He was getting impatient.
“Again, Circe, we’re not talking about me.”
“You said this Dax would be the one who would be lucky if I took a chance. I wonder, if I asked Franka, who she felt was the lucky one between her and you.”
“She can think that it’s her but I know the truth.”
She studied him closely, doing this speaking.
“I had everything, a loving family, a magical gift, and it was all swept from me by a cruel and twisted man. Your Franka, I can’t even think on it, Noc, knowing from her first breath, she had nothing. Until she had you.”
His words were tight when he stated, “Not gonna repeat myself, Circe.”
“I can’t believe you don’t see what’s inside you,” she whispered, her gaze searching.
“I’m just a guy.”
“You are not just a guy,” she stated firmly.
He was done in a way they both were going to be done.
“All right, I’m the guy who made it all good for Franka,” he lied. “There it is. Now I said that, our deal. I’m going from here to my woman, and if you give me the go ahead, when I get there, we’ll call Dax and ask him to dinner tomorrow night. At my place. Me, him, Franka and you.”
“You only said what you said about yourself so I’d make that deal,” she accused.
She was correct.
Noc didn’t confirm that.
He didn’t say anything.
Suddenly, what he’d just suggested hit her and her concern for him fled as anxiety again took hold.
“Your decision, your life and I stand by whatever you decide,” he said. “I’ll make Franka do it, and if I can pull it off, I’ll make Valentine do it. But I don’t think I have to go on record to say, if you don’t come to dinner tomorrow night, don’t try your luck one last time and do it for a shot at happiness with this guy, I think you’re making a big mistake.”
“I’ll come to dinner,” she replied in such a soft voice he almost didn’t hear her.
So relieved, he couldn’t stop himself, he reached out and pulled her into his arms to give her a tight hug.
“That’s the right decision,” he said into the top of her hair.
“I hope it is,” she said into his chest.
He lifted his head and she leaned back but he didn’t let her go.
“It is,” he assured.
She pressed her lips together, still visibly anxious.
“Come early,” he urged. “Sit with Franka. Talk to her. Get to know her. Drink some wine. You’ll be in a safe place with your people around you looking after you. You feel uncomfortable or anything, we’ll take care of you. I promise you that, Circe. Swear.”
“I believe you.”
He gave her a squeeze and then slowly let her go, murmuring, “Good. Now I gotta get to my truck to call Frannie and let her know it’s all good. She’s pretending she’s got it all together, but she’s freaked as shit things got messed up last night and she’s worried about you so I gotta get that off her mind before I get the rest of this show on the road.”
She looked like she wanted to say something but thought better of it before she smiled at him and started toward the door.
He followed her.
She opened it and he moved out, turning to say, “I’m seriously glad you opened the door, babe.”
“I’ll tell you later whether or not I am.”
She’d pulled up her courage and was showing him a brave face.
He was glad for it because he didn’t hope he was right about this world’s Dax Lahn.
What he saw last night he knew he was right and he wanted that for her.
“Early,” he said. “I’ve texted you my address, show at four. I’ll be cooking. Franka will be watching me do it and talking to you. We’ll ask him to be there at six.”
She tried to hide her nervous swallow and nodded.
Noc lifted a hand, wrapped his fingers briefly around the side of her neck and gave her a smile.
“See you tomorrow,” he said as his goodbye.
“Tomorrow, Noc.”
He turned to leave and took two steps but stopped when she called his name.
“You can think what you want but I know. Franka and I have different stories, but we were both left in the same darkness,” she said quietly. “So I know. If this man is that man for me, I will be the lucky one. And you being the man you are, the only man for Franka, so is she.”
Before he could say a word, she shut the door.
He stared at it for a beat and then he didn’t give it another second.
Or another thought.
He walked to his Suburban, got in and made a phone call.
* * * * *
Franka was pacing.
Noc was leaning a hip against his island, phone to his ear, listening to it ringing, focus on Frannie.
“Baby, calm down,” he urged.
She stopped instantly, caught his eyes and hers narrowed.
“Calm? This man might have spent the last sixteen hours convincing himself we’re insane and he wants nothing to do with us, including Circe. Valentine has made certain he doesn’t go after her and he hasn’t, but she doesn’t have the power to read his thoughts.”
She’d counted the hours.
That was cute.
He didn’t have a chance to further reassure her.
The phone stopped ringing and a man answered with, “Lahn.”
“Lahn, this is Noc Hawthorne.”
“Did she get home okay?”
Noc dropped his head and grinned at his feet.
He hadn’t spent the last sixteen hours convincing himself they were insane.