Page 59 of Blade

“Really?” Blaine’s disbelief had me trying not to laugh. “There is no way anyone believed that.”

“Probably not but we left that night because I’m pretty sure someone had been called.” It’d opened my eyes to the world around me, though, so I couldn’t be upset about it. “I thought about going back to see if I could find them and thank them, but I haven’t done it yet.”

I wasn’t sure how bright of an idea that was.

Blaine’s leg rubbed against mine. “Why don’t we plan the trip then? We don’t have anything holding us here.”

Was he positive about that?

Wait.

He didn’t think it was a stupid idea?

“I think that sounds like fun as long as you’re up for a road trip.” Had he done anything like that when he was younger? Was he thinking about making up for lost time? “At the very least you’ll get to see more of the country.”

And it might give him time and space from all the memories here?

I was going to have to find someone who talked about the effect of trauma on people but I wasn’t sure where to start looking. He hadn’t been kidnapped but that seemed to be the closest thing that humans might be able to relate to. Other options fell into the sci-fi realm, like if he’d fallen through a portal into another world or had jumped time somehow.

And I really didn’t know how to find a therapist who could handle that.

Sitting straighter, Blaine nodded and looked like he was pushing something negative to the back of his mind. “I think that sounds like fun and I also think that’s what you’d like to be doing.”

Before I could deny it, he raised one eyebrow. “Did I or did I not see you looking at a map of the US where you were studying Arizona?”

Oops.

Clearly he hadn’t been dozing like I’d thought.

Sneaky murder kitty.

“There were new sightings of what seems to be a very large bird but…” It could actually be a couple of different things. “I’m not going to…do anything negative to it.”

I wasn’t sure what I was going to do but I just had this pressing need to go find it.

“I know that.” Blaine reached over and squeezed my hand again as he spoke quieter. “But I also know that you like traveling and you’re very curious.”

Well, yes.

“I like learning and first-hand knowledge is very helpful.” Eventually I had to find an actual mindless monster who was living up to their online reputation. “Sometimes there are actual problems, and I’d like to be able to help with those kinds of situations more.”

“Even if we’re not saving the day or rescuing mindless monsters that’ve been put under a spell, I think looking into the different situations you’ve found online would be interesting.” Blaine paused and opened his mouth to say something else but strained voices from the front of the restaurant had him frowning.

Neither of us were subtle as we turned to watch two older couples trying to quietly argue with the server about the stack of to-go boxes on the counter. We were too far away and theacoustics were too bad for me to hear, but the way Blaine cocked his head said he was following along.

“What’s going on?” Yes, I was nosy, but I was hoping it’d give us more information about what was happening with our food.

“It sounds like they placed an online order that should’ve been ready half an hour ago and they’re still waiting on one of their meals.” Still speaking quietly, Blaine hummed as he listened to the clearly frustrated woman who seemed to be in charge of the group. “The server just told her it’s going to be another twenty minutes.”

What?

“And now the angry woman is…I think shocked is the best word for it. She’s asking what they’re supposed to do with the three dinners that are already packed up.” Blaine winced. “The server just offered to make them all again. I missed what happened to begin with but now the whole group is getting upset.”

They were very quiet about it, though.

“Um, this is going to make me sound selfish, but if their orders need to be remade, when will we eat?” My question made Blaine blink. “Okay. This isn’t reasonable. I’m going to very politely go see what’s happening. I’ll be right back.”

Something made him smile as I stood up. “What?”