Page 41 of Rock Giant

“Babe, what’s up?Why are you so upset by this?I said I’m sorry.And we can sort something out about the handfasting, promise.I’ll figure it all out.You won’t have to worry about it.Let me take the weight.You know you like it when I do that for you.”

“I can’t, Nash.It doesn’t matter what you organise or how it fits in your schedule anymore, or even if you remember.I already… Shit!”She bellowed the expletive so loud the girl on the bed wriggled out of Balin’s grasp, and taking the bedclothes with her, exited the room.

“Fuck,” Balin swore, attempting to chase after her with a still raging hard-on.

“Babe,” Nash finally rose from his perch.He tried to reach for her, but she was too upset to be coddled in the usual way.

“You didn’t come, Nash.Do you know how much that hurt?I kept telling myself that you’d show, eventually.Told myself punctuality has never been your thing, but—but then…”

Then she was right back in the moment.Rock Giant stepping in like he was who she’d been waiting for all along.Taking her hand, making her all those promises, and looking her right in the eyes as he did it.It’d been kind of perfect.The heavens, the woodland scent, him smiling down at her.The flower crown.His hand enveloping hers.His grip so solid, so utterly reassuring.Her throat closed up as the memories bit her hard.

In the binding of our hands, I give you my strength when you need it.I will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other.I will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind.I’ll wipe the tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow, and tears of joy.I give you my heart, forever and always…

Oh, God!Oh, God!

Her heart didn’t know what to do with itself.Had he really promised her all that stuff?

She pressed her fist to her mouth, to hold in the sob that threatened to break free.

“But then, what?”Nash demanded, not even looking at her as he asked, but focused instead on zipping his fly.

“Someone else stepped in.”

“Say what?”

Now his attention was on her.

“It was our turn, and everyone else was done, and he—he stepped in, and they did the thing and…”

“So, like, you did a practice run with some tool?”

It prickled.It prickled bad to hear him describe Rock Giant in that way.

“No, I got handfasted to him.There’s no practice run.You exchange oaths, and they tie the knots.”

It took a moment for it to sink in.

“You fucking what?”Nash’s eyes bulged and heat licked across his cheeks and temples.“We’re engaged, Jodi!”

“I’m aware.”

“We’re fucking engaged.What do you mean you said, I do with some bugger else?”

“It’s not legally binding, Nash.A handfasting is a traditional ceremony, symbolic, but—”

“You exchanged vows with someone else!Who the fuck is this bastard?”

“—he’s insistent that we respect it.He’s not going to let it go.”

Maybe this wasn’t the best time to mention that, but then again, wasn’t it best to just get it all out there at once?

“I’m going to fucking kill him.”

In a show of support, and because they’d evidently been eavesdropping, the rest of the band barrelled into the room, jeans, and shirts in hand, as they tried to dress while moving.“We’re here.Whatever you’re thinking, we’re—”

“You’re not going to do anything,” she said, finding some measure of strength.The last thing she wanted was for this to escalate into something more than it needed to be.“You’re going to let this lie and let me sort it out.It’s my problem.My mistake to correct.”

“The fuck I am,” Nash spat.“You’re shit at sorting your problems out.Give me his name right now, so that I can make sure he doesn’t set foot near you or this bus.And forget shacking up in that tent of yours.You’re staying here from now on.”