“Are you serious?” Kanesha asked, finally.
“I’ve considered it. I’m not that serious, but if I can make him think I am.”
“You’re trying to bluff a thousands of years old giant.”
I nodded. “Remember who’s daughter I am.” Maybe it was time to have a word with my father. He could only help me so much, but…
“Then maybe we should talk to him.”
I grinned. “Stop reading my mind. I intend to, if I have to bake triple strength brownies to get his attention.”
I was half expecting the words to attract him. They didn’t, though. Which meant he was probably distracted. By somebody hot, no doubt, of some gender or species. Or maybe he’d found an alternative source of chocolate with cayenne or chocolate with bacon or…
“He doesn’t seem to be biting this time.”
“He can’t be listening to me all the time.” Maybe Odin could, or maybe there was a raven around I hadn’t noticed. “He’s probably in a strip club.”
Kanesha laughed. “Remember when that embarrassed you?”
“It still does. I’ve just accepted nothing’s going to change.”
She nodded. “And grown up some.”
I shrugged. “Who knows how old I really am? I don’t.”
“That I don’t want to think about. You’re robbing the cradle.” She grinned.
“Nah. It doesn’t…I don’t think it matters. I don’t think it can. How’s college?”
“Pretty good. We need to get you out of that stupid school.”
“I talked to my advisor. I might be able to graduate at the end of the fall semester.” I’d caught up so much it was now possible.
“Awesome. And then we can start planning to blow this joint, right?”
I thought about that. “I wish I thought it would help.” And we’d be leaving Mike behind, and Thruor would probably stay with him.
I was no longer sure at all that I wanted to leave.
“Then maybe we should…”
I frowned. “I know I should go to New York. I don’t want to leave Mike.”
“Neither do I. But Mike can look after himself.”
“Can he?”
“How much of his trouble has been because of you?”
That…it didn’t sting, because I already knew she was right. All of the trouble around here was centered on me. “I can’t run away from anything. That’s why I seriously have to consider, you know…”
“Even if…”
I nodded. “Even if.”