He gave a funny little tilt of his head. “I’m just giving you a hard time. Forgive me.”
“You startled me, that’s all,” she muttered. “Don’t you know it’s impolite to just... pop out on someone unannounced?”
“I do,” Cole said seriously.
“Well, then maybe an apology is in order,” she said haughtily.
“Absolutely.”
Willow waited.
Cole waited with her. After several beats, he rolled his hand in a “go on” motion. “Please, don’t let me stop you.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s a twist, to be sure, a princess humbling herself before a peasant—”
“I never said you were a peasant!”
“But everyone loves a good role reversal.” He made a thoughtful expression. “Well, I do, at any rate.”
“Whoa. Hold on. You’re not expectingmeto apologize toyou?” She laughed once, incredulous.
Cole looked puzzled. “I thought we covered this. After all, it was you who pointed out the impropriety of popping out on someone unannounced.”
“Thankyou. Yes.”
“And yet you think I should be the one extending an apology.”
“I do! Yes!”
Cole chuckled. “Okay, princess. Whatever you say, princess.”
“Stop calling me that.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Your interpretation of what’s going on here is quite creative, I’ll give you that.”
“Cole? I’m tired. Clearly, I don’t share your interpretation of whatever you seem to think ismyinterpretation of...” Her head spun, and she no longer remembered where that sentence was going. “Whatever it is you want to say? Just say it.”
He nodded. “Right. Good plan.” He raised his eyebrows. “Willow?”
“Yes?”
“It wasyouwho popped out onme.”
Willow opened her mouth to protest, then snapped it shut. Heat rose to her cheeks. “Well,Cole, you’re the one who did a slow clap, and guess what? That is even ruder.”
“Is it? I must have missed that lesson at finishing school.” He slapped his forehead. “Oh, wait. I didn’t go to finishing school, so I missed all those important lessons.”
Willow bowed her head, hugging her arms to her chest. Her tears were back. Tears of exhaustion, obviously, but...
Oh, God. Now her chin was trembling. Goddammit.
Cole exhaled, a slow sigh that broadcast the shift in his energy. “Hey. Willow. It’s okay.”
She refused to look at him. She swallowed and said plaintively, “Where are we? Is this... the crack between the worlds or whatever?”
“Sadly, no.” He strode to the door and rapped on it. “Brooxie? Ruby? We’re done here, I think.”
