Page 229 of As The Shifter World Turns

I had such an amazing mate. But as he’d be continuing to work in the manor, I wasn’t sure why the bag of stuff was here. Probably got caught up in the chaos.

Toby came back only a few minutes later, unable to find it. Both Neil and I went to help and found nothing. Neil was beginning to freak out and working so hard not to let Toby see it.

“I’ll go back to the apartment to see if it’s there.” I’d searched 2B a few times, but maybe I missed it.Please, let me have missed it.“Why don’t you two order Thai for dinner while I’m gone?”

Toby was all in on that and I hoped it would distract Neil.

I jogged outside and ran straight into a man. What the hell? “Who are you? Why are you here?” I blurted out.

“You ran into me, asshole,” he bit back. “All I want to do is catch my ride and first they tell me they can’t come to my shitty date’s address because it doesn’t exist and then when I finally find a place they will come get me, you run my ass over.”

Before I could apologize, a car with a rideshare sign in the window pulled up.

In this scenario, I was the asshole.

“Sorry man.”

“I am officially claiming this block a no go zone,” he grumbled climbing inside.

I needed to chill. Everything about him standing there was normal but my brain went straight to thinking something terrible was about to happen to my family. It wasn’t a healthy place to be.

I hurried along, going back to 2B, and then our basement apartment in Archer’s house. I searched every room, closet, cabinet, and even the freezer just in case someone was spacing out and put it there.

Neil’s bag was nowhere to be found.

Maybe I didn’t need to chill after all.

101

WE’RE GOING TO LARP

Neil

“Today’s the day!” Toby bounded into our bedroom at the crack of dawn, waving his fake sword and dressed as a medieval prince. “Bow to me, M’lords.”

“Imagine I’m bowing,” I said as I pulled the bedding over my head and Martin joined me.

“It’s only one day, right?”

“Yes,” I hissed.

“I heard that.” The covers were ripped off us and our son put the tip of his cardboard sword at Martin’s throat. “I could have your head for that.”

“My apologies, Your Most Royal of Highnesses.”

His dad’s apology had Toby nodding and then he dashed out of the room, thrusting the sword at imaginary opponents.

“What are we supposed to do when we LARP?” Martin asked before Charlie cried and he went into our little boy’s room and brought him back to bed. That was a dangerous move because Charlie certainly had a wet diaper and maybe a full one too.

“You did read the outline, right?”

Toby and his friend, Jim, had written a summary of what was supposed to happen. He and Jim were twin brothers. Their father the king died and half the kingdom's subjects supported one prince and half the other. There was to be a battle followed by a feast.

Daire had convinced his parents to let us use their estate by the lake—honestly I think we used it more than they did—but his parents wanted to join in, insisting they were dukes or counts and said they’d dress the part.

“Maybe.”

“Martin, you didn’t. Toby will be upset.” Our son had been complaining that few of the Sunshine Manor people had replied saying which roles they had taken. As well as knights, there were supposed to be lords and ladies, servants, squires, stable boys, cooks, scullery maids and I couldn’t recall what else. Charlie and I were dressing as knights and I’d bought a knight costume for my mate as well.

---