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She’s an angel of light captured straight from a fairy tale, and as the sunrise thins the barrier between worlds, she’ll fade away like she was never here slumming it in flesh and blood at all.
Ridiculous, I know.
The image punches me so painfully that it wrenches me with longing. I unconsciously reach for her—then catch myself as my fingers hit the glass and remind me she’s too far away.
Forever out of reach.
That’s for the best.
I pull back with a scorched breath and snatch my phone from the nightstand. I need to let her be free from me, so I dial Rick’s number.
Even if I’m not usually up at this hour, he always is, and he’s quick to answer.
“Mr. Marshall?” he says, a bit of a rush in his voice. “What’s wrong?”
I pause with my eyes still on Elle. “Why do you think something’s wrong?”
“It’s only seven a.m., sir ...”
A dark, heavy smirk tugs at my lips. “Fair enough. It’s simply a practical matter.”
“Ah, sure. What can I do for you?”
“Miss Lark stayed the night at my place for appearances. She’d like to go home now to prepare herself before office hours.” It comes out so smoothly, this lie, like I’m not asking Rick to bring her a getaway car. I don’t expect to see her at the office today either. “She’ll be waiting for you outside.”
“Understood,” Rick answers. “You took the G80 last night, so should I take her in my car or yours?”
“Mine, please. If you leave your keys, I’ll take yours to the office and trade with you there.”
“Of course, sir.” There’s a hesitant pause. “Are you all right?”
Damn.
I’m not as good at suppressing my feelings as I thought, if he can sense it.
Once again, my gaze gravitates to that beautiful fairy girl on the shore, soaking up the sun like a morning flower.
“I’ve been worse,” I answer faintly. “But I’ve been better too.”
“Very sorry to hear that, sir. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Thanks.”
I hang up and leave my phone on the nightstand, then push the door open on the spray-dampened deck. I don’t know why I’m going outside, stepping into the chill morning air, the rising sun blazing against my eyes.
Maybe because it feels like being close to her.
If we can both soak in the sunlight, then in some small way, we’ll still be touching each other.
I walk to the deck railing and let myself watch her. I almost never see her without a smile, but right now she’s quiet, her lips parted, as much as I can make it out at this distance.
Fuck, I just want her to smile again.
The same way she did with Aunt Clara.
The same way she made Aunt Clara light up.
That’s Elle’s gift.
