Fates | Book 2 ✔️

[16]

The sound of footsteps comes first followed closely by his scent which only causes me to smile. I thought he would be a lot further away than this. In my mind, I would like to think he stuck around here for so long waiting for me to come after him. Maybe he really is the kind of guy who likes to be pursued. But he takes the chase to another level. Anyone with enough sense would have been given up on him by this time. 

I follow the sound of the river and see a mop of black hair coming up from the water. It's sopping wet, but all Lance does is push it out of his face and let out a sigh. I see him inhale deeply before he turns and looks at me. 

"You just won't give up, will you?" Lance grumbles and gets up. He dusts off his pants and walks closer to me. 

"I'm coming with you."

"You don't say." 

Lance walks off further north causing me to follow after him. He doesn't say anything for some time and neither do I. The tension is palpable at this point and I honestly don't know what to do about it. He's like a loose cannon, sometimes and I never really know how he is going to react to some of the things I say. 

"You don't even know where we're going, do you?" Lance asks without turning around. 

"No."

"Or for what reason?"

"No, I don't."

"But you still want to come with me?"

"I wouldn't want you going anywhere by yourself... "

"I wouldn't be going anywhere by myself if Dani didn't think something is going on between the two of us. She always comes with me... on trips like this one... " 

I muscle down the distaste of his words and linger on behind him. 

"For almost four years, she's been with me, you know. When you left, when I had no one left, but her." He laughed. "You know Emery probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her and her love for me. I was in pieces and I wanted to try to drink my pain away." 

I look at him with furrowed brows, but he continued to walk on. 

"Even when I found out... I was not that happy. I didn't know a thing about raising a kid or how to be a good father. I was anxious and nervous of ending up being a father like the one I had..." He sighed. "But here I am and here he is. Who'd have thought something so small can grow to mean the world to you?"

He looks at me, this time, waiting on my answer, but I can't do anything but stare at him. There is a bit of gruff growing on his face making him seem older. With his hair pushed away from his face, his eyes look bluer and brighter. 

I close my eyes and rub them as I notice a smile slowly growing across his face. It's one thing to stare at him for so long but it's another thing to get caught. Lunas. I pinch the bridge of my nose embarrassed with myself. 

"It's completely normal, you know... but it'd be nice for you listen to words coming from my lips instead of just staring at them."

"I was listening," I say red-faced and all. "And I understand... of course I understand. I do not have the best relationship with my father and I was afraid for so long I would turn out like him. When I found out Emery was mine, I had the same thoughts. I don't-- I didn't know how to be a father, or a good one, at that. But I am glad... Dani was there for you."

Lance scoffs and looks away from me with disbelief. 

"I mean it. I want you to be happy, Lance. If she makes you--"

"I do love her."  I look at him. "I do... but I am not in love with her... I wish I could be... because she loves me so much and she means a lot to me, but I'm not. So stop acting so jealous. It doesn't suit you."