Love Minus Eighty by Will McIntosh Page A

was wrong. You were right. But Vee, you’ve let her drive a wedge between you and your parents. You’ve let her steal your parents as well as your fiancé.”
    “My family drove that wedge, not just her. They condoned what she did.” Still shouting. She took a huffing breath. This had been such a perfect afternoon.
    Nathan let his head droop for a moment, then he lifted it. “I think ‘condoned’ is a little strong. They tolerated it.”
    Veronika sputtered, words escaping her.
    “I never bring this up, because I know it’s a painful topic for you, but just for a minute, try to step back from it.”
    “I don’t want to step back from it. You think I’m the one who’s being unreasonable, don’t you?”
    Nathan waved his hands, shaking his head emphatically. “Let’s drop this. I didn’t mean to suggest I was on their side. It’s none of my business; I should have kept my mouth shut.”
    Fighting back tears, Veronika lunged forward and hugged Nathan fiercely, feeling his bare chest and belly against her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
    She felt Nathan nod, his chin brushing the top of her head.
    “But I can’t go. Even if you’re right, I can’t sit there while Jilly and Sander cuddle with the son that should have been mine while my parents beam.”
    Another nod. “That’s a perfectly understandable sentiment.” Over Nathan’s shoulder, Veronika watched the drones, who were watching them, waiting for instructions.
    “What if I went with you?” Nathan asked.
    Veronika stepped back, mildly stunned as she reeled out the implications of his suggestion. What if he went with her? No one in her family knew Nathan, or knew she hadn’t been out with anyone since Sander betrayed her. She didn’t have to show up as the lonely loser she was—she could make a grand entrance, turn everyone’s head, turn Jilly lime green.
    “Would you act like I’m the most fabulous woman you’ve ever seen?”
    Nathan opened his mouth, feigning surprise. “You
are
the most fabulous woman I’ve ever seen.”
    “No, really. The only way I could stand to be there is if itlooks like Jilly did me a favor by stealing Sander. If I showed up totally flash, a gorgeous guy on my arm…” The image in Veronika’s mind set her heart racing. She grasped Nathan’s arm at the biceps and squeezed. “You’d really do yourself up? Be utterly gorgeous? Charm the living shit out of everyone in sight?”
    Nathan spread his palms, flashed that gorgeous grin. “Lead me to the fray.”
    Oh, this was going to be magnificent.

15
Mira
    It was their fifth or sixth date in just a few weeks, and they’d been talking about Tarrytown, Mira’s hometown, which Lycan had visited, or not exactly physically visited but had seen by opening some sort of remote portal, if Mira was understanding him correctly. Her parents’ house was gone, but the lighthouse was still there, and the park where Mira had broken her arm doing a backflip. Mira had grown fond of Lycan, which was a good thing, because the only thing she ever saw was Lycan’s face. He was her life, such as it was.
    “There’s something I have to tell you,” Lycan said.
    “What is it?” Mira asked.
    He looked off into the room, sighed heavily. “I’ve never enjoyed a woman’s company as much as yours. I’m afraid you won’t want to see me again, after I tell you what I have to tell you.”
    Mira tried to imagine what this man could possibly say that would lead her to choose being dead over hiscompany. “I’m sure that won’t happen, whatever it is. You can trust me.”
    Lycan put his hand over his eyes. His chest hitched. Mira made gentle shushing sounds, the sort of sounds her mother had never made. “It’s okay,” she cooed. “Whatever it is, it’s okay.”
    Lycan finally looked at her, his eyes red. “I really like you, Mira. I might even love you. But I lied to you. I’m not a rich man. I’m well-off, enough to afford these visits, but not