Since I couldn’t refute him, I just glared and made a guttural noise in the back of my throat that I hoped fully conveyed how I felt about his brand of “help.”
“Just smile and nod,” he coached. “I’ll do the rest.”
“It doesn’t work that way. Trust me, I’ve—”
The words died on my tongue, and my breath caught in my throat when Deaton appeared in the doorway, a brown paper bag clutched in his left hand. The moment he saw me, his face split into a wide grin, and he crossed the room, striding right into my personal space as if he had every right to be there.
“Hey, baby,” he said, cradling the side of my face as he dipped his head for a quick kiss. “My client canceled last minute.” Straightening, he held up the bag. “So, I brought lunch.” Thankfully, he didn’t wait for a response before turning and extending his hand. “You must be Otto. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“I…uh…” Eyes wide, mouth slack, Otto took his hand, his movements stiff and robotic. “Hi.”
I closed my eyes and prayed for a meteor strike.
“I’m not interrupting, am I?” Deaton asked.
“No, not at all.” Otto leaned sideways, bumping his shoulder against mine. “We were just discussing the Spellbound Expo. Right, River?”
It wasn’t technically a lie. I nodded cautiously.
Nothing happened. I didn’t spontaneously combust. The whole truth and nothing but the truth didn’t leak from my mouth.
Apparently, I had found a loophole.
Deaton tilted his head, a curious little smile on his lips. “Everything okay?”
“No,” I blurted, unable to stop myself this time. “I am completely losing my shit.”
Stepping past me, he placed the paper bag down on the desk. “Did something happen?”
“I love—”
“This weather!” Otto interjected loudly, sidestepping to stand in front of me. “We were just saying how nice it is today.”
“Is that so?” Deaton asked, his tone mildly conversational and nothing more.
“Yes.”
“No,” I countered.
Bless Otto. He was trying, and I loved him for it, but even his enthusiasm couldn’t override this stupid hex.
While I didn’t necessarily have control, I did have a choice. I could have done as Otto suggested and hid. I could have sneaked out the back door. Instead, I had decided to stay, knowing full well where it would lead.
Now, I could ante up and tell Deaton how I felt about him, or I could keep loopholing my way around the issue until the truth was forced from me without my consent. Both options came with risks, but I’d rather face the issue on my terms than let some curse hijack the moment.
“Deaton?”
“Yeah?” he answered distractedly.
“I love you.”
He grinned and pressed another kiss to my temple. “I love you, too, baby.” Then he turned back to the desk and began opening the bag containing our lunch. “Did you want the chicken burrito or the beef?”
I stared at the back of his head, stunned, my brain completely short-circuiting. “That’s it?”
“Those were the only options.” His brow wrinkled, and his mouth turned down at the corners. “Do you want something else? I can go—”
Since I couldn’t refute him, I just glared and made a guttural noise in the back of my throat that I hoped fully conveyed how I felt about his brand of “help.”
“Just smile and nod,” he coached. “I’ll do the rest.”
“It doesn’t work that way. Trust me, I’ve—”
The words died on my tongue, and my breath caught in my throat when Deaton appeared in the doorway, a brown paper bag clutched in his left hand. The moment he saw me, his face split into a wide grin, and he crossed the room, striding right into my personal space as if he had every right to be there.
“Hey, baby,” he said, cradling the side of my face as he dipped his head for a quick kiss. “My client canceled last minute.” Straightening, he held up the bag. “So, I brought lunch.” Thankfully, he didn’t wait for a response before turning and extending his hand. “You must be Otto. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“I…uh…” Eyes wide, mouth slack, Otto took his hand, his movements stiff and robotic. “Hi.”
I closed my eyes and prayed for a meteor strike.
“I’m not interrupting, am I?” Deaton asked.
“No, not at all.” Otto leaned sideways, bumping his shoulder against mine. “We were just discussing the Spellbound Expo. Right, River?”
It wasn’t technically a lie. I nodded cautiously.
Nothing happened. I didn’t spontaneously combust. The whole truth and nothing but the truth didn’t leak from my mouth.
Apparently, I had found a loophole.
Deaton tilted his head, a curious little smile on his lips. “Everything okay?”
“No,” I blurted, unable to stop myself this time. “I am completely losing my shit.”
Stepping past me, he placed the paper bag down on the desk. “Did something happen?”
“I love—”
“This weather!” Otto interjected loudly, sidestepping to stand in front of me. “We were just saying how nice it is today.”
“Is that so?” Deaton asked, his tone mildly conversational and nothing more.
“Yes.”
“No,” I countered.
Bless Otto. He was trying, and I loved him for it, but even his enthusiasm couldn’t override this stupid hex.
While I didn’t necessarily have control, I did have a choice. I could have done as Otto suggested and hid. I could have sneaked out the back door. Instead, I had decided to stay, knowing full well where it would lead.
Now, I could ante up and tell Deaton how I felt about him, or I could keep loopholing my way around the issue until the truth was forced from me without my consent. Both options came with risks, but I’d rather face the issue on my terms than let some curse hijack the moment.
“Deaton?”
“Yeah?” he answered distractedly.
“I love you.”
He grinned and pressed another kiss to my temple. “I love you, too, baby.” Then he turned back to the desk and began opening the bag containing our lunch. “Did you want the chicken burrito or the beef?”
I stared at the back of his head, stunned, my brain completely short-circuiting. “That’s it?”
“Those were the only options.” His brow wrinkled, and his mouth turned down at the corners. “Do you want something else? I can go—”