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“I didn’t ask. You would have been able to, if you were picking up the phone,” he repeated.
She scowled and turned her chair back towards her desk. “You know why I haven’t.”
Ryker had messaged her a few hours after calling her Tuesday, telling her that he would be busy and wouldn’t be able to come over, but hoped she would still be at the funeral.
She didn’t respond.
She heard Caspar’s footsteps, but she didn’t turn around. Turning around would give the impression that she wanted to talk about it.
He set a hand on her shoulder. “You can't solve every problem on your own, and you shouldn't be pushing everyone away. I'm not going to let you. Especially now that you and I…and Corbus…”
"You can say it, Caspar," she said testily. "We're dating, or on our way to be. It's not some sort of weird cult thing. It's a normal idea, just our methods are a little unconventional."
“It’s not that. It’s…it’s just something I need to get used to hearing. Dating,” he said in explanation. “Not really a thing I thought I’d have time for. I’ve only managed brief flings.”
She set her hand on top of his on her shoulder. She didn’t think about the possibility that Caspar or one of the other guys wouldn’t be ready to date. She always just assumed she would be the one taking things slow, considering how she missed out on her own dating experiences in high school and college. She needed to also consider that this was new for all of them, and they would need to navigate it carefully.
“Well,” she said, squeezing his hand with a smile, “You don’t have to worry about working so hard anymore. You’re free to just worry about supporting yourself and your needs, now.”
She brushed his hand off and stood up from her chair. “I’ll go today, but I’m still not happy with how Renly reacted. I know grief does something to a person, but I’m not going to hold my tongue if he’s there.”
He nodded firmly. “I wouldn’t blame you.”
“Now shoo,” she said with a grin and a wave of her hand. “I need to get dressed.”
He left her room, and she closed the door behind her. She grabbed a pair of jeans hanging up and a pullover sweatshirt. She rationalized that they were going to get the guys dressed up, not her, so she didn’t have to dress to impress anyone.
Once she was dressed, she yanked her door open with one hand and used her other to gather her hair up to put in a ponytail. In the time she took to change, Caspar had also changed into a long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans. He had a dark black coat on as well, which was zipped up about midway.
She grabbed her bag and her keys before she clicked off the light in her bedroom. “Ready to go?”
Caspar nodded.
“Wait!” Jezebeth called out. She stumbled out of her bedroom door as she tugged on a pair of high heels. “I’m coming too!”
“How do you know where we’re going?” Mykie asked.
"The walls aren't that thick." Jezebeth paused before she rolled her eyes with a smile. "And I was eavesdropping. I'm bored, okay?"
Mykie resisted the urge to sigh and nodded her head. She walked over to the front door and toed her sneakers on before grabbing her Cantil jacket off the hook. "All right, then. Hurry up and be in the car by the time the keys are in the ignition, or I'm leaving you here."
Jezebeth sent her a salute as she bent over to strap her shoe on.
Mykie opened the door and let Caspar go first before she followed him out. She closed the door behind her and went down the stairs to the door outside. Caspar had a head start, so he beat her to the bottom of the stairs. He seemed to be waiting for her before he opened the door, letting the cold air hit her. She walked out first and jogged down the front steps and onto the sidewalk. She hit the button on her keys to unlock the car.
“I hate New York,” she murmured under her breath.
“Why haven’t you moved, then?” Caspar asked as he came up beside her.
"I'd miss the people too much," she answered after a moment of silence. She rounded the car and climbed into the driver's side. Caspar barely opened his door before Jezebeth made it out of the apartment building.
“I’m here!” she yelled. Her breath was labored, and she looked ready to collapse as she came over to Mykie’s car.
“You were pushing it,” Mykie said in a stern voice when Jezebeth yanked open the backseat door, but the smile on her lips ruined it.
“You’d never leave me behind. You’re too nice to me to do that,” Jezebeth argued in a sweet tone as she got inside.
Caspar sat down and closed his door. “She’s kind of right. You’re a little too nice to the people in your life.”
