“Sure. How long can a man and a woman share a home before—holy granite, what is that?” Ines’s back goes rod straight as Yami ambles out of the guest room where she and Tsuki had already put themselves to bed for the night before Ines showed up. Finding me, my big black baby plops on the floor beside the couch and lays her head in my lap.
Samson says, “Aurelia didn’t tell you about our puppies?”
“Um.No.She was too busy laughing and saying how cute you both were.” Ines jabs her finger at my sweet puppy-wuppy. “Thatis not a puppy.Whywas ‘puppy’plural?”
Freeing a quick whistle, Samson calls Tsuki to him and scratches behind the big wolf’s ears. “Puppies. We brought them home. From a dungeon. In the sky.”
Ines stares for a long, long time, then says, “Oh-kay, so what I’m hearing is that proposing will be easy peasy for you thrill-seekers. I’ve already started designing the wedding outfits. Tiny lace lemons. Everywhere. Actual lemons in the bouquet. Yellow accents in all the decorations. Chrysa’s on board. I’ve been sketching wedding cake designs for her, and she’s been experimenting with lemon curd recipes and perfecting her frosting lemons. Isn’t that nice?”
“Nes.” Samson stops her before I can figure out how to. “Why is the town planning a wedding that isn’t happening? Don’t you people have better things to do?”
Ines snorts. “Isn’t happening. Okay.Suuure. You’ve spent a decade barely tolerating us, Sammy. Suddenly, Citrus appears, and you’re hiking mountains, taking her to Amecrest, buying her everything she needs, making her meals,andinviting people over for dinner? Ten. Years. Sammy. Today was the first time anyone in town has been invited to share a meal with you in your own home. You blew a lot of smoke messing with Austin, but I’m dead sure you didn’t lie when you told Lia your preciousLemonademakes you feel safe. If you aren’t planning to wife her up, what are you doing?”
Samson’s eyes meet mine for a fragile instant, and I do desperately wish this conversation weren’t happening while my uterus was throwing a fit. The medicine has quelled the pain, but my emotions remain as stable as glass spaghetti.
“There are plenty of other reasons that explain my behavior,” Samson murmurs.
“Oh? Are there? Okay. Name one.”
“We’re friends.”
Ines rolls her whole head when she rolls her eyes. “We’refriends, too, Sammy. I’ve never gotten such special treatment.”
“You’ve not needed it. If you did, I’d give it. No questions asked.” Something cracks in Samson’s eyes as he searches Ines. “Did you not know that?”
“I…” Ines pauses, crosses her arms again. “No. I guess I didn’t. You’re saying, if I needed it, you’d let me stay in your guest room?”
Samson tenses, but he nods.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes. Why is this such a big deal to you?”
Ines glances over her shoulder, at me, and I wish I could sink deeper into my fluffy blanket and disappear. Nonchalant, she tosses her attention back to Samson. “No reason.”
“What was that?” he asks.
“What was what?”
“Why did you just look at her like that?”
Ines’s lip juts. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Anyway.” She forces a yawn. “It’s late. I’ve been working on a wedding dress all day, so I’m tired.”
“Nes.”
She heads for the door. “Night!”
Samson grabs her shoulder, halting her in place. “Why are you like this?” he grumbles.
Her lashes bat. “It’s part of my charm?”
“It is not very charming.”
Ines’s eyes dart to me once more; a quick, almost imperceptible flick. “Is Citrus charming?”
Samson flinches. “Why?”
“Just curious.”
