When Marcus heard that the Talia had finally returned, all restraint vanished.
"Holy crap! This is awesome."
The words spilled out before he even realized he was speaking aloud. He laughed to himself, completely unguarded, grinning at his phone as excitement bubbled up from somewhere he usually kept carefully hidden.
"Marcus."
On the other end, Talia watched his reaction through the video call, and the tight knot she had been carrying in her chest quietly unraveled. The frustration, the uncertainty, the years of wondering whether she mattered to him at all slowly melted away. Her eyes softened, almost misting over. So he did care. Maybe more than she had ever dared to believe.
"Smooth talker," she said lightly, though there was no real reproach in her voice. Warmth crept into her expression despite herself, and she finally gave in to the impulse she had been fighting since arriving back in town. "Marcus, are you busy? Can you come out for a bit?"
