by Richard Amos
So, yes. No insults, no reminding him he wasn’t any sort of father, that he had never been a presence in my life. He had no right to make any sort of comment, pass any judgment over me or Jake.
But to put him in his place could harm our chances at answers for Lou.
Useless man… Failing… Failing… Failing…
There went my mind again, kicking me in the guts with guilt on its boots.
This life is because of me… The danger, the darkness…. My guilt…
Stop…
“Dean?” A hand on mine on the table. Warm hand, loving hand, the most loving hand in existence.
Jake’s hand.
I turned to face him, a smile on his handsome face, a sparkle in those lovely blue eyes. Smiling. Not stewing. He understood the rules like me, knew how to play along to take advantage of a situation.
The fact my dad was here meant something, didn’t it? That he actually cared?
I couldn’t think about that right now.
“Are you okay?” Jake asked softly.
I nodded. “I’m fine. Sorry. Zoned out.”
He leaned in to kiss me—an act of love and defiance.
Good one, baby!
“Waiter!” Dad yelled, clicking his fingers.
I caught Orla watching me. Unnerving, chilly.
“How have you been?” I asked her. “What are you up to nowadays?”
Her answering smile thawed those brief seconds of discomfort. “I have some wonderful news to share with you. I know we haven’t spoken in a long time, but when your father told me he was coming to see you, I insisted I come too, to tell you this news as well as see you again. I’ve missed our friendship.”
It’d been more than a friendship. Friends with too many benefits…
“What is it?”
The waiter came over. My dad ordered champagne and two glasses. Good. He’d got the message.
“Wait for the drinks,” he said to Orla. “We’ll need to toast this.”
“Again.” She giggled.
“It’s definitely worth toasting a second time…and third and fourth and fifth…”
Three
Jake
Evander was giving me a sheepish look as the champagne arrived.
Knob.
He popped the bottle and poured for Orla and himself.
“I’m going to be the queen of Faerie,” Orla said, lifting her champagne flute and drinking the gold liquid at the same time as Evander.
I paused, the rim of my glass resting on my lips.
What the bloody hell?
“The queen?” Dean said.
There hadn’t been a monarch over that way since the last king fell in an attack on Autumn City. Thank fuck we didn’t live over there. Too complicated. Pretty, apparently, but it sounded like a headache. I had no intention of ever going over there.
“Blimey,” I muttered.
Orla didn’t look at me, full attention on Dean. “It’s a sure win,” she said. “All fingers point to me. Life has been unstable in Faerie for some time now without leadership. I offer a new era free from the past.”
“The old king wasn’t exactly a saint,” Dean replied.
“Very true,” she replied. “It’s time for a fresh start.”
“How did you get the squabbling to stop? More importantly, how did you get the fae to come to a decision on candidates? Who else is in the running?”
“Nonentities.”
How bloody rude!
“Completely true,” Evander said.
“With help from your father here, and my loyal supporters, I have the votes tied up.”
“That’s, what, three weeks away?” Dean asked.
The annual votes, nothing went anywhere. Dean kept an eye on those things.
“Yes.”
The waiter returned, taking orders, admiring Orla. I placed a hand on Dean’s thigh.
It took all my willpower not to give her the dirtiest look ever. That’d be mean. Really mean—the actions of a possessive bloke who didn’t let his other half have a past or any breathing room to live. That wasn’t me. I knew Dean had a past with women. Lou’s mum was a part of it. It didn’t bother me. Why would it? I wasn’t that guy. I didn’t want to be. Yet I couldn’t help but bristle every time I looked at this stunning fae woman.
Soon-to-be-queen.
Pretty and royalty.
Ah, bollocks.
Shut the fuck up!
“And you came all this way to tell me?” Dean asked.
“Yes,” Orla replied gently. “Are you unhappy I did?”
I ignored the eyelash-batting she directed at him.
“Not at all,” he replied. “I’m just surprised you thought of me.”
“I always think of you.”
Oh, hell, no! “So,” I said, a slight break in my voice, “what are your plans while you’re over here? You can’t just head home without taking in some sights.”
Orla brushed the top of her shoulders, leaning forward slightly. Was she pushing her boobs together?
All in my head. Had to put a foot down on the paranoia.
This wasn’t me.
“I’m not sure,” she said with a frosty air—like it was painful to speak to me.
Stop it!
“I worry about the pods,” she continued. “How do you live with them? They’re terrifying.”
“We just have to get on with it,” I answered.
“And that’s how you want to live your life, is it, Dean?”
Oh, don’t ask me.
That perfume of hers. Flowery. Dean had mentioned a dead flower stench when Lou had been briefly kidnapped by the fae woman in a green cloak. He’d said it was like she’d wanted him to know who she was.
Had Dean not noticed it?
I had to ask. Probably going to be a conversation killer but fuck it.
Orla was really watching Dean now, as if she was studying every single pore of his face.
“I have a question,” I said.
She glanced at me. “What is it?”
“Your perfume.”
That got her attention. “What about it?”
“I’ll just come out with it. Did you kidnap our daughter?” Gasps from the two fae. “You probably know all about it from the letter Dean sent him,” I gestured to the friggin’ papa fae. I was losing my cool.
“How dare you!” Evander barked.
“Don’t shout at him!” Dean snapped back. “He’s right. Whoever took Louise wanted me to know who she was.”
“And you think that’s me?” Ola questioned.
“We have to explore all avenues.”
“This is the first time we’ve seen one another in years, and that’s what you ask me?”
“Appalling behavior, Son. I thought you knew better than that.”
“Seriously?” Oh, crap. Here I went. “You want to act like father of the century? You? I’ve heard all about you. You’d rather party like you’re sixteen rather than even acknowledge the fact you have a son and a granddaughter.”
“Jake…”
I stopped at Dean’s voice, cooling off quickly. Shit. This was about Lou, and I’d possibly just driven them away.
Evander was on his feet. “I will not listen to this. Neither will Orla. I came here on good faith, to help you with your daughter. And what happens? Accusations! That’s what!”
People were watching. Man! Me and my big mouth!
“We’re leaving.”
“Dad—”
“No, Dean. I have never felt so unwelcome in my life.”
Damage control time. I got to my feet. “I’m really sorry. Please don’t go. I’m just worked up about this whole thing with Lou. I shouldn’t have snapped or pointed the finger at you, Orla.”
“No. You shouldn’t have,” Evander snapped, folding his arms dramatically.
Never mind you being rude about me and Dean. I didn’t go there. “I’m really sorry. Please stay. I’ll buy you another bottle of champagne if you like.�
��
Oh, did I feel dirty sucking up like this.
“Come on, Dad,” Dean added. “Don’t be so sensitive. Jake’s on edge. We both are. You can’t blame us for wanting to know the truth.”
Evander didn’t say a word, but he didn’t stomp off either. Good sign?
Orla placed a hand on his bicep. “Evander? Dean is right. I completely understand Jake saying that. I do.” She offered me a warm smile I didn’t like. “I’m not the woman you’re looking for.”
How to answer that?
“Then, do you know who could be behind it?” Dean asked. “Have you heard anything that might be able to help us?”
She shook her head, taking a seat again. “I wish I did. When Evander told me about what’d happened to Louise, I was horrified. You said she wanted you to know who she was? Do you have any enemies in Faerie?”
“Not that I know of.”
Evander was still standing, silent.
“It’s not like Dean frequents that realm,” I said.
Orla nodded. “Quite. All I can say is I’d like to offer my help in finding her.”
Humble pie, come to me. “Thank you.”
That was it for now. Fae were sneaky creatures. This life of mine had left me staying as vigilant to things as possible to all things.
Every fucker was suspect.
“Thank you,” Dean echoed me.
“Of course. I can tell you’re deeply worried. I would be too. Mark my words, when I’m queen, this woman will pay the highest price for this. We will find her, and we will help your daughter. At least, your father will.” She turned to Evander. “Because this is all about Louise and how you can help her. Your expertise is priceless in these matters.”
Dean had told me the same thing. When it came to fae magic, Evander had ways of digging into it, learning the magical mechanics, and figuring stuff out like no other fae. He was pretty famous for it but was never really called on to use his skills much.
And I’d gobbed off.
The prick had wound me up!
If this had been a few years ago, I probably would’ve headbutted him by now because that’s how I used to roll.
Would’ve been really bad, but also really funny.
More resistance from Evander.
“Yes,” Dean said, “Louise is all this should be about.”
We all waited, watching Evander.
He rolled his eyes. Man, what a drama queen. “Fine. I’ll stay. But I want two bottles for that, Jake.”
“Fine. Deal. And thank you. I really am sorry.”
Sort of.
He sat back down, clicking his fingers for the waiter, who scurried over to take the champagne order.
“So, tomorrow I meet this adorable little girl,” he said, removing a picture of her from his pocket. “I carry this everywhere with me.”
You do? Carrying a photo means fuck all when you can’t be bothered to come and visit. Dean’s mum does, and she lives in Singapore!
“We thought we’d do it at our house,” Dean said. “For dinner. You’re welcome, too, Orla.”
She was? “Of course,” I added.
“There will be plenty of food,” Dean carried on, giving my thigh a squeeze, “and we’d like to keep Louise in her own environment to make her feel as comfortable as possible.”
“Great idea,” Orla replied sweetly.
“What do you think, Dad?”
“I would like that,” Evander said, not wasting any time thinking about it. “A homecooked meal.”
And meeting your granddaughter, knob head!
“Will you be cooking, Son?” he asked, sipping his champagne.
“We both will.”
Evander gave me a smile that was supposed to be charming but came across as more of a smirk to me.
“Excellent,” the fae said. “I shall look forward to it. We both will.”
Orla nodded, and the waiter was summoned back to the table for the food orders.
Because I was a judgmental prat at times, I’d been expecting Orla to have a salad, then pick at it, taking annoyingly delicate nibbles—you know, not really wanting to eat and have herself look less than perfect.
She’d got herself a Quad Burger—four layers of beef, bun, loaded with onion rings, bacon, pickles, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and a side of coleslaw, fries, and corn on the cob.
Friggin’ hell! Well, that’d teach me for being a tosser.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she hoovered up the food. She noticed and winked. It was a sign of warmth.
Maybe I was being difficult for the sake of it. Not like I hadn’t been in the past. Still, I couldn’t quite shake the irritation. It wasn’t fair to say, I guess, but I just didn’t like her.
Evander talked about Faerie, all his shenanigans. He really, really enjoyed the company of women.
“Who knows how many sires I have wandering around the four lands.” He howled with laughter at his own joke.
That comment didn’t go down too well with Dean.
I sat there, barely said anything, but also did my best to laugh at jokes and be polite because these two were coming over tomorrow evening to meet my daughter. I’d already almost caused all-out war, so I had to stay cool.
Orla didn’t take her eyes off Dean, sharing more memories with him about their youth.
“Do you remember the old lady by the pond?”
“Yes. What did he call her?”
“Oldie Goldie.”
Dean chuckled. “That was it. What a miserable person she was.”
“Tell me about it. I hated her so much. Anyway, she isn’t Goldie Oldie anymore. She made herself a potion to restore her youth and ended up going too far. She’s now a baby, back in nappies, being looked after by a family member half her actual age in the spring lands.”
“You’re joking?”
“I’m not joking.”
Evander gave me a look. Smug, worthy of my fist meeting his nose.
And so the night went on like this, with Dean’s hand never leaving my thigh, but no one really talking to me.
Whatever.
Four
Dean
It was done. My father and Orla had returned to their hotel after observing a blue pod that’d appeared on the street outside of the restaurant.
“Horrible things,” Dad had said. “I’m so pleased they haven’t arrived in Faerie.”
“Yet,” Jake had added.
That’d been the finale of the night, all of us parting ways quickly.
Jake had been quiet the whole taxi ride home.
“Hey.” I took his arm as he placed a foot on our stoop steps.
He looked at me over his shoulder. “Yeah?”
“I love you.”
My fiancé smiled, and it melted my heart. “I love you, too.”
“Are you okay?”
“Uh-huh.”
Okay. Talk later.
We went inside.
“She was as wonderful as always,” Sophie said, perched on a sofa with a paperback novel in her lap.
“Wicked,” Jake replied, sitting next to her with a sigh.
I sat on the opposite sofa.
Luuk had gone home.
“How did it go?” she asked.
It was my turn to sigh now. “My father hasn’t changed. Still arrogant, still in-your-face. But he seems keen to meet Louise, and he and I are meeting up tomorrow afternoon to discuss things regarding her abilities.”
Sophie was as worried as we were. She clasped her hands together to stop herself from shaking. “I hope everything will be okay.”
“So do we.”
Jake reached out and patted her shoulder. “It will be, Soph. Don’t worry. I really believe that.”
She smiled at him. “Yes. We have to remain positive, do we not?”
“We do.”
“Okay. Well, please keep me updated. I’ll wish you both a goodnight.”
We walked her to the kitchen, then saw her out through the back way we shared
with her—a safe, secret connection between our houses.
When she was gone, I took Jake’s hand, caressing the engagement ring. “Want to talk, baby?”
“Okay.”
“You seem so sad.”
“I’m alright. Just being stupid.”
“About tonight? Don’t let either of them get to you.”
“She really fancies you.”
I shook my head. “She can fancy me all she wants. I only have eyes for you.”
“She’s super-hot.”
“Stop it.”
“And on the way to being queen. Talk about big prospects.”
I let go of his hand. “Do you think so less of me?”
His gorgeous cobalt eyes widened in horror. “What? No. I… I… Bollocks. I’m sorry. I’m a knob. I’m just… I don’t know. Tired.”
“Go and sit down, and I’ll make a cup of tea. Then we’ll talk. Okay?”
“Sounds good.”
I smacked him on the backside as he went to leave. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
He winked at me over his shoulder, suddenly brighter than he had been minutes ago.
“She was my first.”
“Right.” He sipped his tea, facing me on the other end of the sofa.
Okay, maybe not the best opening line to have. “Jake?”
“What?”
“You’re okay, right?”
“Of course. Go on.”
“We were friends as kids, had a thing for each other. You know how things go with horny teenagers and constant summer nights like there are in the summer lands.”
“I get it.”
“Wine and heat and hormones, and that was that. We slept together, under the stars.”
“Sounds romantic.”
“It was. But that doesn’t mean anything.”
“I know it doesn’t. I didn’t mean to sound snotty.”
I put my cup down on the coffee table. “That was then. This is now. I love you. I want you. All there is between Orla and I is a past. Memories. I’m not stupid, I know Dad brought her here to try and flaunt her beauty in front of me, make me see what I was supposedly missing.”
“She’s so pretty.”