The Revelation of Light and Dark (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 1)
When there’s finally a lull in the conversation, Fallon says, “Carrick… I’d like to introduce you to my sister, Finley.”
Fallon gives me a slight push in my lower back, meant to convey I should politely engage with the man. He turns his head from Blain to me, and the moment our eyes connect, I know something is gravely wrong.
Up close, I see I was correct about his eye color. They’re colored somewhere between warm honey and glowing amber, heavily rimmed with thick black lashes. When he looks at me, something hot flares inside them with such intensity, I take a step backward.
What was that? A moment of recognition?
Impossible, as I’ve never met this man before. He’s not the type one forgets.
Those eyes, though, in just a millisecond it seems, lose all their warmth. Despite the golden hue that emanates with a glow that would make one think of a cozy fire, they go ice cold as his jaw locks hard. A shiver moves up my spine as Mr. Byrne stares at me with what I can only describe as open hostility, possibly even hatred.
Fallon doesn’t seem to notice as she’s blathering on about me. How I manage a successful coffee shop with ownership potential, and I can tell that not a single word is filtering through to the man glaring daggers at me.
He abruptly turns his gaze from me to Fallon, and I note that his eyes seem warm and human again. He interrupts her monologue without an ounce of remorse. “I’m sorry, Fallon. I had hoped to be able to stay longer, but I have another appointment. I can’t be late for it. Perhaps I’ll come by for a private tour of your gallery another time.”
Fallon gushes her gratitude. “It would be my sincerest honor, Mr. Byrne.”
“Please call me Carrick,” he says with a charming smile, sticking his hand out to her. They shake, then he turns to shake Blain’s hand as well. His body swings slightly toward the group that had been standing around in awe as he talked, and his gaze briefly moves over every single person there as he nods a farewell.
Every single person but me.
He pointedly refuses to look at me, and I’m baffled by the snub.
Worse yet… I’m actually sort of… hurt?
Which is ridiculous because I don’t know this man. Moreover, I have skin thicker than cowhide. My feelings and ego are secure. It would take much more than a rude man to cause an ache in my chest, yet I feel like I’ve been let down by the most important person in the world.
I shake my head because that’s utterly laughable.
He’s an ordinary man.
Nothing special.
I narrow my eyes at him. Opening myself up and focusing my energy, I look for something weird way beneath the surface I hadn’t picked up on before, but nothing stands out.
Fallon walks him to the door, shaking his hand one more time before pressing her business card into it. I watch as he steps onto the sidewalk only to be met by a short, balding man carrying an umbrella he holds high over Mr. Byrne’s head. There’s a dark sedan with tinted windows parked at the sidewalk and they disappear into the backseat, first Carrick Byrne and then the bald man, who deftly closes the umbrella before shutting the door.
Huh?
That was strange.
I take stock of my feelings. The ache in my chest is gone, and I must have imagined it. I’m completely nonplussed that, for whatever reason, Mr. Byrne did not like me.
And now that he’s gone, I can take my leave feeling secure that I have done my duty in supporting Fallon on her big night.
CHAPTER 5
Finley
I’ve worked so hard this week that I simply can’t feel guilty for taking a few hours of “me” time, so I’m getting in some gym time this morning before heading into work. I know a lot of people say working out gives them extra energy, but that’s never been the case for me. Instead, I sort of get a mellow sense of well-being after I’ve spent time pummeling and pounding things. I guess you can say it makes me feel zen, and I could use some of that right now.
This past week, I decided to throw all my extra energy outside of managing One Bean into figuring out how I could buy the place from Rich. True to her word, the day after her gallery showing, Fallon sat down with me and we made a list of options and potential resources. She pledged to give me twenty-five thousand dollars, which actually made me cry. It was a lot of money and after my tears dried up, I insisted it would be a loan with interest. She argued with me about that.
Once.
Then graciously accepted my offer to pay her back with interest.