Chapter 69

When Calliope finally arrived, Archie and Portia were already there, waiting for her in their private booth. As soon as she walked in, smiles spread across all their faces.

“About time you showed up! What took you so long?” Portia teased, looking up. “Latecomers buy the first round!”

“Alright, alright!” Calliope chuckled, waving her hand in mock defeat. “Just had a few things to wrap up. I’ll make it up with a drink.”

True to her word, Calliope poured herself a glass of wine and toasted her friends before taking a generous sip.

The three of them settled into their seats, catching up on each other’s lives. Archie was a bit quiet, but Portia eagerly shared about her latest romantic interest, a guy she’d been seeing but hadn’t quite locked down yet.

Then Mavis recounted her recent daring mission. It was a nail-biter, the kind of story that made you clutch your heart a little tighter. Luckily, her top-skilled mentor had swooped in at the last moment to save the day.

“So, how are things going with Uriah?” Calliope asked, glancing at Mavis.

Everyone knew Mavis had a thing for her mentor Uriah Stewart, but it was also clear that Uriah didn’t seem to reciprocate those feelings in the same way. Their relationship was complicated, to put it mildly.

Calliope remembered how, in another life, Mavis and Uriah had a massive falling out, almost tearing their mentor-mentee bond apart. Yet Calliope always believed that deep down, Uriah felt something for Mavis, even if he couldn’t admit it.

“Same old,” Mavis shrugged. “My status and work are kind of unique. Uriah’s never really cared about that.”

She took a sip of her drink, her eyes downcast, and it was clear she was a little bummed.

Portia gave her a sympathetic look. “Maybe it’s time to set your sights on someone else. Uriah’s as approachable as a porcupine; I always feel gruesomely uneasy when around him!”

Mavis forced a smile. If only it were that easy to let go. After all, Uriah was her mentor – the man she loved with all her heart. He had saved her from countless tight spots, and she couldn’t just walk away from that. Even if Uriah didn’t feel anything towards her, she would love only him for this life.

“Matters of the heart aren’t something you can force,” Archie said, pouring Mavis another drink. “If you can’t give up, find a way to win him over.”

Mavis pondered this. Uriah was like a god to her, and the thought of trying to win him over seemed daunting. She admired him and feared him in equal measure.

“Let’s change the subject to something happier,” Mavis turned to Calliope. “Callie, how are things with Silas?”

Portia scrutinized Calliope. “You seem to be glowing!”

Archie looked up with interest, too.

“Well, we, uh, took things to the next level…” Calliope confessed, her cheeks turning a shade of pink. “He was amazing, and I’m pretty satisfied.”

“Ooh, la la!” Portia teased, nudging Calliope playfully. “Seems like Silas has got some skills!”

“You’re not getting too attached, are you?” Mavis inquired, “Even though he seems nice, he’s got some secrets. I even asked Uriah, but he wouldn’t spill.”

Calliope shook her head. “No.”

Archie’s eyes flickered with a hint of disappointment, though he quickly masked it with a sip of his drink. Then, with a dramatic sigh, he joked, “You all have your man sorted. I wonder when it’ll be my turn.”

“With looks like yours, finding a man should be a walk in the park!” Portia said with a wink. “Want me to set you up?”

Mavis shook her head, laughing softly. “Portia, stop messing around.”

Calliope watched Archie, sensing his unease. She knew his family had been on his case about settling down, and it was weighing on him.