Simon was smiling as he said it, but Derek glanced away with a gruff Simon lowered himself on my other side, so close he brushed against me, hand resting on mine. Derek said. I said.
In "The Reckoning" by Kelley Armstrong, a tense interaction unfolds between Simon and Derek. Simon, despite his smiling demeanor, is met with Derek's cold reaction, showing a clear discomfort or disapproval. This highlights an underlying tension in their relationship and the emotional weight of the moment. As Simon positions himself closely next to the narrator, his hand lightly touches theirs, suggesting intimacy or a desire for connection. In contrast, Derek’s behavior...