“There’s a fireplace,” Rory breathes, staring at the wooden fireplace that reaches up to connect with the ceiling's huge wooden beams. Abraxas is sleeping a few feet from it.
“You just noticed that, Sweetheart?” Dom asks amused.
Rory narrows her eyes on him. “No.” After a moment's pause, “Yes.”
I struggle to contain my laughter.
Apparently there’s stages to the Rory Drunkenness Scale.
The first is truthful Rory—anything we asked, she answered without hesitation. She may regret that later.
The second—bouncing off the walls, energetic Rory.
According to Jace, the third is ‘Random Rory’—she says literally whatever comes to her mind. Which makes sense with the swimming thing.
The guys called somewhere in the first stage which is when Rory burst into tears because she’d been terrified they wouldn’t be okay.
“A,” Dom says softly, reaching over to close Alec’s laptop, “you’ve done everything you possibly could.”
Alec says anxiously, “I know, but—“
“It will be fine,” Dom tells him.
Alec sighs and puts his laptop on the coffee table.
“Are the security cameras here set up?” I ask him and he nods.
“I also left the ones at Hannah’s up so we’d know if anyone went there looking for you but I’d suggest that Hannah moves.” Alec reminds me to call my grandmother.
“Yeah.” I rub a hand over my face. “I think Rylan was looking at places so she could move into his apartment permanently.”
Rory bounces in my lap, testing my self control. “Can we call Hannah?” She says hopefully.
Ompf, Rory is not going to want Hannah to see her like this.
“How about tomorrow, Sweetheart? Hannah might be asleep already.” Dominic comes up with the perfect excuse.
“Nu-uh,” Rory shakes her head, “tonight’sDeath In Paradise.”
“So, do you really want to interrupt her? Hannah can get real cranky if you interrupt her duringDeath In Paradise,”I tell her, solemnly, trying desperately to hide my smile.
Rory thinks on that for a moment as I hold my breath.
“Okay. Tomorrow,” she declares before taking a sip of her drink.
Maybe we should think about cutting her off.
“You hungry, Sunshine?” Alec asks. Rory nods.
“Do you want to go shower while we heat some food up?” He questions.
“Mk,” Rory says, getting up off my lap.
She stumbles on the coffee table but bounds up the steps with her glass wobbling in her hand, threatening to spill. I hear her chant ‘ow, ow, ow’ on every step.
“I think I’m going to go with her.” I chuckle and grab my beer.
“Good call.” Dom grins after me.
