Page 13 of Thor

CHAPTER5

“Let me get this right...”said Loki. “You, Thor, God of Thunder want me, Loki, God of Mischief to distract a bartender so you can talk to a girl. This is why you called me all the way up here?”

“No, I called you up here because I want you to touch Elle and tell me all about her and then tell me what you see the possibilities of the future to be. But you won’t.”

“Sorry,” Loki said solemnly. “I made a promise.”

Damn.Why had everyone made a promise to keep Elle’s past a secret?

“Am I the only one who can’t know or are there others as well?”

Loki shrugged. “I’m not one to gossip.”

Thor snorted.

“Is our business concluded?”

“Oh please, don’t act like this was such an inconvenient trip for you. You had to do what? Focus on the pub for five seconds before you were able to transport here?”

“Do you have any idea what my time is worth? What I charge per hour?”

“Well, this won’t take an hour. She gets her fifteen-minute break in less than five minutes,” said Thor.

“After me sitting here it will have been half an hour which equals—”

“One bottle of Odin’s reserve ale.”

Loki’s eyes widened slightly. They had a deal.

“Agreed,” said Thor.

“Not so fast. I agree on the ale, but you will also owe me a favor.”

“What favor?”

Loki’s eyes twinkled in a way that reminded him of Frigg’s and a smirk settled on his chiseled face. “I’ll tell you when the time comes.”

“That’s not a deal I would agree to if I were you,” said Heimdall.

“Well, you better decide fast,” said Loki. “Your girl took off her apron and headed for the stairs to the lofts.”

Thor looked over his shoulder toward the staircase which led to the upper floor apartments. Elle had almost reached the bottom step.

“Looks like Val is heading that direction,” Loki prodded.

He was going to lose his shot. “Deal.” Thor jumped from the table and headed for the stairs. He hit the bottom of the staircase when he heard Loki’s voice behind him.

“Well, Val, fancy meeting you here,” Loki said.

Thor didn’t wait for a reply, but he got the feeling Loki would have helped Thor for a chance to talk to Val without ale or favors attached.

Taking the stairs two at a time he made it to the top as Elle put the key in the lock of one of the doors.

“Elle!”

She jumped. “Th— Thor. Did... did you need something?” She pulled the key from the lock and backed up a step.

He slowed his pace and held up his hands. “I... I wanted to talk.”

---