Poppy's lower lip trembled, and she looked down at her hands, squeezing her mouth shut. "We'll let you know if we find anything," Val said, a rare tone of gentleness in her voice. *** "Why wouldn't I?" he asked cheerfully.
He took her hands, glancing up at Val. " Thank you." *** "Most people find it boring," she said with a shrug. "They have things to do."
Val stood up and beckoned to Landon. "Thank you for having us," she said quietly as they left. Just before closing the door behind her, they would see Poppy turning her head into Francis' arms, her shoulders shaking slightly. *** "Ah. Well. I don't. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, though."
"Yeah," Val said quietly. "Diana was a good girl. She didn't deserve to die." *** "Aren't you a little biased, though?"
Val's frowned deepened, and she nodded. "Yeah. God. This is so awful." * * * "Well, you like the places we're going. So it's good that I have the ability to go. Right?"
He tilted his head empathetically. "Yeah. It'll be okay, though. " *** She pursed her lips. "Probably because we're soulmates."
She paused, and then looked up at him with a slight glower as if she were annoyed he was comforting her. "We'll get to the truth, and that's all that matters," she said, returning to her bike. "Do you need a ride?" * * * "Hm. Right. I almost forgot."
"Hmph. Whatever you say." She stuck the helmet on her head. "We'll meet soon, okay? At the cafe. I'll text you." * * * "Not to normal people," he said thoughtfully. "But to you and I, yes."
"See you. I'll text you the day and time." She revved her motorcycle and drove off, slipping slightly in the snow. *** He paused before kicking up some snow. "Why do you come to the woods so often, Callie?"
He gave a small wave, knowing well it would probably be ignored. After a moment, he sighed and continued to walk. *** She frowned slightly. "As much as I love the city, the forest is a good place to clear your head and find new ideas."
As she turned the corner, she sighed, her guilt gnawing at her, and she waved back, disappearing around a building. * * * "Do you get a lot of inspiration for your designs from the woods?" Arlo asked, surprised.
He tilted his head with a slight smile before continuing. *** "Yeah," she said self-consciously. "Sometimes."
He paused, breathing warm air into his hands. "I'd love to see some of your designs," he said. "One day."
