"I didn't expect him to tell you about the banquet," I said after the call, my tone steady despite the quiet tension coiling within me. Jared had already formed a connection with Elliot, one that felt natural to him, and I could no longer ignore the way that bond was beginning to take shape.
With no other choice, I softened my stance. "If it's not too much trouble, please look after him tonight. I'll come get him around nine."
"Sure."
Elliot's response came without hesitation, his voice carrying that calm authority that always seemed to settle instinctively into place. The call ended just as quickly as it began, leaving me with a lingering sense of uncertainty I couldn't quite name.
