Page 26 of Enduring Magic

As his mate stormed away, Alastair grinned his appreciation for her feistiness. He wasn’t fast enough to sober when she spun back around.

“If this is another of your games, Alastair Thorne, we’ll have a serious discussion after the ceremony.” She gave him a stern look, then pointed skyward. “You and Winnie mind the weather. I want nothing but sunshine today.”

He snapped to attention and saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I’ve got your ma’am right here.” With a shake of her fist, she sailed out the door.

“Goddess, I love that woman.”

A commotion on the stairs drew them out into the foyer. Coop and Keaton stopped mid-step when they saw him. The wave of nervousness from the men struck Alastair at the same time their eyes widened in alarm.

“Why so harried, gentlemen?” Alastair asked smoothly as he approached the two.

Keaton opened his mouth but got an elbow to the ribs for his troubles.

“Harried? I’m not harried.” Coop looked at his brother. “Are you harried? See, sir, no one is harried.”

Alastair bit back a grin. “Hmm. Then you must be on your way to the altar. Let me escort you.”

Face pale, Coop appeared ready to swallow his tongue.

“We can’t!” Keaton blurted.

“We can’t?” It took a second for Coop to catch on. “Oh! That’s right. We can’t. Tell him why we can’t, Keat.”

“Really, dude? I’m trying to save your bacon, and you throw me under the bus? You couldn’t come up with an excuse?”

Shoving down a laugh, Alastair raised his brows and stared down his nose at the brothers. “It’s a wonder your parents didn’t lose their sanity with the two of you.” With a fake put-upon sigh, he said, “I believe it’s time for you to tell us what’s going on.”

11

“Iswear to the Goddess, Saul! If you don’t tell me where that ring is right now—”

Autumn gripped Summer’s arm and pointed toward the entrance of the elephant barn. “Mama just walked in, and she’s not looking too thrilled at the moment.”

“Drop the cloak, my dears. The gig is up,” Rorie said, glaring at what, to her, would be an empty aisle. “I’ll give you to the count of—ah! There you are. Would you mind explaining what the bloody hell is going on? Why aren’t you in your dress, Summer? Have you changed your mind?”

“No!” Summer held Saul up over her head like a trophy and gave him a little shake. In his nervousness, he released a single oval dropping that fell at her feet. “Ew. Not cool, Saul.” To her mother, she said, “I can’t find Coop’s ring, and I’m positive Saul has something to do with it.”

A startled expression crossed her mother’s face before she quickly concealed it and narrowed her eyes. “Your father has a lot of explaining to do.”

“Dad? Why…”

The instant she mentioned her father, Saul’s stubborn resistance melted, and he started singing like a caged canary. “It was your freaking father’s fault. I didn’t want to do it, but he—”

“That’s enough, Saul,” Alastair boomed from behind them. “Summer, release your familiar, preferably in the wild where he’ll get lost, and meet me in your room. I believe you’ll find what you’re looking for.”

“Coop’s wedding ring?” She was afraid to hope, unsure why her father would play such a dirty trick, today of all days.

“Coop’s ring,” he said with a soft smile. “You won’t believe this, but I was actually trying to do something thoughtful.”

“By stealing the one thing I needed to get married?”The volume and shrill tone of her voice caused everyone around her to wince, but she was past caring. Her day was almost ruined by whatever wacky plan her father had enacted.

“I didn’t steal it, child. I borrowed it.” His warm, caring expression made her want to hit him. Or cry. Probably cry because he was being kind. “For Damian to bless,” Alastair added.

“Oh, Dad.” She sniffed and used the sleeve of her waffle robe to dab at her eyes. “Why didn’t you just say so?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise when you and Cooper saw your rings for the first time.”

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