A Discovery of Secrets and Fate (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 2)

Rainey sashays our way. Myles pretends not to notice, and Rainey doesn’t notice him pretending to not notice. Even in a pair of stretch leggings and a long tunic sweater, she still cuts a very sexy figure, and more than ever, Myles is hopelessly in love with her. I sure wish someone else would come his way and turn his eye, because he’s just setting himself up for failure and heartbreak because Rainey doesn’t feel that same way.

Choosing a chair at a nearby table set, Rainey sets her martini glass on the wooden top and plops down. It has the same custom-sewn navy and white cushions that are over the top sumptuous for an outdoor set of furniture.

“Want to invite Fallon over to eat with us tonight?” Rainey asks and I try hard to keep a horrified look off my face at such a suggestion. “I mean… if she’s feeling better from last night, that is. Bet she’d totally get a kick out of this place, and you two didn’t really get to celebrate your birthdays together.”

When Fallon changed into a Dark Fae before my eyes, she was whisked off to her bedroom by her fiancé, Blain. I made an exit quickly thereafter, but Rainey, Myles, and Adira stayed for about another half hour. They said Fallon never made a reappearance and after they had another round of food, they left as well.

Of course, I can’t ever tell them what Fallon has become.

Or rather, what she isn’t, because she’s not my sister. A wave of grief washes through me, causing my lower lip to tremble a bit.

Luckily, before I can even think of a reasonable excuse not to extend the invitation, Rainey reverses her idea. “On second thought, she’d want to bring Blain and I sure as hell don’t want to have to suffer his presence. No offense, Finley.”

“None taken,” I reply airily, thankful that was averted.

Clearly, Carrick isn’t my only problem. I have to figure out what to do about Fallon, who isn’t really Fallon. That’s going to require finesse and I’m not feeling that right now. Since Fallon and I don’t normally talk every day, I’ve got some time I can get away with being silent on my end while I figure things out.

“Speaking of dinner,” Myles drawls as he swings his legs to the side and pushes up from the chaise. “I think I will actually go start working on it. I’ll let you two ladies relax out here for a while.”

I cock an eyebrow at him skeptically. I’m the cook in this little friend-family, but Myles does have a few meals that he does really well at. “What are we having?”

Adira and Myles went to the grocery store after we’d all officially moved in earlier today, and I have no clue what they bought. But I’m hopeful the ingredients might be tomatoes, basil, and kalamata olives.

“Only my best for you, sweet Finley,” he says with a mock bow. Which means his completely delicious, yet simple meal of pasta with some lightly sauteed tomatoes, garlic, and kalamata olives, finished with a drizzle of olive oil and shredded basil. He also does a mean salad.

I pump my arm inward. “Yassss!”

Myles shoots a devilishly charming smile at me, then Rainey, and disappears inside the houseboat to make his way to the kitchen on the first floor.

Rainey lets out a sigh when the door closes, such as I’ve never heard before. I swing to look her way, and she’s staring at the door with an almost-wistful expression.

Frowning, I ask, “What’s with the dramatic sigh?”

In the four years I’ve known and loved this woman, I’ve maybe seen her blush three times, but now I’m seeing a fourth. Her eyes snap to mine, and she shrugs. “I just think it’s sweet Myles jumped in to save the day with finding you this place, and now he’s cooking dinner so you and I can relax, and well…”

Her words drift off, floating away on the Lake Union breeze.

I stare at her perplexed, but with a niggling feeling I’m recognizing something here Rainey may have let slip. And because she’s my dearest friend along with Myles, I have no shame in asking her point-blank, “Do you… do you like Myles?”

Her blush deepens as her chin jerks inward. She waves dismissively. “Of course not.”

My bullshit-o-meter goes off like a four-alarm fire bell clanging. “You do like him,” I accuse playfully.

Rainey ducks her head, seeming to prepare for another denial, then just as quickly brings her eyes to mine.

In an almost piteous moan, she says, “Yes. Okay. Yes, I like him. Are you happy? And it’s so stupid because Myles looks at me like I’m his sister, which makes it all the worse.”

No stopping my mouth from dropping. Not only from Rainey’s admission, which I didn’t see coming at all, because let’s face it—she likes rich sugar-daddy-type men—but also because how could she not see Myles was in love with her? He has perpetual puppy dog eyes in her presence.