Chapter 12

Tidun called the waiter and ordered every dessert they offered. It might have only been four dishes, but it was the thought that counted.

He asked how old I was, and I thought the date would end right when I told him. From what I'd seen, Tidun was already an accomplished individual with an important role in his family's company. Sure, he might not love the job, but he did it well enough, considering his family obviously trusted him to handle the business. So why would he want to be with a teen?

He didn't seem off-put by my age, but instead, asked if it bothered me that he was twenty-nine. I didn't think a ten-year age difference was a big deal. Mom was fifteen years older than Dad, but then again, shifters aged differently than humans.

If he didn't think I was too young for him, then why would I care about his age? I hadn't said yes to this date because of his age, wealth, or status, but because I thought he was attractive as well. And in the few hours that we'd chatted, I already liked the person I was starting to get to know.

He listened to me and didn't make me feel like I was some kid who didn't know anything. When so many people around me treated me like I was as fragile as glass, I liked that he didn't. I liked how he confided in me like I was one of his peers.

I especially liked that he kept our hands together even when the desserts were served and opted to use his left hand to eat instead. If I had any doubts before that he was interested in me, they were all washed away now because this felt like a real date.

Was it possible to meet someone and instantly click, like they'd always been a part of your life? Because that was exactly what being with Tidun felt like. The conversation flowed easily, and he didn't seem to get angry when I got a bit too enthusiastic and talked his ear off.

I couldn't help it. I wanted to talk to him more, and that was how we'd ended up parked outside the circus grounds for the past hour. Neither of us made a move to end the date, and I felt like I wasn't the only one who didn't want our evening to be finished.

It wasn't until another hour later when we'd just discussed our favorite TV shows—he liked mystery detective shows while I preferred rom-coms—that my phone buzzed with a call. I wasn't surprised when my mom's name popped up on the screen. Our RVs were parked right next to each other, so she was probably worried that I hadn't checked up on her or wasn't back home by now.

Glancing at the car clock, I was shocked to find just how much time had passed. "I hate to do a Cinderella at midnight, but I should probably get back."

I didn't miss the disappointment that crossed his face, which only had the fuzzies in my stomach go wild again.

"Okay, but would it be too soon to see you again if I dropped by the circus tomorrow?"

His question had my smile growing wider. "I'd like that. If you come around seven, I can take you to see the show the circus is famous for. You're gonna love it! It's pretty magical."

Work was pretty flexible since there were plenty of people to help cover, so I could probably get off a couple of hours earlier.

"Sounds good," he said before asking for my phone number. His head was facing down as he edited my contact information. Before I had time to overthink and doubt myself, I leaned over the console and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

I was already back in my seat when he turned to me with wide eyes. "Shit, I really wished you hadn't done that," he said with shock.

My heart sank. Had I been delusional and imagined the connection between us tonight? I thought we were both on the same page, but I guessed not.

Before I could run away in embarrassment, Tidun caught my hand. "Don't think I changed my mind about kissing you, because that's probably the one thing that will never change, but like I said earlier, when I kiss you, it's not going to be in a dark car in the middle of the parking lot, regardless of how badly I want to say screw it and kiss you right now."

Just like before, whenever the doubts surged, Tidun was quick to notice and squash them. He didn't take my insecurities as burdens or try to minimize them.

I declined his offer to walk me back home because I probably would have invited him inside, and I didn't think either of us was ready for that. Besides, I also needed to check in with my parents, so they didn't worry all night.

As I expected, Mom and Dad had been waiting up for me. Mom's furry wolf's ears were perked up high against her curly hair as she looked me over.

"Mom, I'm fine. It's late. You should go to sleep," I said with a chuckle after five minutes of scrutiny.

She sighed. "I can't help but worry after the incident you encountered in the city last week. It's going to be hard not to worry until we move on to the next location in about a week."

Shit.

I'd been so caught up with today's date with Tidun that it completely slipped my mind that we were so close to leaving. We only had one more weekend after this one before the circus moved on to the next place.

Our next location was only a couple hours from here, but still, what if that was a couple of hours too far?

Back at home, I picked up the work clothes I'd thrown on the floor in my rush to freshen up for my date with Tidun. I'd been so excited about seeing him again I hadn't even bothered to put them in the laundry basket before leaving.

As I was about to toss them in with the rest of my dirty clothes, something fell out of my pants pocket. I vaguely remember it being the thing Kain handed to me by the Ferris wheel after my shift.

It fit in my hand perfectly and looked like a fossilized oyster shell that had been neglected for decades. I could vaguely make out the grooves of the shell, though most of the shell was smooth with the hardened sediments that covered it.

I ran a finger over the shallow grooves and felt a faint pulse. It was strange. The shell had obviously died years ago, but it somehow still felt…alive.

I flipped it over to reveal a ragged edge. The shell was so eroded that this side looked like a rock. The juxtaposition of the two sides looked like it would be fun to draw.

My phone pinged, and I smiled when I saw it was a text from Tidun letting me know he was back safely. I placed the shell on my table so that I could reply as quickly as possible.

A message came back seconds later. A happy lightness bloomed in my chest, thinking he was eager to talk to me too. It didn't matter that we were with each other not even an hour ago. Chatting with him was fun, and there was a lot more I wanted to say.

I woke up bleary-eyed the next morning, having spent most of the night texting with Tidun. He'd asked me if I thought aliens were real, which led us to having an hour-long debate where we both agreed to not agree. I thought they were, and he thought they weren't because otherwise, why wouldn't they have tried to take over our world yet?

Then we spent another few hours asking questions about each other. What our favorite foods were, whether we preferred hot or cold temperatures, and how many Skittles were too many. He told me about growing up with his three older sisters, and I told him stories about me and Aisha, who was basically like my sister.

The longer the conversation went, the less tense I felt. The whole point of dating was having fun, wasn't it? And who knew? Tidun might get sick of me by the time I had to leave.

God, I hoped not, but it was always a possibility. I'd never dated before, so I wouldn't be surprised if I messed up somehow.

Tidun texted me throughout the day about random things, saying how excited he was to see me again. My romantic heart was completely captured by the man that I didn't have the mind toappreciate my favorite Ferris wheel and all the couples who rode it as I usually did during my shift.

My shift couldn't end fast enough, and I basically ran out of there to meet up with Tidun. He'd arrived about half an hour ago to wait for me. I ran to the location he sent me and instantly found him in the crowd. It wasn't that hard considering how much taller he was from everyone else and the brilliant shade of silver hair that shimmered blue under the light.

"Tidun!" I called, unable to keep myexcitement. Even with the happy screams of the patrons drowning out my voice, he still heard me and turned around. And the way his face lit up when he saw me?

It was fucking everything.