Charlie straightened. “Today’s what? Where’s Daria going?”
Peachy’s mouth clamped shut, no longer as willing to divulge information. At Charlie’s insistent glare, she sighed.
“It’s this date.”
“Date?” Confusion hit Charlie. “She doesn’t date…it’s not a datedate.”
“It’s not a datedate,” Peachy confirmed. “It’s more her prying to get the information she needs over lunch. With your History professor.”
At that, Charlie shot up and glowered at no one in particular as he muttered under his breath and heaved on a jacket. He looked highly annoyed and ready to throw hands.
“He’s a pervert. He’s an asshole. I’m going to kill him.”
“No killing,” Peachy called out as the younger man stalked off. “He’s your teacher!”
“Preying on younger women!” Charlie called back.
Anne was sure that the professor would either be eviscerated or out of a job by the time Charlie was done, as was customary in the more civilized human world. But the rest remained a mystery. She turned to Peachy with a questioning look.
Peachy shrugged. The suspicion that the woman had revealed the information to make Charlie jealous was eliminated when Peachy bit her lip worriedly. “Daria talks nonsense a lot of times and at the most random times, but this time it feels like I should intervene…or in this case, I should let Charlie intervene. I mean, why would a middle-aged professor ask someone out who is less than half his age?”
She knew of clans who married or mated with shifters half their age, but she didn’t agree with it, either. At Peachy’s expectant look, she realized nodding wouldn’t cut it and scanned her mind.
“Why would Daria go?”
At that, Peachy clamped her mouth shut. The incredulous look waned into one of determination.
“She has her reasons, and I don’t feel that it’s my place to tell.”
The conversation halted as Peachy refused to say anymore and Anne wasn’t inclined to ask more. But they stayed where they were until Peachy sighed.
“I can’t believe Charlie just up and left. He could get in trouble for leaving his post. He could…oh, you have got to be kidding me.”
“Charlie said he has an emergency and needed someone else here.” Michael strolled over and sat on a rock, acknowledging Peachy’s exclamation. Peachy gave him a shifty look. Unperturbed, Michael turned to Anne, studying her until her back was rigid before nodding once.
Anne nodded back, albeit more stiffly. Peachy turned to face away from Michael, then leaned close to Anne.
“Nico is getting very handsome lately. Broody and just so…intense. I have never seen him like that before.”
The words had Anne stiffening further, imagining a broody, intense Nico in front of them. Her mouth went dry at how appealing it sounded, but she couldn’t help narrowing her gaze at Peachy. Was the woman interested? Did Peachy like Nico?
“I can’t help but think something went on, and that’s why you guys are avoiding each other.”
Wrong deduction. Peachy wasn’t interested in Nico but in the story, but a glance at Michael determined that the man didn’t think the same. A dark look entered his eyes, but there was no missing that his ears were perked for the answer. Anne swallowed, feeling like a person in a glass box with everyone watching from all corners.
“We are fine.”
“Ah, the general answer of anyone in a silent fight.”
“Peachy, leave them alone.”
Peachy scowled, whirling on Michael to give him a dirty look. Then she turned to Anne and gave her a sheepish one. “I’m sorry. Even if you are having some misunderstanding, it’s your misunderstanding to deal with and not mine to meddle with.”
The thing was, it wasn’t Nico avoiding her but her avoiding him, mostly because looking at him made the guilt settle heavy in her chest to an unbearable point—and spending any time near him made her so aware of him and the things they had done, which never failed to get her all hot and bothered no matter what. It was a frustrating contrast and never failed to drive the same point: that the man deserved better. Fresh and bright. Not a loner.
Not a murderer.
Sensing her dilemma, Peachy nudged her shoulder good-naturedly. “Hey, forget I said anything. Don’t think about it too much. I’m sure he will come around.”