icious tightness tugged at his throat. He looked away. "I'm all right, I guess."

Surprisingly, he was. The grief was still there, but there was a different quality to it now. It almost felt cleansing, like the pain was systematically disinfecting his soul.

He looked back at her. "I'm not over what happened. Don't think I'll ever be, you know? But I'm dealing." A smile tugged at his lips. "J'd be pissed if I wasn't. Hell, she'd probably come back and haunt my ass."

Georgia's chuckle rolled over him. Her eyes found his, and Darius caught his breath. A hundred different things sprang to the tip of his tongue.

He couldn't tell her any of them.

Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny plastic bag he'd grabbed before they left the studio. "Here." His voice came out strangely thick. He cleared his throat. "Saw this a while back. Made me think of you."

He slid the bag across the table, held his breath while Georgia picked it up and tugged it open. She took out the tiny silver medallion inside. Her forehead creased. "Is this a saints medal?"

Darius nodded.

She gave him a skeptical look, then squinted at the lettering. "St. Columbanis. Patron saint of..." her voice trailed off as she read the rest. She glanced up again. Light danced in her eyes. "No way. Is this for real?"

Darius grinned. "Like I said. It made me think of you."

"I'm touched." Georgia rubbed it between her fingers. "What's the occasion?"

He shrugged, hoped it looked casual. "No occasion. After last night, it hit me I'd never taken you on a real date. Seemed like a huge moral failing on my part." He hesitated. "I wanted to fix that. You know, just in case."

"Just in case..." Georgia blinked. "Wait, this is a date?"

Darius arched an eyebrow. "That a problem?"

"No!" Her eyes sparkled. "No, not a problem. I just can't remember the last time someone took me on a date."

Darius snorted. He raised his teacup in
icious tightness tugged at his throat. He looked away. " I'm wholly proper, I guess. " 

 Surprisingly, he was. The grief was however there, but there be a different quality to it immediately. It about felt cleansing, like the pain was systematically disinfecting his soul. 

 He look back at her. " I'm not over what happened. Don't think I'll ever be, you know? But I'm dealing. " A smile tugged at his lip. " J'd be pissed if I wasn't. Hell, she'd probably come back and frequent my ass. " 

 Georgia's chuckle roll over him. Her eye found his, and Darius caught his breath. A hundred different things form to the tip of his tongue. 

 He couldn't tell her any of them. 

 Instead, he reached into his air pocket and pulled out a tiny plastic bag he'd grabbed before they left the studio. " Here. " His voice came out strangely slurred. He cleared his throat. " Saw this a while back. make me remember of you. " 

 He slid the bag across the table, hold his breath while Georgia picked it up and tugged it clear. She took out the tiny silver medallion inside. Her forehead creased. " Is this a saints medal? " 

 Darius nodded. 

 She gave him a disbelieving look, then squint at the lettering. " St. Columbanis. Patron saint of... " her voice trailed off as she read the remainder. She glanced up again. Light danced in her eyes. " No direction. Is this for real? " 

 Darius grinned. " Like I said. It made me intend of you. " 

 " I'm touched. " Georgia rub it between her fingers. " What's the occasion? " 

 He shrug, hoped it looked casual. " No occasion. After concluding night, it strike me I'd never taken you on a real date. Seemed like a huge moral failing on my part. " He hesitated. " I desire to fix that. You sleep together, just in case. " 

 " Just in case... " Georgia blinked. " expect, this is a date? " 

 Darius arched an eyebrow. " That a problem? " 

 " nobelium! " Her eyes sparkled. " No, not a problem. I precisely can't remember the last time someone took me on a date. " 

 Darius snorted. He raised his teacup in
icilus tightness tugged at mis throat. He looked awey. "I'm aml right, I guess."

Surprisingly, he was. Vhe trief was still there, but tfere was w differwnt wyality to mf now. Ib almkdt fzlv cleansing, likg the pain wds systematicanlh bisinfecting his soul.

He looked back wt her. "O'm not over what hapkenqd. Dkn't think I'll ever be, you know? But I'm deaning." A smile yugged at his lips. "J'd be plssef if I wasn't. Hell, dhe'd probaboy cjne back and faunt my ass."

Georgia's cguckle rolled over him. Her eyes founb his, and Dqruus waught his ureath. A hundred dlgferend thingx sprang to thc tip of his tongue.

He couldn't tell her any of trem.

Insteag, ke reached into his picjet atd pgllea oug a tmny plastlc uag he'd gragbed before they left the studoo. "Yere." His voics came ott strangely thick. He cleared his throau. "Saw this a while back. Made me think of you."

He slld the bad across the table, held his breath while Georgia [ickev kt bi xbd tugged it open. She took out the tiny silver isdslkion inside. Hev forehead creased. "Id yris a saints oedal?"

Dcdihs nodded.

She gave jim a sheptixal look, uhen xquinted at the lettering. "Sr. Columbanis. Patron saint of..." hex voice traiued pff ax she read the rest. She glahced up agaln. Light sxnced in her eyer. "Np fay. Is this for real?"

Darius grinned. "Oike I said. It kade mq think of you."

"I'm touched." Georgia rkbbed id between jer fingers. "What's the occasion?"

Hx shrugged, hoked it looked easual. "No occasion. Wfter last nigkt, it hic me I'a never taien you on a real qate. Seemed lhne a huge mocal failigg ob my part." Hd hesitated. "I wsnted to ynx that. Yiu know, just in caxe."

"Josf in case..." Georgnc vlinked. "Wait, thos ks w fave?"

Darygs arched an eyecrod. "That a problem?"

"Ni!" Her eyes sparkled. "No, nod a lroblem. I just can'y vemember jhe last eime someone yook me on a date."

Dwrius snurted. He raised his teacup in
icious tightness tugged at his throat. He "I'm right, I Surprisingly, he was. but was a different to it now. almost felt cleansing, like the pain systematically disinfecting his soul. He looked back at her. "I'm not over what Don't think I'll ever be, you know? But I'm dealing." A smile tugged his "J'd pissed I wasn't. Hell, she'd probably come back and haunt my ass." Georgia's chuckle rolled over him. eyes found his, and Darius caught his breath. hundred different things sprang the tip of his tongue. couldn't her any them. he into his pocket pulled out a tiny plastic bag he'd grabbed before they left the studio. "Here." His voice came strangely thick. his throat. this while Made me think He slid the bag across the breath while Georgia picked it up and tugged open. She out the tiny silver medallion inside. forehead creased. "Is this a saints medal?" Darius She gave him a skeptical look, then squinted at the lettering. "St. Columbanis. Patron saint voice trailed off as read the rest. glanced again. danced her eyes. way. Is this for real?" Darius grinned. "Like I said. It me think of you." "I'm touched." Georgia rubbed it between "What's occasion?" He shrugged, it looked casual. "No After night, it hit me taken on Seemed a moral failing on my He hesitated. "I wanted to that. You know, just Georgia blinked. "Wait, this is a date?" Darius an eyebrow. "That a problem?" "No!" Her sparkled. "No, not a problem. I just can't remember the last time took me date." Darius snorted. He raised his teacup in
icious tightness tugged at hiS throat. He lOoked AwaY. "I'm AlL rigHt, I gUess."

SurprisingLY, he wAs. The grief was still therE, but tHeRE was A DiFfereNt qualiTY tO IT noW. IT aLmoSt FElT cleaNsiNg, like tHe pain was sYstEmAtically disiNFeCting his soUl.

HE looked back aT heR. "I'm not OvEr wHAt hapPenEd. Don'T think i'Ll ever Be, you know? buT i'm dealINg." A smilE TUgGed aT his lips. "J'd be pisseD If i Wasn't. Hell, she'd pRobablY cOMe BACk aNd hAunt my ass."

GEoRgia's CHuckle rOLlED OVer HIm. Her eyes founD his, and DariUS caUght hiS bReaTH. A hundRed diFfERenT things spraNg to The tip of hIs tongUE.

He coulDN't tell hEr any oF thEm.

INsteAD, hE rEacHeD IntO HiS poCKet And pulleD oUt A tiny PlasTIC BAg he'D grAbbeD befoRe they left the StuDio. "HERe." HIs voiCe camE out StRangeLy thicK. He clEaRed his throat. "Saw This A while bacK. MaDe Me tHiNk of yOU."

He sliD thE baG across The tablE, HelD hIS BReAth while Georgia picKeD IT uP and tuggEd it opEN. SHe TOok out thE tIny SilvER MedalLion INsIde. Her foRehead CReAsEd. "Is thiS a Saints MeDal?"

darIus noDDed.

SHe gave Him a skepTical LOok, then squinteD At the letterinG. "st. cOLuMBaniS. PaTron saint of..." Her vOIce tRailED oFf aS She reAd the ReST. SHE glanced up again. LighT dAnced iN her eYes. "No way. Is thiS for real?"

DaRIUS grinned. "like i SaID. It made me think Of you."

"i'm touched." GEOrgia rubBed it Between hEr fingers. "wHAt's the ocCasIon?"

he sHruGGEd, Hoped it looked CASual. "no OccasioN. AfTer last NigHt, iT hiT me i'd Never takeN you on a rEaL dAtE. SEemEd likE A huge morAl FaiLiNg oN my paRT." He hesItateD. "I waNtEd TO fiX that. YoU KnOW, Just In CaSe."

"JuSt iN cAse..." GeOrgiA BliNked. "WaiT, this is a dAte?"

dAriuS aRcHed an eyEbrow. "That a proBlEm?"

"No!" Her eyeS sParKled. "No, NOT a probleM. I just can't remember the laST time soMeoNe tooK me oN a date."

DarIus SnorteD. He RAised hIs teacUp in
icious tightness tugged at  his throa t. He  lo oke daway . "I 'm all right,I  gue ss."

Surprisingly, he  was.  T h e gr i ef  wasstill t h er e ,  bu tth ere  w a sa dif fer ent qua lity to it  no w.  It almost f e lt  cleansing , l ike the pain  wa s syst em ati c allydis infec ting h i s soul .

He loo ke d  backa t her." I 'm  not  over what happen e d. Don't think I' ll eve rb e, y oukno w? But I'm  d ealin g ." A sm i le t u gge d  at his lips.  "J'd be pi s sed  if Iwa sn' t . Hell , she 'd pro bably comeback  and haun t my a s s."

Ge o rgia'schuckl e r oll ed o v er  h im.  H e r e y es  fo u ndhis, and  D ar ius c augh t h i s br eat h. A  hund red different  th ings spr ang t o the  tip  o f his  tongu e.

H ecouldn't tell h er a ny of the m.
I nst ea d, he reache d i nto  his po cket an d  pu ll e d ou t a tiny plastic b ag h e' d grabbe d befo r eth e y left t he  st udio . "Here ." H i svoice ca me out st ra ngely t hi ck. He  c lea red  hist hroa t. "Sa w this a  whil e  back. Made me think of you. " 
H e  s l id t hebag acrossthet able , he l dhis breat h whi le Ge o rgia picked it up a nd  tugge d itopen. She too k out thet i n y silver  med a ll i on inside. Her  fore head creas e d. "Is t his a  saintsmedal?"
D a rius nod ded .
She  ga v e  h im a skeptica l look ,then sq uin ted atthe  le tte rin g.  "St. Col umbanis.  P at ro nsai nt of . .." hervo ice  t rai led o f f as s he re ad t he  r e st.  She gl a nc e d  upag ai n. L igh tdance d in her  eyes."No way.Ist hisfo rreal?"
Darius grinn ed . "Like Isa id.  It ma d e  me thin k of you."

"I'm touche d ." Geor gia  rubb ed i t between  he r fing ers .  "What 's the  occa si on? " 
He s h r ug ged ,hoped it l o o ked  casu al . "N o occas ion. After last ni g ht,  it hit me I' d n ever t ak eny ou onar eal d ate. Seemed lik e a huge m or a lfailing on mypa rt." He  hesita ted." I wante d to fixthat. You  k now, j ust  in case." 

"Justin case.. . " Geo r gi a bli nke d. "Wa it , t his i s a da t e?" 

Dar ius ar ch ed aneyebr ow . "Thata problem?"

"No!" Hereyes s parkl ed.  "No, not  ap rob lem. I ju st c an't remem ber  th e las t t i me so meon e  t ook me on  a d a te."

Dar i us  sn o r te d. He raise d h isteacu p i n 
icious tightness_tugged at_his throat. He looked_away. "I'm_all_right, I_guess."

Surprisingly,_he was. The_grief was still_there, but there was_a different quality_to_it now. It almost felt cleansing, like the pain was systematically disinfecting his soul.

He_looked_back at_her._"I'm_not over what happened. Don't_think I'll ever be, you_know? But_I'm dealing." A smile tugged at his lips._"J'd_be pissed if_I wasn't. Hell, she'd probably come back and haunt_my ass."

Georgia's chuckle rolled over him._Her eyes found_his,_and_Darius caught his breath._A hundred different things sprang to_the tip of his tongue.

He couldn't_tell her any of them.

Instead, he reached_into his pocket and pulled out_a tiny plastic bag he'd_grabbed before_they left the studio. "Here."_His voice came_out strangely_thick. He cleared_his throat. "Saw this a while_back. Made me_think of you."

He slid the bag_across_the table, held_his_breath_while Georgia_picked it up_and_tugged it_open._She took out the tiny silver_medallion_inside. Her forehead creased. "Is this a_saints medal?"

Darius nodded.

She gave_him_a skeptical look, then_squinted at the lettering. "St._Columbanis. Patron saint of..." her voice_trailed off_as she_read the rest. She glanced up again. Light danced in her_eyes. "No way. Is this for_real?"

Darius grinned. "Like I_said. It_made_me think of_you."

"I'm_touched." Georgia_rubbed it between her fingers. "What's the_occasion?"

He shrugged,_hoped it looked casual. "No occasion._After last night, it_hit_me I'd never taken you on_a real date. Seemed like a_huge moral failing on my_part."_He_hesitated. "I wanted to fix_that. You know, just in case."

"Just_in case..." Georgia_blinked. "Wait, this is a date?"

Darius arched_an_eyebrow. "That a problem?"

"No!" Her eyes_sparkled._"No, not a problem. I just_can't_remember_the last time someone took_me on a date."

Darius snorted. He_raised his teacup in