“That’s meant to be handled by ourmediator.” Angel responded with a tired sigh and saw as Luke sat ahead, lacing his hands together as he looked at him with a faint grin.
“What?” Angel asked, raising a brow in his direction.
“This is going to be interesting.” Was his response and Angel tilted his head in confusion, his brows furrowing,
“Meaning?”
Luke leaned back on his bed and let out a soft groan as he stretched, “Meaning that you and Raylene Walker hate each other’s guts already, so this week is going to be interesting.” He said, his blue eyes twinkling as Angel levelled a glare upon him.
“I’m not the only one who hates her,” he started and saw Luke sit back up suddenly, his eyes wide,
“I like her.” He said and Angel rose a brow. Luke’s grin was anything but innocent, “She’s different.”
Angel didn’t have time to respond. Not as he heard three knocks and a familiar voice call out from the other end,
“Knock, knock!” Kyle’s chirpy voice sang from the other end. Angel froze, sharing a look with Luke's once before huffing out a breath of laughter. Luke got up with a small smile on his face, weaving a hand through his bronze hair before striding ahead to pull open the doors of Angel’s room.
“Luke!” Kyle said loudly before chuckling and stepping into the room. Angel hadn’t turned around yet, was busy placing his mug of coffee on the glass table when he heard another pair of footsteps shuffling in the room. Heels particularly, he realized, and snapped his eyes back to the entrance.
“Raylene Walker.” Luke said just as Angel saw her walk in. There was no smile on her face when she looked at him, her honey eyes narrowed as her sudden presence rendered him speechless. Her hair was open today, falling like waves spilling over her shoulder as she turned her head and looked at Luke. Angel saw her blue highlights shine as she wove a hand through her hair and responded,
“Luke Hawthorne.”
Her voice was dry. Rough. As if she’d been screaming for hours. His brows furrowed in confusion, but he didn’t have time to think it through. Not when Kyle stepped past her and thrust his hand in the air, his green eyes shining behind his glasses.
Angel couldn’t help it, he grinned as he got up and placed his hand right in his. They shook once before Kyle sighed happily,
“Last night’s introductions were fucking atrocious,” he started and looked over his shoulder in Raylene’s direction, “I’m afraid we should have gotten you and Ray acquainted beforehand.”
IfRayhad heard him, she gave no inclination. Just continued her small talk with Luke while tucking her hands in the waistband of her mini dress.
It was a faint blue that matched the highlights in her hair. It hugged her figure in a way that didn’t allow Angel to tear his gaze away for a moment. She’d paired it with white boots and a white shrug. It was a simple dress, perfect for today’s sunny weather. She looked almost beautiful with the sun peeping in on them and a faint smile on her face as she talked with Luke.
Opposed to her, Angel was wearing a crème button-down with black pants. He’d left the first few buttons of his shirt open and had rolled up his sleeves roughly.
“So,” Kyle said, clapping his hands and attracting all their attention. Angel saw with a satisfied upturn of his lips the way Ray’s gaze snagged on his body, and paused for the briefest of moments, “I think we should separate for today.”
Angel raised a brow as Ray sighed and Kyle grinned. “Me and Luke will go to the airport. We’ll take Vera with us as well,” he said with a wink in Ray’s direction. Angel saw her eyes widen,
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she started and glimpsed in Luke’s direction not so discreetly, “She might kill him.”
“Well, all the more reason for her to come along.”
Ray shrugged, “I warned you.”
Angel breathed out a laugh as Kyle continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “You and Angel can roam around the property. Show him the area and where the banquet would be held. Go over the events for the days ahead and all that,” he said and looked at Angel, “That alright?”
He shrugged in response despite the surge of annoyance flaring in his chest at the thought of spending time with her. Last night, he thought he was getting somewhere, but then she’d gone ahead and slammed the door right in his face after calling him out. God knew what she’d do today.
If Ray was bothered, she didn’t show it. She nodded almost professionally and turned to face Luke, “Be careful with Vera. Don’t push your limits, she’ll really kill you.”
Luke chuckled and nodded, “Looking forward to it.” He said cheekily and Ray scoffed. Kyle, who’d been watching their conversation with an amused gleam in his eyes snapped out of his daze and beckoned Luke,
“Shall we?” he asked, raising his hand for Luke to hook his hand through. They shared a glance before Luke nodded in Angel’s direction with the invisible tip of his hand and hooked his hand through Kyle’s with a serious look on his face.Idiots, Angel can’t help but think as they walked out of his room with their heads held high.
Leaving behind just him and Raylene Walker.
Angel turned his head to look at her, catching the briefest look of nostalgia piercing her eyes before she snapped her gaze in his direction. She blinked, just once, before one of her brows arched upwards elegantly,
