Page 104 of Peasants and Kings
A young boy, who had to be Bran since he had a soccer ball tucked underneath his arm, darted forward to boldly stand in front of Hadrian. He craned his neck back and said, “You owe me a rematch.”
My gaze darted from the boy to Hadrian, who was grinning down with a smile I’d never seen across his face. I couldn’t place it, but it was genuine, open, and full of yearning.
“You sure you’re ready for a rematch?” Hadrian asked, rolling up the sleeves of his button-down shirt.
“I’ve been practicing,” the boy said.
“Good,” Hadrian said. He looked at me. “Would you like to play?”
I shook my head and lifted my foot to show him a boot. “I’m not really dressed for it.”
He grinned. “I guess you’ll have to cheer me on from the sidelines.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll be cheering for Bran.”
Bran glanced up at me and grinned, revealing the gap from a missing tooth. He hastily brushed a long mop of dark hair out of his eyes. “I’m going to win for you, then.”
I tried to hide my smile at Bran’s bold arrogance but failed and let out a laugh. When he was finished with his proclamation, he latched himself to Hadrian’s side and gazed up at him in boyish worship and imitated Hadrian’s natural swagger.
Ingrid linked her arm with mine and took it upon herself to be my shadow. The pack of Ingrid’s family began to walk across the beach. The shore disappeared into a tree line and a path cut through to an area I couldn’t yet see. We strolled through foliage until we came to an open clearing. Homes that looked like cottages one might see eight hundred years ago dotted the glade. They didn’t have straw thatched roofs, but they were built from stone and massive wooden timbers.
“Was this island inhabited before Hadrian bought it?” I asked Ingrid.
She shook her head. “No.”
“Oh,” I said with a frown. “The homes… They look…”
“They’re completely modern on the inside,” she said with a wry grin. “But Hadrian wanted this land to appear untouched. So he had the homes constructed to resemble an old Scottish village. They’re well insulated and we have modern amenities. On the other side of the trees behind the homes, you’ll find the farm with all the livestock and the greenhouses.”
The wind changed, and I wrinkled my nose when I smelled proof of the animals.
Hadrian jogged over and interrupted my conversation with Ingrid when he wrapped me in his arms and lifted me off the ground.
“What are you doing?” I demanded, embarrassed by his show of affection, and even more embarrassed when everyone fell silent.
“Kiss me for good luck,” he commanded.
“You don’t need luck,” I whispered.
“Then kiss me because you want to.”
I was smiling when our lips met, and even though we had an audience, Hadrian kissed me like we were alone.
When he set me down, I wobbled. His arms quickly steadied me and then he chucked me gently under the chin. After a wink and a grin, he sauntered back to the field and to the kids who were impatiently calling for him to start the game.
I glanced at Ingrid who looked like she was about to say something.
“Please, whatever you’re going to say, don’t,” I begged, hiding my head in mortification.
“I was just going to say that I enjoy seeing Hadrian happy.”
Ingrid’s family finally stopped gawking at the display they’d just witnessed. The men of the family brought out folding tables and chairs. A few of the teenage girls who had seemingly deemed they were too cool to play the game hung back and helped the adults cover the tables with tablecloths.
“We weren’t ready for a get together,” Ingrid explained, “but between all of us, we have enough refreshments and food for the afternoon.”
“Can I help with anything?” I asked, hating that I was standing by, doing nothing.
She flung her hand in the direction of the stone wall that encircled the glade. “Go watch the game, and cheer for Hadrian every once in a while. It’ll make him feel good.”
