“Yeah, yeah,” I said, putting my hands on Larken’s shoulders and tugging her back against my front a bit. “Wipe that self-righteous grin off your puss.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” he said and dropped his hands. “But still . . . you’re welcome.” He quirked a lip and waggled his brows.
“Get over yourself.” I laughed.
I felt Lark tense a little and hoped that she wasn’t feeling guilty, ashamed, or embarrassed. As if she could read my mind, she leaned to the side and looked up at me over her shoulder.
“I have no problem with him—or anyone—knowing about us.” She turned to face Turner again. “I’m just worried about you, Turn. It’s so good to see you, though.” She took a few steps in his direction. “This is the first time I’ve gotten the chance since that day at HQ. I’ve been worried. Are you okay?”
He shrugged a little. “Yeah, I’m okay. But . . .” He hesitated and met my gaze over Lark’s head before looking at her again. “Do you think we can talk? Maybe take a walk?”
“Yeah.” She turned and looked at me. “Yeah, of course.” She turned back to him. “Now?”
“If you can,” he said.
I walked up behind Lark again, grabbing her biceps before leaning down and kissing her temple. Before I rose, I whispered in her ear. “It’s nothing bad. Not really. Uncomfortable, maybe, but . . . Relax. Whatever happens, I’m here if you want to talk after. I’ll see you soon.” I kissed her again on the cheek, gave Turner a chin lift, and went to find Dev.
I’d be there for both of them when all was said and done, regardless of how things went, but it was up to them now.
Chapter22
~Larken~
Iled the way out of the courtyard and into the plantation’s yard, making sure that Turner was following me. When I rounded the house, I turned to walk backward so I could talk to him.
“Are you okay heading down to the pond behind Bea’s cottage and the cemetery?” I asked.
“Sure, that’d be great,” he said and gestured for me to lead the way.
I did, walking past the adorable little house, wondering how Bea was doing these days after the loss of her husband. I’d have to check in on her soon, or at the very least ask Hanlen how she was doing. Once I cleared her yard, I went back through the Arbor family plots to the bench behind the burial ground.
The sun glinted off the surface of the pond, looking like handfuls of jewels in the sunshine. I heard a symphony of frogs and insects and took in a large bird seeming to hunt for its next meal in the still waters.
The breeze brought earthy scents to my nostrils, making me feel more grounded and calming my nerves a little. Kholt had said that what Turner had to tell me wasn’t bad, but given how he had been avoiding me, I was afraid to hear what the problem was.
I took a seat and looked up as Turner joined me and sat to my left.
“Nice day,” he said.
“It is. But we didn’t come all the way out here to talk about the weather.”
“No, no we didn’t,” he said and looked off to the far side of the pond.
I turned to face him, a fine sheen of sweat breaking out on my body, my palms going clammy. I couldn’t imagine what this was all about, but it was clearly a big deal. “What’s going on, Turner?”
I saw him take a deep breath, his shoulders rising with the effort. A look I couldn’t quite place crossed his features.
“Hey,” I said, reaching over to take his hand in mine. “You can talk to me about anything. You know that, right?”
He finally turned to face me, and I saw the tears in his eyes.
“Aw, honey,” I said, scooting closer to him on the bench and pulling him to me, enveloping him in a hug. “What’s wrong?”
I felt him sag against me for a minute before hearing him sniff and stiffen. My magic flared, and I felt a sudden burst of resolve, followed by worry. But mixed in there was happiness, too.
I pulled back a little, running my palms down his arms to take his hands once more. “Talk to me, Turn.”
“I’m honestly not sure where to begin.” He swiped a hand under his nose and a forearm across his eyes. “It’s just . . . it’s a lot.”