Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 120230 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 601(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120230 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 601(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
“Firstly, you’re tipsy.” He pointed a finger at me, his grin wide. “And secondly, you? The woman scared of bugs who almost passed out when she had to get a blood test?”
“Hey! I hadn’t eaten that day!”
He snorted. “Thirdly, if you were ever going to do something nasty, Lunes, you’d be smarter about it. Probably slip a little poison into your enemy’s drink, maybe inject them between the toes while they weren’t conscious.”
I stared at him. “Dude.”
Shrugging, he said, “I’ve been sitting on the sofa with a lot of time to think.” He threw back the last of his whiskey. “I can’t see any reason why Phoenix would bash Darcie over the head. Unless he decided to try his luck one last time, she turned him down, and he lost it.”
I blinked like an owl.
Kaea groaned. “Seriously, Lunes, sometimes, I think you’re so used to being behind the lens that you don’t see what’s happening right in front of you. Our resident doc had a big old thing for her after they first met.”
“He was already with Vansi then.” I frowned, thought about it. “Yes, V met him first. At that after-school science club.”
“I’m not sure about that. Darcie mentioned a shared riding lesson once, and she gave up riding at twelve, I think.” He shoved up the sleeves of his hoodie. “Anyway, Darcie wasn’t interested, always had her eye on Ash.” His fingers tightened on his empty tumbler. “I figured Nix was over it, what with Vansi and all, but who knows.”
I was beginning to regret that third glass of excellent old wine. The edges of my thoughts were fuzzy and I felt very much like an idiot when it came to the emotional undercurrents between my friends. “I certainly knew who you were sleeping with,” I muttered with a scowl.
The slightest shift of his eyes, before he grinned and threw out his arms. “That’s because I’m an open book. Why hide it when I can flaunt it.”
Even fuzzy-headed, I knew I hadn’t imagined that momentary pause, but I’d had too much wine to cross-examine my friend who happened to be a high-powered lawyer. Especially since Kaea could hold his liquor far better than me; his mind was no doubt still razor-sharp.
“I’m taking these dishes to the kitchen and we’ll finish this conversation when I’m not addlebrained, Mr. Kaea Ngata Fancy Pants, Esquire.” I waved a finger at him like a schoolmarm straight out of an old film.
His shoulders shook. “I love you, Lunes.”
“As you should. I’ll tell the guys to come back and help you upstairs to bed.”
“Nah, don’t bother. I think it’ll be easier all around if I stay down here. The couch is big enough and there’s a bathroom just down the hallway. Close enough for me to hobble to, and less pain than trying to get up and down the stairs. I do need a few things from my room.”
“I can grab that for you.” Walking into the kitchen after he told me what he needed, I dropped off the dishes. “Kaea’s going to stay in the lounge tonight.”
Phoenix paused in the act of drying the pot Aaron had used to make the stew. “Probably for the best.” A short nod. “Less chance of jolting his knee for no good reason. He should be feeling better by tomorrow if he rests up.”
* * *
—
Once upstairs, I knocked gently on Darcie’s door. “You okay in there, Darcie? I can get you a cup of chamomile tea if you want.”
She’d had a habit of ending a night out with that back when we’d been at uni; drunk Darcie making her chamomile tea was one of my favorite memories of her. All her walls down, no sophistication or manipulation. Just silly, happy Darcie trying to add honey to her cup while her coordination was shot and the entire world was hilarious.
No sound from Darcie and Ash’s room.
After a short internal battle, I decided to open the door and peek inside. I still wasn’t too sure about her being alone with a head injury, but she’d been insistent on coming upstairs about thirty minutes ago, saying that she wanted to rest. She’d also refused to let Ash come up with her, arguing that she’d feel guilty if he ended the night early on her account.
The bed was empty, the sheets mussed, but steam curled out from the open bathroom door.
I struggled with what to do next, my thoughts wrapped in cotton wool. I certainly didn’t want to walk in on her, but what if she’d collapsed in there?
A thudding sound, followed by, “Damn it!”
It took my inebriated brain a lot longer than usual to process that she’d dropped her soap or shampoo. The size of that thud indicated a small thing, not a person.
Backing quietly out, I shut the door behind myself, then walked to Kaea’s room. Instead of digging around in his pack, I just grabbed the entire thing. He’d always packed light, so it wasn’t hard to carry.