“I need you to stay.”
I blinked at Torin’s words, my head coming up from where I’d been staring forlornly at my soup bowl, and took in his tense expression.
“You do?” I asked, incredulous.
“Aye, you’re a solution to a problem I have.”
I waited and a log snapped in the fireplace behind me. Torin’s face was all angles and shadows, the firelight flickering over the sharp edge of his jaw.
“That’s it? You’re not going to tell me more?” I raised an eyebrow at him. “What’s the problem?”
Torin opened his mouth to speak, and then glowered at me, and I realized he’d been about to put off answering my question, but the truth spell wasn’t going to allow him to do so. He, seemingly, had come to the same realization and raked a hand through his hair as he leaned back in the chair.
“This was my parents’ house.” Torin gestured with his pint glass to the room. “My dad passed a few years back and my mum needed to move into assisted living for her Parkinson’s. I rent this from her, but she refuses to take much from me. She also won’t let me help with the cost of the assisted care community she’s chosen. The only way around that I’ve found is to have a tenant that I can collect rent from. Since she hasn’t asked to see the lease, she hasn’t questioned the amount of rent I’m giving to her.”
Understanding filled me. “So you’re giving her far more than I’m paying, aren’t you?”
“Indeed.” Torin’s expression was inscrutable, but I couldn’t help but warm toward a man so willing to go to uncomfortable lengths to help his mother. He clearly didn’t need a roommate but had been willing to open his home to one if it meant helping his mum.
“But…”
“But I don’t know if you’re the answer. I don’t know how I feel about Loren Brae knowing you’re living here. And frankly, I’m not sure how much your chaotic energy will disrupt my life.” Torin squeezed his eyes shut as he realized what he’d said. “Sorry. That whole truth spell thing.”
“It’s okay.” I slumped back into my chair, deflated. “You’re not wrong. Chaos seems to follow me wherever I go.”
“I like a simple life,” Torin said. “Quiet. Unbothered. I like to be in the trees. I have more work than I know what to do with. I’m not home much. But when I am…”
“You want peace and quiet.” I understood what he was saying. Which meant he was also going to flip when he heard what I had in mind. “But don’t you get lonely? Do you go out much?”
“Here and there. I’ll grab a pint with the lads when I’ve got time. But until you can fix this spell issue, I’m not sure I’ll be going out much, no.”
I noticed Torin didn’t answer my question about if he got lonely or not. I guess that was one way to get around the truth spell. He could just choose not to answer a question.
“So…”
Torin pinned me with his gaze, and I gulped, nerves pinging around in my stomach and making me fidget in my chair.
“Spit it out,” Torin ordered.
“I wasn’t able to find a direct solution to the truth spell issue. Yet.” I winced as Torin’s face hardened. “I did find some options for reversing spells, generically, but I’m worried that I could inadvertently make the situation worse. I’d like to proceed with caution.”
“Then I’m stuck? How am I meant to go out in public? What do I say when Mrs. MacPherson at the shops asks me to go on a date with her daughter, who I’m fairly certain isn’t into men at all?”
“Um, you can say you’re busy?” I took a deep breath. It was now or never. “Or, you could say… that you were already dating someone.”
“Who? That would be lying.” Torin looked at me like I was not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
“Um, me?” I suggested and Torin jumped out of the chair, shocking me with his movements.
“You?” he shouted and I winced, gritting my teeth together. “Do you have any idea how that would look?”
“Admittedly, not great, but I’m sure it would be fine. In time,” I said, folding the paper napkin he’d given me in half. And then half again as he paced.
“How does that even make sense, Liora? Please. Make it make sense for me.”
“It wouldn’t be real dating,” I rushed to explain, folding the napkin faster so I could get my words out. “It would be fake dating. Just until we get the truth spell turned around.”
“How does that even make sense?” Torin scoffed, and tears stung my eyes.