"you?" theo said, his tone a mix of indignation and disbelief. "catch her? you couldn't catch a cold if you tried."
guy raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "and yet, here i stand. perfectly capable of catching anyone who might trip into my life."
"please stop," mayven muttered, though neither man paid her any attention.
"if mayven is foolish enough to fall, it will be because of you," theo snapped, his face red with fury.
"better to fall for me than fall asleep talking to you," guy replied, his voice honey-smooth but with a razor's edge.
mayven groaned. "oh, for the love of—"
before she could finish, theo took a step forward, chest puffed out like a particularly annoyed rooster. "you think this is a joke, thwarpe? ruining her reputation? dragging her name through the mud?"
"mud sounds preferable to another one of your lectures," guy said cheerfully.
"you insufferable—"
theo lunged, which might have been impressive if he hadn’t misjudged the step forward. instead, his foot caught on the edge of the gravel path, and the next thing mayven knew, he was flailing wildly before landing face-first in the muddy flower bed.
silence.
then guy burst out laughing.
"oh, theo," guy managed between wheezes, doubling over. "you're really out here fighting for mayven's honor, and you can't even fight gravity."
"shut up," theo growled, struggling to push himself upright.
"are you hurt?" mayven asked, trying to suppress her own laughter as she stepped toward theo.
"only his pride," guy said, wiping a tear from his eye. "and maybe the flowers."
theo shot him a glare that could have curdled milk. "i don't need your commentary."
"oh, but you're getting it anyway," guy said, his grin unrelenting.
"enough," mayven said, though the corners of her mouth twitched with amusement. she offered theo a hand, which he hesitated to take before finally relenting.
his face was smeared with dirt, and his usually immaculate jacket was covered in mud and crushed petals. "this is your fault," he said, glaring at guy as he dusted himself off.
"mine?" guy said, feigning innocence. "i don't recall shoving you into the flower bed."
"you distracted me!" theo snapped.
"oh, of course," guy said, nodding sagely. "my sheer charm and wit rendered you incapable of walking like a normal person."
mayven snorted. "he's got a point, theo."
theo looked at her, betrayal written all over his muddy face. "you're taking his side?"
"i'm taking the side of reality," she said. "you fell. it happens. move on."
theo muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "scoundrel," and mayven decided it was best not to ask for clarification.
"anyway," guy said, clapping his hands together. "this has been delightful, but i should probably leave before theo tries to challenge me to a duel or something equally ridiculous."
"oh, please stay," theo said dryly. "i'd love nothing more than to watch you make an even bigger fool of yourself."
"tempting," guy said, smirking. "but i'll leave you to clean yourself up. mayven, as always, it's been a pleasure."
he winked at her—actually winked—before sauntering off, whistling a jaunty tune.
---
mayven turned back to theo, who was still glaring after guy like he might combust from sheer indignation.
"you know," she said, trying to lighten the mood, "the mud really brings out the color of your eyes."
theo gave her a look so withering it could have turned a lesser woman to stone.
"not funny," he muttered, brushing at his jacket in vain.
"it's a little funny," she said, biting her lip to keep from laughing.
"mayven," theo said, his voice heavy with exasperation, "you can't keep encouraging him."
"i'm not encouraging him," she said, though she wasn’t entirely sure that was true.
"yes, you are," theo insisted. "and if you don't put a stop to this nonsense, it will ruin you."
mayven sighed, crossing her arms. "what do you want me to do, theo? marry you out of sheer desperation to avoid scandal?"
theo's jaw tightened. "if that's what it takes to protect you, then yes."
the weight of his words hung between them, heavy and suffocating.
"you don’t love me, theo," she said softly.
"and you don’t love him," theo shot back.
mayven hesitated.
"do you?" theo pressed, his tone sharp but not unkind.
she opened her mouth to answer but found that she couldn’t.
the truth was, she didn’t know.
not yet.
YOU ARE READING
𝙘𝙚𝙙𝙖𝙧
Romance"don't," she warned, though the word came out more like a plea than a command. "don't what?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "don't do that thing you do," she said, her heart pounding. "what thing?" he asked, leaning closer. "that thing...
