It was hard not to believe her when she spoke so confidently.
“I’m problematic, then,” Gizelle countered.
She sighed. “I’ve tried all the things that everyone is supposed to do. Dinner at the restaurant. I showed him my hoard. We had a picnic on the beach. Even though I hate the beach.”
“And?”
“It’s all awful and I say stupid things and remind him of music and it hurts him but when he laughs it’s amazing and he’s trying so hard and I want him so badly.” By this point, she had pulled her knees up against her chest and was clinging to them tightly.
Magnolia offered her hands across the table in that way that she had that wasn’t really a request.
Gizelle reluctantly unwound her arms and lowered her legs so she could put her hands cautiously on top of Magnolia’s lovely large fingers.
“It can all seem very complicated,” Magnolia said gently. She cradled Gizelle’s hands, but didn’t hold them tight, perhaps knowing that would make Gizelle feel trapped. “A new mate is overwhelming, for anyone, and it can feel like you don’t have choices.”
Gizelle felt her chest squeeze in recognition as Magnolia continued.
“You haven’t been making your own choices for very long, darling,” Magnolia reminded her. “You never had the chance before. And now, it probably feels like that was taken away from you again, and that must be pretty terrifying.”
Terrifying didn’t begin to describe the wave that threatened Gizelle as Magnolia’s words clarified her discomfort.
“But you like him,” Magnolia reminded her. “And your gazelle likes him. You both want him.” She withdrew her hands and sat back in satisfaction. “So, choose him.”
It was like the sun coming through clouds.
“You make it sound so easy,” Gizelle breathed.
Her gazelle was nuzzling the back of her mind in amused agreement, and she looked up to see Conall across the bar, coming in the back entrance.
He paused there, searching... for her, Gizelle realized, and all the lines in his body changed when he spotted her. He brightened, some of the sadness lifting from his shoulders as he strode forward.
She could choose him.
The idea was amazing.
“Coming through!” Just inside the bar, out of view of the entrance, Laura was rushing across his path with a tray of empty drink glasses. Her tray, Gizelle had time to note, was stacked high with glassware.
Then Gizelle froze, realizing that Conall hadn’t been able to hear Laura’s warning, that he was walking forward with eyes only for her.
“Look out!” Magnolia called urgently, but Conall couldn’t hear that either and Laura was moving too fast to stop herself, and even as Gizelle thought about finding a way to warn him, they collided, the tray flying from Laura’s hands.
Conall swore, Laura gave a little shriek, and glass dashed against tile all around them as they just managed to both stay upright.
The crash was too much sound. Gizelle’s hands at her ears couldn’t stop it, and her will shattered with the glass.
Before she could stop herself, she was bounding away on four hooves.
Chapter 28
Conall sank onto the barstool in defeat as Laura waved him away from helping to clean up the broken glass.
Gizelle had fled again, and who wouldn’t.
She needed someone whole. Someone undamaged. Someone who could hear her speak and actually help her heal.
Someone who could avoid a simple collision by hearing the warning.
He didn’t look to see what Tex would say, but was not surprised to find a gin and tonic in front of him within a few moments.