The sun is higher than I’m used to seeing it. Its warmth falls across the driveway, and I can feel it in my chest, a sensation that makes me both nervous and exhilarated. Lucien stands nearby, calm as ever, watching me adjust the strap of my jacket.
“I don’t need you to walk me through this,” I say. “I’ve been cooped up long enough. I can manage.”
He raises an eyebrow, faint amusement in his gaze. “I just want to make sure you’re steady. That’s all.”
“I’ll be fine,” I insist, stepping toward the car. “You can… wait outside if you want.”
Lucien’s expression flickers just slightly, something unreadable, before he nods. “As you wish,” he says, retreating a few steps to let me take the lead.
The air hits me differently than it did inside. It’s sharper, fresher, filled with smells I forgot
