Waves - Book #2 [completed]

40 ~ Mágoa

Mágoa
noun
A heartbreaking feeling that leaves long-lasting traces, visible in gestures and facial expressions

"You okay man?" I ask, stepping onto the balcony and into the crisp night air where Danny leisurely leans against the banister, arms crossed along it and smoking his third cigarette since Riley left.

Which was fifteen minutes ago. He's clearly stressing about something.

He sucks on the glimmering stick and sends me a wary look over his shoulder. Turning back to overlook the bay, he exhales a raspy and not believable "sure" together with a white cloud of smoke.

I clear my throat and copy his position, leaning on my forearms and letting my hands hang over the edge. "Curtis's going to sleep on the air mattress after all," I inform Danny. We had a lengthy debate during dinner earlier which, naturally, I won.

"Huh. Didn't think he'd agree to that."

I release a dry laugh. "Me neither."

Danny sucks at his tobacco again while I try to take a deep, bracing breath. "He changed a lot," I remark, risking a glimpse at my friend's profile. His brows are drawn in and he looks older with all the shadows on his angular face.

"You have too," Danny says bluntly.

I swallow. The sound of the sea can't help lessening the awkward silence settling between us. Danny played it cool the entire evening, laughing along with us. He's been supportive and welcoming even. But I know something bothers him about Riley and me and the fact that we're official now. I don't know, maybe he thought the thing between us was just something to scratch an itch before I moved on. He's used to me being like that. We're all adults and Riley and I are accountable to none, but he's her friend and brother-in-law, and he's my friend and mate too. I'm sure he's hurt deep down.

He knows better than to tell me Riley was off limits or tell her who she can and cannot date. But I want him to understand that we didn't go behind his back. We weren't hiding anything. Thinking about it, Danny's been quite supportive of her and me spending time together. After the New Year's, he was the one making me go to Riley so we could talk it out.

My brain hurts.

"Listen, Danny," I start, praying that he'd hear me out. He's one of the few people who I've always been able to trust. He knows about my anxieties. Now the group of people surrounding him – Rathi, Harry, Joe, Chase, Luke and Riley – hold a special place in my heart too. I wouldn't want to risk my newly formed relationship with any of them. When your circle is small because of necessity you learn to value those inside it even more.

Danny flicks the still glimmering cigarette bud over the edge of the banister and turns his stony attention on me. Smoke pours out of his nostrils like he's an angry bull in a cartoon.

I ignore the fire hazard. "I'm sorry if this hit you between the eyes. We-"

"What are you talking about?" he cuts me off.