Page 125 of As The Shifter World Turns

“No. She’s a special case being the daughter of a unicorn and a wolf, so they’re using her for research purposes. But Micah’s worried they’ll find something.”

“Like what?” Neil popped an olive in his mouth.

Archer shrugged. “Anything that shows she’s less than perfect.”

“Not going to happen,” Neil interjected. “I can already tell them she’s perfection.”

Archer’s phone rang and he snatched it up. “What? How high? I knew something was wrong.” He stood up and paced around the table. “No, it’s okay. I’ll come home now.”

Neil and I shared a glance. “Elune?”

“She’s running a fever. Sorry, I gotta go.”

“We’ll pack and meet you at the car in five minutes.” I got up.

“No, stay. I don’t want your weekend ruined,” he told us as we followed him into the house.

“You drove us,” Neil pointed out.

“Ask Daire to join you. This is his family’s house. He and Micah have no commitments this weekend and he can record his gardening videos from anywhere.”

“But I feel bad that you’re worried and going home and we’re going to stay here and enjoy ourselves,” I protested.

“I love you for thinking that way but it’s a slight fever. Kids get them but as a dad I need to be with Elune when she’s sick. And you can’t do anything if youcome with me. Both of you need space from the people in Sunshine Manor right now.”

“Maybe Archer’s right.” Neil looked at me.

“Okay, I agree.” As long as Daire will be here to drive us home. “But keep us up to date and if you need us, we’ll be there.”

“I will.” He left to get his bag.

Neil and I walked back to the pool. “We better get hold of Daire and if he can’t make it, we’ll be taking a bus tomorrow.”

Neil giggled. “I’m imagining the conversation now. ‘Daire would you like to spend the weekend in your own beachside home so that on Sunday afternoon, you can drive us back to Sunshine Manor?’”

“When you put it like that—. You phone him, Neil. You’re his oldest friend.”

“And he’s your roommate. You call.”

“Fine.”

He picked up on the first ring. “Ivor, what a surprise.”

“Old buddy, Neil and I were wondering what you were doing this weekend.”

“Mmmm. Let me think. I might be coming to the beach and rescuing two friends who have no way of getting back to town tomorrow.”

“He knows,” I mouthed to Neil.

“Archer?” he mouthed back.

“Would you? We do want to spend time with you.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll be there in an hour but I get to choose which movie we watch tonight, and with Archer gone, I don’t want any vegetarian food. This grizzly wants meat,” he growled.

While I was sad Archer wouldn’t be with us, I lay back on the lounger, put a hat over my head and breathed in the ocean air.

48

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