The Evolution of Fae and Gods (Chronicles of the Stone Veil #3) - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,50
you have to say about this?”
He shakes his head in defeat. “No, I didn’t let her do that, which is probably why she didn’t tell me that she was doing that. She told me after the fact, and when Rainey gets something in her head, it’s hard to get it out.”
“Try harder,” I snap, then turn back to my best friend. “I can’t believe you drove by her house. That’s way too dangerous.”
“Not really,” she replies huffily, bringing an elegant hand up a moment to study her nail polish. “It was broad daylight in a well-populated neighborhood. But we could go in tonight… hike in close and watch.”
“Not a good idea,” I say, shaking my head.
“Oh, come on, Finley,” Rainey says, reaching out to grab my forearm. “We can be super careful. We’ll stay well back and can watch with binoculars for a bit. Record what’s going on that we can see.”
My heart rate slows down a bit, and I didn’t realize it had sped up. Watching from a distance—like far, far away so binoculars would be needed—doesn’t sound too bad. We could be doing something helpful for the cause, and it could give Rainey a sense of fulfillment.
“Do you have binoculars?” I ask hesitantly.
“Oh yeah,” Rainey replies smugly. “And Myles’ uncle has a really good camera with a telescopic lens we can bring.”
My head tips up and I look at the dark sky, the stars hidden by cloud cover. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but…” I bring my gaze back to Rainey. “Let’s do it.”
“What?” Myles exclaims indignantly. “No. This is stupid and crazy.”
“It’s a thrilling adventure,” Rainey corrects him and then practically purrs. “And you know how adventure gets me worked up.”
Myles’ eyes warm, and I wrinkle my nose. “Eww… just don’t discuss that stuff in front of me.”
Rainey jumps up with excitement, knowing that Myles will be on board because he knows she and I will go without him. “I need to get changed. Just give me five minutes.”
After disappearing through the door, Myles grimaces. “This is a bad idea.”
“We’ll be safe. We’ll be way, way far away. Besides, I’m not about to do something stupid and risk Carrick’s ire again.”
Myles is quiet a moment before he asks with a grimace, “So you and Carrick, huh?”
“It’s something that goes beyond just two people liking each other… falling for each other. There’s something bigger at play, Myles. I wish you two would get along.”
“I don’t have to like your boyfriends,” he retorts, but there’s a teasing tone.
“He is most certainly not my boyfriend,” I reply. “There’s no definition for what that man is.”
“Not a man,” Myles points out. “A demi-god.”
And therein lies the chasm that will keep us apart should we be lucky enough to survive. I shake it off, though. This isn’t anything I don’t already know.
I’ve considered it all, but none of it matters, because for now, Carrick and I are… together.
“Let’s get going,” I say as I stand up and grab my cocoa, which has gotten cold. I also grab Rainey’s cup.
We head into the houseboat and down to the first floor, meeting Rainey coming out of the master bedroom.
My jaw drops when I see her.
She’s wearing a full-length London Fog khaki coat, buttoned and belted, along with a taupe fedora and a pair of large, dark sunglasses. She’s got binoculars around her neck and holding what I presume to be a camera bag.
“We should take a thermos of coffee and snacks for the stakeout,” she says, looking from me to Myles.
Myles is staring at Rainey much the same as me, with his jaw wide open.
“What?” she exclaims, then twirls around once. “Don’t you like my sleuthing outfit?”
“Um,” I mutter, and Myles doesn’t say a word.
Rainey’s expression is expectant, almost hopeful, and just as I’m about to lay out some massively untruthful compliments, she tips her head back and starts cackling in laughter. “You guys didn’t think I was honestly going to wear this, did you?”
She takes off the fedora and glasses, tossing them on the kitchen counter. She unbuttons the coat, and I find her dressed in dark jeans, a black hoodie, and her hiking boots.
“You two are so gullible,” she continues, snickering.
Myles and I can’t help but join in the laughter, and we’re still joking about it as we leave the houseboat. Myles locks up, pockets the keys, and we step out onto the dock. Turning right, we head toward the lot where Rainey keeps her car but make it