Page 32 of To Regret a Raven

“That sucks about your phone, but it still doesn’t explain the run.” Drie tilted her head to the side as she pursed her lips. “Did you abandon your car?”

“An older lady stopped, and I used her phone to Google the shop number. They’ve probably already got it by now, and I amnevergoing to live down calling in backup for a flat.” He rolled his eyes, the echoes of Pat’s laughter still ringing in his ears. “I ran because I told you I’d be here. And in hindsight, Imighthave panicked. Slightly. But I’m trying to prove to you that you can trust me again. I thought maybe if you could trust the little things, like me showing up on time, that you’d one day be able to trust me with your love again.”

“Fisher.” Drie smiled up at him softly, her eyes twinkling. “Idolove you.”

He stared back at her, utterly gobsmacked. His thoughts scattered like seeds on the wind. Every game plan he’d mentally mapped did not account for the contingency of her saying that to him anywhere near this soon. She laid a hand on his cheek, making him start.

“Fisher, you’ve apologized to me. You’ve explained everything. You’ve spent months now showing up for me in every way possible. I believe you. And I trust you. You can relax. I’m not going anywhere.”

And then Drie stepped forward, raised up on her toes, and pressed her lips to Fisher’s jaw. It was short and sweet, simply meant to drive home the point of what she was saying. It wasn’t even in the same ballpark as the kisses they’d shared just the night prior. And yet, his brain short-circuited, overwhelmed and not computing the changes as they occurred in real time.

“Wait a second,” he rasped, running his hands through his hair. He stole a glance at her face and abruptly turned away, needing not to be distracted by her adorable freckles or the kissable lips she’d just teased him with. He spun a 180 andstarted to pace, making it only two steps away from Drie before he slammed headfirst into a streetlight.

Drie gasped and jumped forward to catch him under the arm, helping him slide down to his knees, and then to his backside on the sidewalk, leaning back against the offending pole.

On the positive side, the collision served as a much-needed splash of cold water, but when his vision cleared, there were two beautiful Dries before him.

He could see that both of them were speaking, but the words were distant at first, like they were shouting underwater. “Fisher?! Can you hear me?”

“Yes.” He nodded, wincing when the movement made his head pound.

“Don’t move, you idiot,” Drie one and Drie two rudely harmonized, shining their phone flashlights in his eyes as he grunted at the brightness. They were so close that he could smell the spearmint gum on their breath. He missed the taste of her so viscerally. After everything she had just said, if he was just able to figure out which one of her was real, he’d take the risk and kiss her. A third Drie came into focus, and he huffed in annoyance.

“Stop multiplying.”

All three of them laughed. “I think you’ve got a minor concussion. We should get you checked out.”

Fisher relished her laugh, but he frowned when the moment was eclipsed by the memory of her laughing with another man just a few minutes past.

“What about Mav-a-rick?” The words felt thick—or his tongue did, he wasn’t entirely sure.

“What about him?” All three of them scrunched their brows in confusion as they scanned his sullen expression. “Is that why you left so quickly last night? You think something is going on? Maverick is just a friend.”

“No, no, no.” Fisher frowned. “I didn’t want to come on too strong.” He let his head fall back with a sigh, trying to make sense of everything that had been said while his brain struggled to fire back up. “Didn’t want to pressure you.”

Drie shook her head. “I wanted it. I wantedyou. I’m ready.”

He blinked, incredulous. “Then why haven’t you said anything? I’m all in. I’m yours.” He glanced between each Drie before shutting his eyes. “Well, the three of yours.”

“Fisher…” Her voice was shaking with giggles. “I’m in no rush. I never was. I suppose I was just waiting for it to happen organically. Waiting for you to be ready.”

She was waiting for me?

He squinted one eye open, focusing on turning her back into one Drie so he could see her expression clearly. She looked happy. A little concerned over his current state, but happy nonetheless.

Well, it wasn’t the ideal circumstances, but he wasn’t about to waste the opportunity.

“Drie Raven, will you go on a proper date with me?”

“Yes.” She flashed him a grin. “I’d really like that.”

“Right now?” Fisher asked as she helped him back to his feet, holding his elbow as he swayed.

“Right now…I am taking you to urgent care. And you’re not sending me away this time either.”

“Never.” He sighed, grateful for the little blessing that he wasn’t bleeding all over her scarf as she led him down the sidewalk in a curious moment of déjà vu. “This is not very romantic, but it’ll do,” he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and breathing in her shampoo.

“Hey, Drie,” he murmured once the urgent care building came into view.