Page 122 of Only a Breath Away

James said, “Okay, handsome tip since our friend has been an ass.”

Lochinvar giggled. “He daena hae any cookies, how come he daena hae any cookies?”

Fraoch laughed. “Og Lochie, ye are pink as a flower and carrying on about cookies, ye are embarrassing yerself.”

We took the big table down the middle of the bar. The other customers stared, but they all looked drunk too. If they had heard stories of kings and time travel they probably were too drunk to remember them.

The bartender delivered our drinks to the table. “Ginger here was adamant that you’re a king,insistedthat you were.” His eyes narrowed.

“Och, he says a lot of things, none of them are true.”

Lochinvar giggled looking down at his beer. “Ye ken tis... tis true, ye are a king, I hae watched them bow tae ye.”

Magnus shrugged. “Okay, I am a king.”

Lochinvar said, “I kent it! I told ye twas true.” Then he slurred. “Ye sure ye daena hae a cookie?”

“I am sure.” The bartender walked back to the bar.

We raised our glasses and Magnus made a toast. “Tae Lochinvar the Fearsome, for frightening us by disappearing, but nae truly disappearing, and just going tae the pub, and for that we are grateful, as we daena like disappearances, we ought tae be clear on that.”

Lochinvar said, “Nae disappearances, just time travel.”

Magnus said, “Ye ought tae wheesht, you’re going tae convince everyone that ye are out of yer head, especially Tracy, she is right there.”

He looked blearily around. “Och, she is, she is so beautiful, did ye ken?”

Tracy blushed a deep red.

Magnus met my eyes and shook his head. “Well, that toast was ruined.”

Lochinvar raised his beer. “Tae King Magnus! King of the whole wide world.”

Tracy said, “Boy, you are drunk.”

He giggled. “I am, I am so drunk, glè dhroch.” He looked at his arms. “And muc pinc, a pink pig and… suns…” Hiccup. “Heat.” He giggled again. “Doyouhave a cookie?”

We all burst out laughing. Tracy said, “Hold that thought.” She left the bar and returned a few minutes later. “The store next door carries Whoopie Pies, you’re welcome.” She placed a cake sandwich in front of Lochinvar. He peeled off the plastic, got his fingers all sticky with the creme middle, and licked them each off. “Och, tis delicious.”

Fraoch said, “Now I want one as well.”

Lochinvar pulled it in half and lay across the table holding out a portion. “A cookie for Frookie, we daena hae a friendship yet... I will share m’cookie with him because we are brothers — we ought tae eat the…” His voice trailed off as if he had forgotten what he was talking about.

Fraoch took the half and bit into it. “Tis delicious, Og Lochie, and ye are right, we do hae a friendship now, twas simple.”

Lochinvar said, “Good, because else I might hae tae run ye through with m’sword.”

We all laughed, including Fraoch. “Ye ken, I remember sayin’ something like that tae m’uncle John, twas right afore he kicked m’arse.”

Lochinvar giggled again. “Do ye think Chef Zachary can make these cookies for us?”

Tracy said, “I can bake them, I do it all the time.”

He leaned on the table. “Och, ye are the most beautiful lass in the world.”

Hayley said, “Tracy, please don’t get too pissed off at him. We’ll get him to cut the hitting on you.”

She laughed. “Don’t worry about it, the silly boy with his pink skin and his funny accent, and his rantings about kings and cookies, I think I can handle his attempts at charm.”

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