Page 105 of Only a Breath Away

Finch said, “Thank ye.” Then he stood, and joked, “How many tickets and backstage passes will ye be needing for the next show Magnus?”

Magnus joked, “Looks like about forty-five.”

“Ye can give me a headcount, but for now we ought tae be goin’.”

Magnus said, “I will walk ye out.”

We helped them gather their things to go to their car. The kids ran around looking for lightning bugs and Karrie promised Arlo that they would come back to visit sometime soon. Magnus and Finch were doing that awkward man hug thing, then Fraoch and Finch had a far-apart shoulder clap, and a fist bump, because Fraoch was still wet from the rain. Then Lochinvar fist-bumped Finch, holding onto Finch’s fist and shaking it awkwardly.

Then they were gone.

The yard was littered with plates and cups and tree-limbs and the clean party spot of an hour before was now completely trashed. I said, “That was an eventful party.”

Magnus said, “Aye, I just explained time travel tae someone who dinna ken it was true.”

“How’d he take it?”

“As well as could be expected, he dinna believe me, but... he dinna not believe me. Once he thinks on some of the recent happenings he will realize tis true.”

“Why’d you decide to tell him?”

“If he’s got threats comin’ tae him, he ought tae ken the truth of what he is dealing with.”

CHAPTER 71 - KARRIE

In the Escalade on the ride home I said, “That was fun.”

“Aye it was.”

“I liked your brothers, they were funny. Their clothes were hilarious, all those matching sweats.”

He nodded. “They said it was because of being on vacation, they made me feel overdressed.”

Joe said, “I could have worn my sweats but none of you would let me.”

Tessa said, “That’s because Magnus is aduke. You don’t wear sweats to dinner with a duke.”

He said, “I know, I know, I’ve watched Bridgerton. Historically inaccurate by the way.”

We all groaned.

I said, “It’s kind of exciting that your brother is a duke.”

“Aye, and he’s one of those dukes who has a safe and guards and will ‘keep things protected for me’. A real duke-with-a-castlekind of duke.”

“You feel a lot better don’t you?”

“Aye, I was verra nervous, I’m glad he kent what was happenin’ and what tae do about it.”

Tessa said, “They have to be rich, right? Why are they vacationing in that tiny little house? You have a whole bunch of eccentric brothers.”

Finch said, “Rich eccentric brothers. The good news is they winna want anythin’ from me but tickets and backstage passes.”

“I don’t want to sound pretentious or shallow, but I really want a personal chef like your brother Magnus.”

Finch grinned. “Done, I was thinkin’ the same thing.”

CHAPTER 72 - KAITLYN

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