They cleaned up together, and Rex saw that Mara was more at ease than he'd ever seen her. The walls were still there, but they were shorter now.
She even laughed at a dumb joke he told about a really angry customer.
[DESIRE LEVEL: 18/100]
[RELATIONSHIP STATUS: TRUST INCREASING]
[OBSERVATION: SUBJECT IS MORE COMFORTABLE IN YOUR PRESENCE]
[OBSERVATION: SUBJECT SMILED GENUINELY THREE TIMES IN THE LAST HOUR]
[RECOMMENDATION: MAINTAIN CURRENT APPROACH, INCREASE PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS]
Rex put the information away after they were done cleaning.
Rex thought. "Let's fucking go...I knew that my plan would start working."
He was slowly and carefully becoming a part of her daily life. Not only a worker, but also someone she could trust and the one who could make her days better.
And the most important thing is that he slowly became someone who noticed her in ways that her husband didn't.
"Can I ask you a question?" Rex said this as they sat down for a short break before getting ready for lunch.
Mara looked nervous but nodded. "Of course."
"Why do you do this? I mean running the inn..."
"Garrett said it was your dream, but what made you want it so much?"
For a long time, she didn't say anything, and Rex thought he might have gone too far too quickly. But then she said something.
"When I was a kid, the store my parents owned was the center of our village."
"Everyone went through there, and it wasn't just about getting stuff, but it was about making connections."
"People would come in, talk, share news, and help each other, so that's why I wanted to make something like that."
Her eyes looked far away, as if she were remembering. "The inn was supposed to be that place."
"Somewhere people could get together, feel safe, and make friends."
"And is it?" Rex asked in a low voice.
Mara's laugh was sad. "It was."
"Before the thieves, before everything went wrong."
"It's just about staying alive now. It's about keeping the doors open for another day and providing food to those who can't afford it."
"Somewhere along the way, the dream got lost."
Rex said, "Dreams don't have to stay lost."
"Sometimes they just need help finding their way back."
She looked at him then, and he could see something in her eyes.
Maybe it was her being weak. Or maybe she's just worn out from carrying everything by herself for so long.
"That's a nice thought," she said in a soft voice. "But some things can't be fixed."
"Not with that attitude."
He said it with a smile that made it funny instead of rude, even though it was a little rude. Mara's genuine, radiant laugh, which illuminated her entire face, took him by surprise.
"You know you're trouble, right?"
"I've heard," Rex said. "But I'm the trouble that helps."
"That is yet to be seen."
But she smiled when she said it.
The rest of the day went on in the same way. Rex stayed close, helped with everything, and made himself necessary.
When Garrett came back around noon with his catch, Rex made sure he was busy helping Mara in the kitchen. They were both bent over a recipe she was teaching him.
It looked like Garrett was pleased to see them working together so well.
"Look at you two," he said with a smile. "Like you've been doing this for years."
"Rex is a fast learner," Mara remarked, evoking a quality in her voice that Rex couldn't quite pinpoint.
"Having a good teacher helps," Rex said, looking into her eyes for a second before looking away.
These small gestures were building up to something greater. Small exchanges, quick touches when they both reached for the same thing, and shared looks across the busy bar were all contributing factors.
There was nothing obvious or suspicious, but there was enough to build something between them.
There was a feeling of understanding between them. Like a partnership, she might not have been as alone as she thought she was.
[DESIRE LEVEL: 22/100]
[RELATIONSHIP STATUS: ACTIVELY BONDING]
[GARRETT KESSON TRUST LEVEL: VERY HIGH]
[WARNING: TARGET IS BEGINNING TO COMPARE YOU TO SPOUSE]
[THIS IS DANGEROUS TERRITORY]
[PROCEED WITH CAUTION]
"Heh... I'm making good progress and I can't wait to make her only have eyes on me..."
Rex was happy to read the notice. He wanted to be in a place that was very dangerous, seeing how much he has progressed.
Rex carried out the next step of his plan over the next few hours. Although the plan was in place, its details were not immediately apparent.
Rex consistently offered assistance to Mara before Garrett could even discern the necessary steps. Rex was already addressing the issue and finding a solution.
He made sure to do it in ways that didn't make Garrett feel useless but instead made Rex look very interested.
When Garrett reached for something, Rex would say, "Oh, I've got that."
"You should take a break, Garrett. You've been fishing all morning."
Or, "Done already."
"I took care of it because Mara told me to."
Garrett would nod in thanks every time, not realizing that each small interaction was showing how different he was from Rex.
Rex demonstrated a keen attention to detail and a proactive mindset. He was also there for Garrett in ways that Garrett, even though he loved Mara, just wasn't.
And Mara noticed it.
Rex could tell by the way she started looking at him. Not with doubt anymore, but with something else.
She looked like she was relieved and confused at the same time, like she couldn't figure out why this stranger understood her better than the man she'd been married to for twelve years.
...
Rex made his move during the meal.
A customer yelled over the noise in the tavern that the stew was too salty. Rex arrived before Mara could respond or the situation could escalate.
"I'm so sorry about that," he said as he took the bowl. "Let me get you another serving. And how about some free bread for the trouble?"
The quick response and apology disappointed the customer, who was ready to be angry. "Okay...I guess that's fair."
"More than fair," Rex said with a sly smile. "I think I put too much salt in the pot earlier, just between you and me."
"We're still getting the hang of things."
And that, of course, was a lie. Rex hadn't eaten the stew yet, but taking the blame calmed things down and made the customer feel better, which was exactly what the man wanted.
Mara took Rex aside after the customer calmed down.
"You didn't put too much salt on anything," she said softly.
"I know, but he doesn't, and now he's happy instead of mad. Sometimes a small lie is worth the peace."
Mara looked at him for a long time. "You do a good job of this."
"At lying?"
"At dealing with people while making them feel like they were seen and heard." She stopped for a moment. "And making me feel less alone in this."
There it was. The admission that Rex had been working toward.
Rex knew he was filling a void in her life. "Here fucking goes..."
Rex said softly so that no one else could hear, "You shouldn't have to feel alone."
"You work harder than anyone else I know. You deserve to have someone who sees that."
"Garrett sees it," Mara said, but her voice didn't sound sure.
"Does he? Or does he just think you're fine because you have always been...?" Rex said, finally starts to manipulate her feelings of Garrett.
The words hovered between them, laden with truth and danger. Rex knew he'd hit a nerve when Mara's eyes got a little bigger that's there something very deep inside them.
Garrett yelled from across the room, needing help with something small, before she could answer. The moment was over, but the damage had already been done.
The seed was put in the ground.
[DESIRE LEVEL: 28/100]
[RELATIONSHIP STATUS: EMOTIONAL INTIMACY DEVELOPING]
[WARNING: TARGET IS QUESTIONING RELATIONSHIP WITH SPOUSE]
[WARNING: TARGET IS SEEING YOU AS ALTERNATIVE]
[RECOMMENDATION: PULL BACK SLIGHTLY TO AVOID SUSPICION]