Page 69 of Long Live the King

I nodded.

Emma said, “They left before lunch, we just wanted to come by and say hello.”

She grinned, flashing us her dazzling smile, then her eyes scanned the room. “Uh oh, um... table calling. I’ll come back by in a bit.” She rushed away.

Emma screwed up her face. “I can’t tell, do you think she likes him?”

Hayley said, “I have no idea. She’s just busy. What are you going to ask her when she gets back?”

Emma said, “Would it be weird if I asked, ‘What are your intentions with our brother, Lochie, because if you break his heart I’m going to have to break you’?”

I said, “I doubt we need to threaten her. Maybe we can be more on the down low, right? No fighting, no breaking anyone.”

Emma and Hayley jokingly scoffed.

Hayley said, “You’re a fine one to pretend to be a pacifist. How many weapons you have strapped to you right now?”

“Two, but just because I’ve beenrepeatedlytold I must. I don’t intend to need either of them. No fighting, we’re just here to find out what her intentions are. I’d also like to know if he told her about time travel...”

Hayley groaned. “I’m sure he told her everything. He does not strike me as the kind of guy who can keep secrets when he’s sexing someone up. I think he was doing it and saying, ‘oh, oh, oh, yes, yes, did I tell you I time travel?’”

I said, “Well Magnus gave him explicit instructions — he’s not to talk about it. That’s part of the reason why he was so destroyed the other night, because he didn’t know what he could say... Damn it, I hope it’s all okay?—”

Emma said, “Wheesht, she’s coming back.”

CHAPTER 29 - ASH

PALACE SALOON

Iwas at the bar turning in a drink order and Don said, “See that table over there? That’s Katie and Hayley, they went to school with my brother, weren’t they with Lochie the other night?”

I smiled, “Yeah, Katie is his sister-in-law...”

“They here to see you? I thought you said Lochie was out of town...”

“He is.”

Someone interrupted asking Don directly for a drink. I finished filling a soda glass, glancing over at the ladies, wondering why they were there...

Once Don was finished, he said, “I bet they’re checking up on you.”

My eyes went wide. “On me?”

“Yep, her little brother spent the night, they want to see if you’re worthy.”

“Like worthy,how?”

“Imagine it’s your sister, why would she be here?”

“To see if I plan to break his heart.”

“Whoa, I was just kind of kidding, there are hearts involved? You weren’t just messing around? He seems like a big boy, andhandsome — he’s for sure a player, maybe they don’t know he’s a player...?”

“Nah, he’s not a player and yeah, there are hearts involved. I guess I should go talk to them. Can I take a break? Will you cover my tables for a moment?”

“Sure.”

I walked over to their table, and the three women abruptly stopped talking as if they had been talking about me. I sank into the empty chair. “So, hi.”

---