Broken Hearts (Light in the Dark 5)

“When do you guys leave?” Rae asks, referring to our vacation.

“Next Monday,” Jace replies.

“I can’t believe you guys are going to Paris. I’m kind of jealous,” Rae jokes. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”

Cade drapes an arm over the back of her chair. “We’ll go sometime.”

“Is that a promise?” She smiles up at him, clearly still as smitten and in love with him as she was in college.

I have to say, watching Rae become this happy has been one of the greatest things I’ve ever witnessed. When we were first partnered in college for an assignment, I knew she had more demons than I did. It was clear she was haunted by something, and when I found out what it was, my heart broke for her.

“Sure.” Cade smiles back. “You. Me. Paris. Sounds like a good time.”

“I wonder what you’ll do with yourself since you can’t torture me.” Jace turns to Thea.

She waves a dismissive hand. “Please, you best be prepared to pay high dollars for calls in Paris because I’m going to call the shit out of you.”

“Thea,” Xander warns.

She raises her hands innocently. “I’ll put a quarter in the swear jar.”

He shakes his head. “The point of the swear jar was to not have to put money in it.”

“What can I say? I like to break the rules. It keeps life exciting.”

“That’s for sure,” Xander agrees.

“What have you guys been up to lately?” Rae asks Jace and me. “I feel like we’ve hardly seen you the last couple of months. It’s almost October.”

Jace and I look at each other and both shrug, refusing to tell the truth.

I speak first. “Just working at the record store and trying to get things going with Joel. We finally have a studio set up in his apartment so now we need to book some clients.” An idea occurs to me. “Maybe all of you should let us take photos of you so we have an example of what we can do. Something cool like Disney Villains or something.”

“I’m game,” Thea pipes up first, slathering butter on a roll.

“Sounds fun,” Rae agrees.

I look at the guys next. “Sure,” Cade says.

“I’m in.” Xander nods.

I look at Jace next. “You know I’d do anything for you.”

I smile. I know he means it too.

“Thanks, guys, this means a lot.”

It may seem like a little thing, but this is exactly what Joel and I need to launch our business.

I want so much for it to succeed. Once I lost Greyson I turned to photography and it became the only thing keeping me from drowning in despair. I could turn my hurt and anger into art. Now I want to do the same for other people. Art can save lives.

The waiter comes then for our orders. Since Jace and I haven’t even glanced at our menus we quickly open them and pick something.

Once he’s gone, I turn to Thea. “Night out without Xael, huh?”

She groans. “We left the demon with his mom.” She points at Xander.

Xander spits out his drink. “Don’t call my daughter a demon.”