It was the first day Rory had gone into the office without feeling waves of stress. By taking four tasks off of her plate each day, hiring two more assistants to work alongside Francesca, and training her staff to handle the workload Rory had championed by herself for years, the death grip she’d had on her Foundation began to loosen. There were even whole three-minute periods where she found herself without anything to do.
It wasn’t until Cordray called that she realized how calm the whole office felt. Everyone was handling their zones, and understood what work needed to be done, and by when. “Hey, you,” she said, cradling her phone with her shoulder as she shut her office door. She was wary of saying his name in an area where anyone could hear it, or see the telling smile that caressed her face whenever she spoke to him. “How’s your day going?”
“It’s going well, actually. My boss closed a big account today because of research I did, and I wanted to celebrate. How would you feel about me taking you out to lunch? Can you step away for an hour?”
Rory froze, her voice lowering to a whisper. “Are you joking? People would see us.”
She could hear the joy in his chuckle. “That’s kind of the idea. We’ve been dating in secret for a month. I think it’s time to take the training wheels off this thing.”
Rory scarcely comprehended the rest of their conversation, only when and where she was going to meet him. She grabbed her purse before heading not to the entrance, but to Remus’ office, knocking lightly on the door. When he let her in, she shut the door after slipping inside, her eyes wide. “I have a favor to ask.”
“If you want me to buy you a unicorn, my money’s a little tied up in a new business deal your father talked me into. And by ‘talked me into’, I mean I was more than a little tipsy, the sneak. He knows my weakness for good whiskey. Next week.”
Rory rolled her eyes at his joke. “Cord asked me to go to lunch with him.”
Remus’ face broke into a wide grin. “Is that so? Well, well, well. Isn’t that adorable? Are you two going to share a milkshake? One straw or two? One straw means you’re going steady. Two straws means he has an STD, but he’s afraid to tell you.”
Rory’s hand went to her forehead. “You’re making me nervous! I only came in here to see if anything could be done about Benjamin.”
Remus’ face fell. “No, hun. You know the house rules. If you’re here, I watch you, but you’re Benjamin’s charge the second you step out those doors. It was a big ordeal just to get your parents to keep Benjamin out of the building when you first started here, and he still comes and scouts out the perimeter every morning. I’m sorry, but rules are rules. Safety first.”
“This stinks!”
“I’ll be sure to tell Benjamin you love him.”
“Oh, hush. You know what I mean.”
He studied her nervous fidgeting, and her need to stand straight as an arrow. “Rory?”
“Yes, Uncle Remus?”
“I want you to tell me everything about your date tonight over dinner. I think it’s great you’re taking your relationship out into fresh air. Cord is a good guy.”
Dread coursed through Rory as she touched her forehead. “That Mexican place just outside of town is nearly empty this time of day, right?”
“That sounds like a safe bet for a first date. You’ve got your sunglasses and a hat in the car. It’ll be fine.”
“Thanks.” She smoothed the front of her gray blouse, and then leaned over the desk to kiss Remus’ cheek. “It’ll be fine, right?”
“More than fine. You haven’t been on a proper date in ages.”
“I don’t think you understand the severity. He was actually naked, and actually on my bed.”
Rory sniggered into her taco salad. “Can’t blame a guy for trying. That’s some high self-esteem, to use his nude body as a selling point, unsolicited.”
“Hilarious. That was the last roommate I had. Since Albert rubbed his junk all over my sheets, I decided I prefer living alone.”
“I can’t imagine why. Poor Albert. Can you blame him? I mean, you’re positively delightful.”
“I’m glad you think so.” Cordray dimpled at her gentle teasing, and Rory thought to herself what a perfect shade of dark caramel his skin was, and how handsome he was when he laughed. His brown eyes locked in on hers, and for a moment, both of them wished Benjamin wasn’t at the table.
When Benjamin rose from his seat, he placed his hand on the center of Rory’s spine. “I’ll be right back. I need to check that car’s plates.”
Rory shot him a look of gratitude that he was giving them a moment unsupervised. “He’s usually not that lax. He must be starting to trust you. Well done. You even bewitched old Benjamin.”
Cord brushed his gloved knuckle against hers, but Rory retracted her hands and tucked them under the table with a look of warning. Cordray tilted his head to the side as he studied her darting eyes and careful movements. “Was this too soon for you?”
Rory kept her voice low, though there were only a handful of other diners in the restaurant. Thanks to her black hat that shrouded a good portion of her face, no one had recognized her. “Things are going so well between us. If something got to be too much and spooked you away…” She shook her head, her voice pinched with worry. “I don’t think I could take it.”
“I didn’t mean to scare you. I just feel like I’m doing this all in the wrong order. I feel like a tool for having never taken you on a date before.”
Rory’s eyes softened around the edges. “You’re wonderful to suggest this. Maybe this is exactly how our first date was always going to go.”
“Then have some of your lunch. Can’t have my favorite Story going hungry. What would the press say?”
“Oh, shush.” Her phone rang in the two-noted chime that was designated for Benjamin. “Sorry, I have to answer when Benjamin calls. Security nonsense.”
Cord waved his hand to excuse her apology. “Take it. I totally understand. I have to do the same thing whenever my bodyguard calls.”
Rory narrowed her eyes at his teasing. “What’s up, Benjamin?”
Her guard’s voice sounded tight. “There’s a car out here registered to a man who’s been dead for five years. Do you see anyone shady in there?”
“No. I’ll do a lap and let you know.” She hung up and set her phone on the table. “Did you want more water? I’m almost out. I’ll go flag down a waiter.” Though she didn’t need to, she stood and moved to the bar area, asking for a refill so she could survey the restaurant.
When Rory sat back down, she debated taking a chance and reaching across the table to hold his hand. How she wanted to be a woman on a regular date without external complications.
Cord’s expression had been lively and mildly flirty just a minute ago, but now it was stony. “You missed a text.”
Rory checked her phone and saw a text from Henry, whom she hadn’t spoken to in over a week. She still hadn’t told him she was seeing Cordray, mostly because she enjoyed the private bubble she had with her boyfriend and wanted to keep it intact as long as she could.
Her lips pulled to the side as she read Henry’s message. “Tell me you love me, and that I own your heart. Take me to the gallery this weekend? We didn’t see everything last time.”
Rory texted back a quick, “Love you to the moon and back. Can’t do this weekend. Take one of your many adoring fans.” When she looked up from her phone, she took in the stiffness that flattened Cordray’s lips. “Everything alright?”
“You tell me. You’re keeping me a secret, while the Prince of Avondale is saying he owns your heart. Am I missing something?”
All the color drained from Rory’s face. “What? No! Henry is my dearest, oldest friend. You know there’s nothing going on between us. He’s just like that. You know how he is; you’re his neighbor.”
“I’ve barely met him more than a handful of times. I’m his neighbor for a property he barely visits, and we mostly keep to ourselves.” Cordray shook his head. “I don’t get it. He’s allowed to ask you on dates to public events, but we’re hiding out in no man’s land, like you’re ashamed to be seen with a Lethal.”
Anxiety welled up in Rory as she scooted closer. “Us being here is a big step for me. This is me protecting you. You can’t honestly think I’m ashamed of you. I love you!”
It was the first time either of them had said anything like that to each other, and of all the ways Rory envisioned herself speaking those three amazing words, she never heard them being flung out in frustration.
Cordray blinked at her, his mouth open in shock.
Before either of them could speak, Benjamin was beelining toward her with wide eyes. The restaurant was sparsely populated, so when someone bumped into her seat and brushed her shoulder, she took note of the oddity.
Then a sickening wave of heat hit her. It was the kind she sometimes experienced when the flu descended too quickly, and she was hit with an overwhelming urge to lie down before she passed out. As her eyelids drooped, she called out to Benjamin, panicked that someone had Pulsed her with a suggestion of Rest. It was one of those gifts that could go either way. You could use it to help those around you sleep peacefully, or you could force people to pass out against their will, and then take your advantage.
“Run, Cord!” she warned through slack lips, but he didn’t listen.
Cordray’s chair tipped backward as he lunged around the table to catch Rory before she fell off her chair – a lifeless ragdoll in his arms.