Page 27

FENELLA

T he disappointment on Ruvon's face was hard to miss as he pulled out his wallet to close his tab for the night.

Fenella rang up his drinks and handed him the printout. He'd had three beers over the course of four hours and had nursed them slowly while he'd waited. "I hope you'll have better luck next time."

He nodded. "I knew she wouldn't come. I shouldn't have invited her. She's too young, too sheltered, and too new to freedom."

"That's a smart observation." Fenella ran his credit card. "I mean, about her being too new to freedom. I guess that's true for the entire family except for Kyra, who was a rebel for many years."

Ruvon pocketed the receipt without glancing at it and inserted a folded bill into the tip jar. "Thank you," he forced a smile. "Goodnight, Fenella."

"Goodnight." She watched him leave, realizing that he hadn't asked for a reading.

Poor guy. She hoped he would find someone who would appreciate him. And to think that only two days ago she'd regarded him with suspicion just because he was a former Doomer and an awkward fellow.

The bar had mostly emptied out, Sunday nights proving to be indeed quieter than the weekend rush. People were getting ready to start their workweek, and retired earlier, but a few stragglers remained, finishing their drinks and conversations. The energy had shifted, though, from lively to languid.

When the door opened, Fenella was surprised to see her roommate walk in, and given her thunderous expression, her date hadn't gone well.

"I need a drink," Shira announced as she collapsed onto a barstool.

Fenella raised an eyebrow. "Rough night?"

"Yeah, you can say so." Shira groaned. "I must have the worst taste in men. It takes real talent to always choose the deadbeat losers."

"Same guy as last time?" Fenella mixed her friend a pear martini and dropped a lychee fruit inside.

Shira laughed. "Fates, no. I never hook up with the same guy twice." She lifted the martini gratefully. "New guy, same bullshit. But this drink looks awesome. Thank you."

"You're welcome. What happened?"

Shira took a long sip before answering. "Everything was fine at first. Decent conversation, good chemistry. Then we get back to his place, and it turns out that he lives with his mother."

Fenella chuckled. "Is that so bad? A good son is a good partner. Everyone knows that."

Shira frowned. "Really? I thought that mama's boys are bad."

"There is a difference between a good son and a mama's boy. I assume that your date was the latter kind?"

Nodding, Shira took another sip from the martini, nearly finishing it.

"He introduced me to his mother as if I were his fiancée, talking about a barbecue at his sister's next weekend and how she would be delighted to know that I was a librarian because she loves reading.

" Shira shuddered. "I mean, we hadn't even gotten our clothes off yet, and he's already planning our future. Talk about a major turn-off."

"The horror," Fenella said dryly, but she was smiling. "A guy actually wanting to see you again."

"You don't get it." Shira drained the rest of the martini, popped the lychee into her mouth, and pushed the empty glass to Fenella for a refill. "This was excellent. Can I have another?"

"The same? Or do you want something new?"

"The same," Shira confirmed.

"Coming up."

"Anyway. As I was saying, I was very clear with him about what I wanted. One night, no strings, no follow-up, and then he goes and introduces me to his mama."

"You're certainly an atypical librarian," Fenella observed, starting on the second martini.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I always pictured librarians as hopeless romantics, reading raunchy romance novels under their desks when no one is looking.

You are the opposite of romantic. Most people who talk about free love and no boundaries usually mean they want to sleep around without consequences.

You actually follow through on the philosophy. "

Shira took a sip of the fresh drink. "Exactly!

Is it so hard to understand? I'm an immortal.

Even if I wanted a relationship, I can't have it, and feelings are my kryptonite.

" She dug out the fruit and put it in her mouth.

"I can't do them," she said after swallowing.

"I just want good sex with no emotional entanglements.

Why is that so complicated?" She gulped the rest of the martini and pushed the glass back to Fenella. "One more."

Fenella lifted a brow. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. This glass is really small, and I'm a sucker for lychee."

From across the bar, Atzil cleared his throat loudly. "It's closing time, people. Finish your drinks and go home."

When several grumbled complaints sounded, he shook his head. "I've got breakfast to cook for Kalugal's men tomorrow, and I need my beauty sleep."

The stragglers complained but began gathering their things. Sunday nights, the bar closed at midnight instead of staying open until two in the morning or even later.

Despite Atzil's announcement, Shira didn't budge from her spot and asked for another drink.

Fenella humored her but cautioned that this would be the last one.

When all the customers except Shira had filed out, Din walked up to the bar. "Take her home. I'll stay to help Atzil with cleanup."

Her roommate looked like she could use the company, and Fenella was grateful for Din's thoughtful consideration.

He was one in a million.

Scrap that—one in a billion.

"I don't want to keep taking advantage of you. It's not fair that you're doing this every night."

"Just on the weekends, and my motives are selfish." He waggled his brows. "The sooner you are done, the sooner I can get you in bed. But if you really want to pay me back, you can help me grade papers."

She laughed. "I don't know anything about archaeology."

"Neither do my students, apparently." His expression was perfectly deadpan. "You'd be amazed at some of the things they come up with. Last semester, one student actually wrote that time-traveling tourists most likely built the pyramids."

Shira snorted into her martini, the sound somewhere between a laugh and a hiccup. "That's actually not the worst theory I've heard."

"See?" Din's eyes crinkled with amusement. "You can help me grade, too."

Shira lifted her glass in a salute. "You've got it, Professor. I know a thing or two about archaeology. Probably enough to grade your students' papers."

Fenella wasn't sure whether Shira was drunk, boasting, or was actually knowledgeable on the subject.

Din leaned in to kiss her cheek, his lips warm against her skin. "Take care of your friend. Do you want to come over to my place later?"

She glanced at Shira, who looked to be in a much better mood now than she had been when she'd entered the bar. "I think I'll stay with Shira and call it a night. It's been a long day."

He looked a little disappointed. "Then I'll see you tomorrow morning for breakfast."

"You've got it." She cupped his cheek. "I'll make you a killer omelet with mushrooms, onions, and feta cheese."

"Sounds yummy," Shira slurred. "Can I get an omelet too?"

"Sure." Fenella took off her apron and stuffed it in her bag to take home to launder. "Come on, lightweight," she said to Shira, who was swaying slightly on her barstool. "Let's get you home before you fall over."

"I'm not drunk," Shira protested, but she let Fenella steady her as she stood. "Just pleasantly buzzed."

"Sure you are." Fenella handed Shira her bag, which she'd forgotten about. "That's why you're listing to starboard."

"Maritime references? Din's rubbing off on you?"

"He's an archeologist, not a sailor."

"Whatever." Shira let Fenella guide her toward the door.

The night air was cool and crisp, carrying a salt tang of the ocean despite the distance. Shira breathed deeply, and Fenella could practically see her metabolism kicking into high gear, processing the alcohol with familiar immortal efficiency.

"I hate how quickly we sober up," Shira muttered. "What's the point of drinking if you can't stay properly drunk?"

"To enjoy the taste?" Fenella suggested.

"True. Your pear martinis were delicious. Now that I know how good you are, I'll come every night of the weekend."

Fenella arched a brow. "You doubted my ability?"

"Not at all. I was sure you were good, but you are excellent, and you are also a mind reader. How did you know that I love lychee? You never even asked me what drink I wanted."

Fenella frowned. "I just know what people like. It's probably an instinct all experienced bartenders develop."

"Oh, please." Shira waved a dismissive hand. "They don't. Just accept the compliment."

Fenella chuckled. "Fine. It must be one of my many innate talents."

They walked in silence for a few minutes, their footsteps echoing on the quiet paths. The village at night had a different quality than during the day, a little spooky because the only light came from the moon and stars.

"Do you think something is wrong with me?" Shira asked out of the blue.

Fenella glanced at her friend, surprised by the question. "Not at all. Why?"

"Everyone else seems to want to be in a relationship.

They want to experience the connection, the feelings, to find their forever person.

" She kicked at a pebble on the path. "But I just don't want that.

The thought of being tied to one person forever makes me want to run screaming.

I like doing my own thing, which is reading most of the time, or sketching, or just watching shows or movies, and I don't want to have to think about what someone else wants and compromise. Does that make me a narcissist?"

Fenella shrugged. "I don't know what the definition of a narcissist is."

"I do, and I'm not that, but I wanted to know what you think."

"Sorry to disappoint you. So, what's a narcissist?"