THIRTY

Elodie

I hurry across the crowded cafe and take a seat opposite Quinn. They have on big dark glasses and a coordinated set in olive that I could never in all my life pull off. Somehow, it really works on them. "Tell me everything! Did you have a wonderful night?"

Their coy smile is so much the opposite of what I expect that I lean further over the table. "What? What happened? Come on, the suspense is killing me."

"I don't want to jinx it."

The waiter comes over and we order our usual brunch. I'm still processing this new development. "So, did he come back to yours?"

"He did."

"And? God, it's not like you to be so shy. Spill the tea!"

"And we talked. We drank too much champagne, and today he's driving back home."

"Just talked?"

Quinn nods. "He would have fucked me, but I didn't want to. I told you, I don't want to ruin this. He feels... special."

"Awww. So you're going to see him again?"

"Yes, I think I will. He's thinking of driving back up next weekend."

When the waiter brings our mimosas, I lift mine. "Well, cheers. I think this is amazing, and I'm so excited for you."

We clink glasses and Quinn sets theirs down after only a quick sip. "Enough about me. What about you and the demon? Do I get to meet him today?"

I sigh. "He still hasn't answered my texts. I don't know what the matter is."

Quinn purses their lips.

"I know, I know, I do think there's something up, though. Not just him being a fuckboy."

Quinn raises a finger. "Literal demon."

"OK, literal demon. It's just, he's nice. You know? He's a good guy really."

Quinn scoffs. "I hope that's true. I'll believe it when I see it, though. Anyway, enough about men. What else is going on? Did you watch the latest episode of Married for a Day?"

Azeroth still hasn't messaged or called by the time I get home. I don't know what to do. I feel like an addict suddenly cut off from the thing I'm hooked on. It makes me realize how intense the last few weeks have been.

Maybe it's good to have a little space. To calm things down a little. Like Quinn said, I have been known to make bad choices in new relationships.

Only, that doesn't feel like what this is. If Azeroth just wanted a little space, wouldn't he message or call and say that?

I mooch around all the rest of the day and feel no better by the time I go to work on Monday.

At least I'll see him at work, or so I think. Azeroth doesn't make an appearance all day. When I ask Valorie, she tells me he's out of the office in meetings, and he might not be in all week.

All week!

That's the way things go for the next five days. He answers not a single one of my messages or calls, and by the weekend, I'm sure. He's done. Whatever this was. Whatever I thought we were doing, I was wrong.

I feel so stupid.

Finally, on Friday night, when I'm calling for what feels like the nine hundredth time, he answers. It's sudden. It only rings once. He takes me off guard. I don't know what to say.

"Elodie, you need to stop."

I open my mouth, but only partial words come out. "W-wha?"

"Stop calling, stop messaging. We're done. I'm a demon, remember. We can't love."

When he hangs up, I clutch the phone to my chest, gasping for air around useless breaths. Then the tears fall and they won't stop falling.

I was so sure feelings were developing here, but I guess that was just me. I guess once again, I picked the wrong guy.

Only, that doesn't sit right with me.

Azeroth is different. I know he is.

The office is quiet when I get in next Monday morning. It might be my imagination, but it sure feels like everyone is staring at me when I walk into the Innovation Team office, right up until I make eye contact. Then they all quickly look away.

"Hey, Sandra, how was your weekend?"

Sandra smiles awkwardly. "Hey, Elodie. Is um... is everything OK?"

I frown. "Yeah, why?" OK, now everyone has stopped what they were doing, and they are all intently listening while trying to appear not interested.

What the hell?

"Oh, no reason. Mr. Azeroth is in a really bad mood today. We thought. Well..." When she trails off, I realize what they thought and my cheeks heat. Or thought they knew. Because we were an item, weren't we?

Now what?

I swallow. "Right, well I guess I'd better make sure my presentation is all set for this morning's meeting, huh?"

I move to my desk, set down my handbag, and log into my computer. When I glance up, three pairs of eyes hastily look away. Someone coughs and the sound of typing fills the office.

Great.

Now I'm the subject of office gossip and Azeroth is apparently not talking to me. I'd like to get to the bottom of what this is about, but I don't want to be too obvious.

Surreptitiously, I bring up the shared calendar that will let me see his appointment schedule for today. He's got a ten o'clock, but nothing right now.

I wait as long as I can stand, even though I can't concentrate on anything. Luckily, I already finished my presentation last week. There's no way I'm being productive until I know for sure what is going on with Azeroth.

I clear my throat. "I could use a coffee. Anyone want a coffee?"

Everyone mumbles a no, which is lucky, because I'm not going to get coffee.

I hurry along the corridor toward Azeroth's office. Before I even get there, Valorie calls out to me from her desk. "Sorry, Elodie, Mr. Azeroth is busy today. He said he didn't want to be disturbed."

I stop. "Not even for a small question?" Not even for me?

She shakes her head.

I sigh. He's either determined to avoid me, or there really is something going on. I don't know which to hope for. Obviously, I don't want something to have gone wrong for him, but the other option is horrible.

"Guess I'll catch him later," I mumble before trailing back to my desk.

No one asks about the coffee I was supposed to be getting when I get back. I don't think anyone bought my cover story.

It's agony waiting another hour and a half before our weekly team meeting. When it's finally time, though, my stomach swims with nerves and I clutch tightly to my laptop pressed against my chest as we walk up the corridor to the conference room.

When we enter, I try to catch his eye, but Azeroth won't look at me. My stomach does a little flip, but I take my seat and stay calm. This is fine. I just need to ask him what's upset him. If he's mad with me, I can't see why. Perhaps a misunderstanding. Is he angry about me canceling our plans yesterday?

Maybe that's it. If so, this feels like an extreme reaction. Not like the guy I've gotten to know.

"Let's make this snappy, people," Azeroth begins, opening his own laptop and fixing his eyes on his screen. "Josh, you're first."

While Josh scrambles to share their screen, I watch Azeroth. Even this feels out of character. He usually gives the presentation his full attention, not even taking notes. I always had the sense he liked this part of the job.

As Josh speaks, Azeroth rubs a hand over his face and slides lower in his chair. I can't see below the table, but I imagine his long pointed tail flicking in irritation.

By the time it's my turn, my palms are sweating.

I share my screen and outline the details of the small business I've found this week. It's a bit of an art to find something new growing at just the right speed to be promising, but not enough that they would not need us.

This week, I've found a young chef who designs dining experiences. I picked food deliberately because that will catch Azeroth's attention. Plus, the concept is really fun. It's not just a meal, it's an adventure. Smell, taste, texture, sound, story. The chef has a tiny staff and they run a hole in the wall restaurant where they can only seat ten customers per night. But those customers pay premium prices for the whole shebang. Each dish comes with a narrative, and the waitstaff perform like storytellers. It makes me wish the place was in Heartstone, so I could go check it out myself. As it is, I found it online through a food blogger I follow.

Azeroth doesn't even listen to half of what I prepared.

"Sounds good," he says, cutting me off. "Add it to the list to pursue."

I open my mouth to add that they're looking to expand this month, but he snaps his fingers. "Sandra!"

I sit down abruptly.

I can't look up from my screen for the rest of the meeting. I'm not going to cry at work again.

I'm not.

I hold back the tears until the meeting ends and everyone else is getting up to file out. Azeroth snatches his laptop and goes to leave, too, but I stop him.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?" I dart in front of the door.

His expression darkens. "Now really isn't a great time, Elodie."

"Please."

"Maybe you can make an appointment with Valorie for tomorrow." He tries to step around me, but I summon up all my courage and lift my chin.

"No." Fumbling behind me, I grab the doorknob and pull the door to the conference room closed. "We need to talk now. And when I say we, I mean I need to."

I'm trying to sound assertive and confident. Instead the emotions I've been holding back all day well in my eyes and my throat is all tight.

"I miss you. What happened?"

Something flickers across his expression as he steps close, closing the distance between us. "Elodie." His voice is lower. Thick with emotion. He lifts a hand, but drops it back to his side just as quickly. "I can't."

All my positive self-talk about being assertive and not crying fails in the face of his complete rejection. Quinn was right. He's just another shitty guy I fell for way too hard, way too fast. Just like Dustin.

Why didn't I see it before?

I'm shaking. "You don't want me anymore, is that it?"

He opens his mouth, frozen in place. "I need to go," he says eventually.

Something in me snaps. "I literally gave a piece of my soul for you!"

My words hang in the air.

"I guess at least you didn't cheat on me." I wrap my arms around myself, fighting off the cold in my bones.

The icy expression on his face evaporates to reveal a look of horror. "It's not like that, sweet one. I'm not like him. I promise it's not like that."

"Then what is it like? Tell me so I can understand because this is killing me."

He runs a hand through his hair, making the smooth black all mussed. "If I tell you, you'll hate me."

He takes a step toward me. Then he stops. He turns and takes a step toward the door, then stops again. "If I don't tell you, you'll hate me and yourself, won't you, for choosing the wrong guy again. Fuck!"

"Azeroth, just tell me. Whatever it is. It can't be that bad."

Suddenly, he drops to his knees at my feet and clutches my legs. "There's no way you'll let me touch you after this, but please, please know that I wasn't trying to hurt you. I would never hurt you deliberately."