Page 6 of Turkey Trouble

“Still no. But buy another turkey and we’ll cook it up next week. Better yet, buy the turkey tomorrow when they’re on sale. You’ll feed us all for cheap. It’ll be a double win on the eve of your wedding.”

“I’ll let you have your Thanksgiving there if you agree to get on the plane tomorrow and spend the week here. A whole week where we can catch up and be a family and not need to save anyone or kill anyone.”

“Nope. I have to work.”

“We have to practice the wedding stuff, Archer!”

“No practice necessary,” I taunt. “I’m a pro. I’ve done it twice. You let her walk, she’s the prettiest one in the room. You say I do. You give her the emerald ring you picked out, and you marry the woman of your dreams. Easy peasy.”

“Tim gave Aubree emeralds. They’re not married.”

“They may as well be,” I snort. “She’s not hooking up with anyone else. She couldn’t, even if she wanted to. So unless she wants a life of celibacy and loneliness, she’ll get on board. Eventually.”

“Pretty sure these new age chicks call thatcoercion.” He drags the word out, mocking it, though I know deep below the asshole behavior is a man who respectshiswoman more than he’s ever respected anyone in his life. “They get their panties twisted up about that stuff these days.”

“That’s for Tim to deal with.” I catch the bleat of a horn a block up. And the coming and going of people rushing home. “I’m not coming to dinner tonight, and we can’t spend the week with you. But we’ll fly in on Friday and have twenty-four hours before your nuptials. That’s the best I can offer.”

“And if I come to you?”

I look to the stormy skies and exhale. Though I soften the sound, so my brother doesn’t hear it. “You’ll be sad when Minka and I leave for work every single day and spend no time with you. Stop being so needy; we’ll see you in a week.”

“And tonight?”

“Like I said: we’re busy.” I spot Tim’s neon sign a little over a block away. The signal that calls us home every single day, even in the dark. The snow. Rain. Or homicide cases that plague my sleep. “I’ll talk to you later, Lix.”

“I think you’re being unreasonable,” he grumbles. “Completely rude. We haven’t had Thanksgiving together since Cato was a baby. And it’s not like it was a fun experience back then, considering Tim’s broken arm, your injuries, and thegeneral fucking fact we’d watched another woman’s murder in cold blood.”

“You need a therapist, not a turkey.” I dig my free hand as deep into my pocket as I can manage. Because my fingers ache from the cold and my chest hurts for the same reason. “I’m hanging up, because I’m freezing out here. But I’ll call you tomorrow and talk about next week.”

“I’m disappointed with your attitude, Archer. I expected better from you.”

“Mmhmm. So shoot me. Tim the Second would.”

“Tim the Second did. I’m packing my pistols and heading over.”

I laugh and pick up my pace. “Don’t bother. My doors will be locked, and if you wake me up in the middle of the night, you’ll be blowing up a sex doll and standing it where I’m supposed to be at your wedding. No way my ass is getting on a plane if you’re a dick today.”

“Archer—”

“Byeeeeeeee.” I drag the phone from my ear and end the call with a stupid grin rolling across my lips. Because I love him. Strangely, against my better judgement, I do. My life is better with him in it. But he wants full-time codependence, and I just want… part time companionship.

Same thing in the end, just varying degrees of intensity.

Glancing down again and unlocking my phone, I jump to the text chat and open my last conversation with Minka. I drop a rock into her inbox, since we’re still doing that, then I quickly type,

I’m coming for you, Mayet. Legs open. Eyes closed. I’m gonna make it hurt and then you’re gonna thank me for it.

Hitting send, I glimpse a shiny stone on the sidewalk and stop to look down at it. It’s no bigger than a quarter, but with smooth sides and glittering white speckles scattered throughout the black exterior.

Bending, I scoop it up and bounce it in my palm, then I start walking again, grinning as I dig my hand into my pocket.

Minka gets two gifts tonight.

MINKA

My phone dings, right beside the gold box I discovered perched on the very corner of our bed. Red ribbon, and white tissue paper. Just like he said. And when I opened the damned thing, I found outIam the gift.

Me.

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