It took Diem a few minutes to find the right words, but I waited. His mind had been busy lately, and in times of stress, he still struggled to communicate.
“I’m going to take your dad up on that fishing trip.”
Surprised, I lifted my head, meeting his gaze. “Really?”
His brow crinkled. “Yeah. Do you mind? He said it was in April.”
“Go. I think that’s great. Heath will be thrilled.”
“But if Darcy—”
“We’ll be fine. I promise not to kill him… unless he touches my things… or changes the channel when I’m watching my shows… or—Wait! He can take care of Baby, so I don’t have to. It’s perfect.”
“I’ll only be gone for a weekend. Baby doesn’t need to be taken care of.”
“She’s a snake.”
“A boa.”
“A snake! And she needs to be watched at all times. What if she escapes and tries to eat me? I’ve seen those shows. They lie beside you to measure and see if you’ll fit in their belly. Darcy can protect me, and if he’s in the living room on the couch, he would be the optimal first meal. She won’t need to eat again for at least a month after that, and—”
Diem covered my mouth, laughing. “You’re more of a brat than Darcy. I’m not sure it’s safe to leave you two together for three days.”
I peeled his hand off, smiling. “I’m kidding. We’ll be fine. Go have fun. Learn to fish. Let Heath talk your ear off.”
I laid my head down again, and Diem caressed my back. I had never expected him to take my dad up on fishing. Whatever Diem’s reasons, I was glad he decided to go. He might not be ready to share my family, or call my parents Mom and Dad, but every day, Diem’s world and the people in it grew a fraction larger.
Every day, he opened up a little more.
Diem was learning to trust people. He was learning to love and be loved in return.
And finally, he seemed to understand that he deserved it.
36
Diem
“What if they recognize me?” Darcy shuffled, scuffing one of Tallus’s expensive dress shoes on the asphalt parking lot as he tugged at the collar of his borrowed dress shirt. He looked about as comfortable as I felt.
“They won’t. You look nothing like the kid who visited Elwood over three months ago. You’ve got a new look and a proper name. You’ll be fine.”
Tallus had taken Darcy for a haircut and had spent an hour dressing him for Nana’s party, much to Darcy’s dismay. The two had gone clothes shopping earlier in the week, but nothing Darcy picked at the mall was suitable for the event—or so Tallus claimed. As a result, my clothing-obsessed boyfriend had begrudgingly allowed Darcy to borrow an outfit on the threat of death if he ruined it.
I could have left Darcy at home, but the kid had latched onto me since Lukyan’s arrest and rarely left my side. He’d overheard myconversation with Aaron at the cottage and knew the lengths I’d gone to, ensuring he wasn’t arrested as well. It had apparently elevated me to god-tier in his eyes.
On the days he wasn’t working at Giant Tiger, the kid followed me to the office, asking a hundred and ten questions about the ins and outs of PI work, claiming he wanted to be an investigator someday, too.
I allowed him to shadow me to the office on one condition. While I worked, he studied. I’d insisted that he get his GED since it would help him find a better job. If he succeeded before the end of the summer, the plan was to help him apply for a grant and college in the fall.
On occasion, Darcy even joined me at the gym in the morning, copying my weightlifting routine and learning to expel his frustrations on a punching bag. I didn’t mind the company and was proud to teach him healthy coping mechanisms for when his hot temper reared its ugly head.
The angry kid I’d met a lifetime ago outside the supplement store had changed. He still wore a cloak of teenage petulance on occasion. He still wrinkled his nose every time he caught Tallus and me kissing or touching or talking lovingly to one another. He still ran his mouth often enough that he earned several harmless smacks to the back of his head and warnings to smarten up.
But he was better. Happier.
Oddly, so was I.
We joked around and ganged up on Tallus, teasing him or playing pranks. We cooked together, and he was interested in learning about macros and how to eat properly to gain muscle. He was a chatterbox; he gave Tallus a run for his money. I enjoyed their bickering. It had become less hostile and more playful with each passing day.