Chapter 30

Rowena

Adrian and I leaned closely over the candlelit table, our hands clasped together. His thumb stroked back and forth over my knuckles, each small touch sending a shiver through me.

“You really do look gorgeous,” he said softly, reaching out to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. “Even prettier than the homecoming dance.”

I smiled slightly and bit my lip. After a lifetime of being insulted on my looks, of being called a nerd and a loser, it felt nice to be complimented.

“Thank you,” I said. “That’s very kind of you.”

“You know…” Adrian leaned back in his chair and regarded me from across the table. Between us sat two mostly-finished plates of food and some drinks, as well as a flickering candle. “I’m really glad you became a combat manager.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Really?” I asked.

Adrian nodded. “I think that the combat management program has gone too far down the ‘pretty with no substance’ route. I guess it’s sort of refreshing to see someone who actually knows their stuff.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but then closed it again. I didn’t really know what to say; on one hand, it was nice to be seen for my abilities.

But on the other hand, it was a reminder that I wasn’t as pretty as the other combat managers. Or at least, that was how it felt sometimes.

Adrian, noticing my hesitation, suddenly leaned forward. “I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, grabbing my hand again. “I just meant that you’re really talented. The management program will benefit from someone like you.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding and smiled. “That’s why I want to be picked for the championship,” I said. “So I can show my skills.”

Adrian grinned. “And I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

A blush crept into my cheeks at his words. Sitting here with him, our table illuminated by the romantic flickering of a candle, was like a dream. And if I was being honest, I didn’t see the side of Adrian that Eric insisted on at all.

In fact, Adrian seemed like nothing if not a perfect gentleman; hardly the cold playboy who Eric made him out to be.

At that moment, Adrian then leaned forward, reaching for my glasses. “May I?” he asked.

I furrowed my brow, leaning back a bit out of instinct. Too many times had my glasses been stolen by other kids growing up, kids who thought it would be funny to watch me grope around on the floor for them.

“What—”

“Just for a moment,” he said softly. “If you don’t mind.”

I hesitated for a moment, but then nodded and leaned forward, allowing Adrian to slip my glasses off. The room instantly turned blurry around me, Adrian’s form turning into a nearly shapeless blob that almost seemed to fade into the background.

But I could hear his laugh.

“You look cute without your glasses,” he said.

I swallowed and managed a laugh of my own. “Thanks. I do need them to see, though,” I said, reaching for them. “If you don’t mind…”

Adrian hesitated, albeit briefly, before handing them back. I went to slip them back on, but then I felt something warm and sturdy bump into me. And my glasses went flying out of my hand.

I gasped, my vision too blurry to see who had just bumped into me or where my glasses had gone. All I could do was sit there, dumbfounded, and hope that my glasses were still in one piece.

“Hey,” Adrian suddenly said. “You again?”

“I’m sorry,” a gruff voice said. I felt a warm hand press my glasses into my fingers, and I let out a small sigh of relief. I went to thank the stranger for giving them back, but by the time my glasses were back on, whoever had bumped into me was already gone.

I frowned as I looked around us. “Who was that?” I asked.

Adrian sighed. “The same guy who bumped into me on the street,” he said. “Maybe he needs the glasses more than you do.”

I laughed slightly at his words, although two things stuck out to me…

For starters, there was the fact that Adrian clearly hadn’t moved an inch to pick up my glasses when they had flown out of my hand. He was still sitting exactly where he had been before, even with his napkin still draped over his leg.

And second, my fingers still felt warm and tender where the stranger’s hand had touched me.

…

“After you.” Adrian held the door open for me with a gentlemanly smile and as I walked past him, I felt his hand come to rest on my lower back. The cold air nipped at my skin a bit, but it was honestly refreshing after the warm restaurant.

“I’m excited for our movie,” I said as we began walking down the street. “Which one did you have in mind?”

Adrian smirked. “It’s a surprise,” he said, looping his arm around me.

I smiled and leaned into his sturdy embrace. My heart fluttered at the sensation of his touch, and even more so at the warmth that his tall form provided. As we headed toward the movie theater, I was already imagining what it would be like to sidle up to him in the dark room, our legs touching and my head resting on his shoulder.

The movie theater was just coming into view, though, when it happened.

A dark form, dressed in a long trench coat, went darting past—straight between us. It shoved Adrian and I apart and nearly knocked me completely off balance. In fact, if the stranger hadn’t momentarily looped his arm around my waist to keep me upright before he darted off, I probably would have fallen.

“Hey!” Adrian shouted at the retreating man in the black trench coat. “Get back here, asshole!”

Before I could even collect my bearings, Adrian and the stranger went darting away. I gasped and began going after them, my eyes widening upon seeing the stranger’s hat fall off to reveal a striking blond head of hair.

“Gotcha!” Adrian shouted, having cornered the stranger in an alley by the time I caught up to them. “Show yourself.”

There was a tense silence as Adrian and the stranger stared at each other. I stopped behind Adrian, somewhat out of breath from running in heels and nearly being knocked over.

But I lost my breath completely when the stranger took off his sunglasses and pulled his hair out of a bun, revealing beautiful blond hair that curled at his shoulders.

“Eric?!” I exclaimed, pushing past Adrian to smack my brother in the chest. “What the hell? Have you been following us around all night?”

Eric took my smack in stride, catching my hand before I could land a second blow. Adrian stood beside me, his arms folded. “What gives?” Adrian asked.

Eric sighed and dropped my hand. “I had to keep an eye on my sister, alright?” he said, glancing at me with an emotion in his eyes that I couldn’t quite read. “I’m sorry, but I wasn’t about to just let her go on a date with you unattended.”

I gasped incredulously and turned to leave. “I can’t believe this,” I said. “Come on, Adrian. Let’s—”

“Wait.” Before I could walk away, Adrian stuck his arm out to stop me. I turned slowly to gape at him, wide-eyed, only to see a slight smile forming on his lips.

“Adrian?” I muttered.

“You know what?” Adrian said. “I commend you for caring about your little sister like that.” He paused, glancing back and forth between Eric and I before he continued. “We were just about to catch a movie. Wanna join us?”

My heart clenched. I opened my mouth to protest, but before I could, Eric grinned and met my gaze.

“It would be my pleasure,” he said.