Their relationship was not something either Seraphine or Corvine ever liked to dissect out loud, especially not in front of other people, because there were too many layers to it and too many things that did not fit neatly into a box anyone could label.
It was complicated in the quietest way, built on loyalty, familiarity, and shared history rather than romance, and yet in this moment, standing there with Emery hovering uncertainly outside the car, they both understood that clarity was necessary.
They needed something from Emery, and it was painfully obvious that the girl had a crush on Corvine.
Seraphine did not need supernatural instincts to see it because the signs were embarrassingly clear. No woman accepted a dinner invitation on the very first day without some level of interest, especially not one who had already been disappointed when he arrived late.
