“That’s my plan,” he said. “Thank you both. For everything.”
“Are you leaving?” Slate asked, though he already knew the answer.
“Yes.” He smiled, and his gaze seemed far away. “I spent the last fifty years chasing what I thought I missed by dying early. When I got drafted, I envied the hippies who just got to do whatever they wanted. So I fell in with Gary and his friends. It was fun, but I want something more.”
“More?” Dash asked. “As in see more of the world?”
“That, and maybe find someone to see it with.” Cain blushed, and Slate found it adorable. “Thomas and Oliver getting together showed me what’s possible. I’m going to chase that dream for a while.”
Cain wasn’t the innocent kid he’d once been, but he had a good heart. “We wish you all the best, Cain. Stop by and visit now and then.”
“I’m glad you said that,” Cain said. “If it’s okay, I’d like to use the Manor as my anchor.”
“You’re not going to ask for a room too, are you?” Dash tried to sound put out, but he was smiling too widely to sell it.
“Not right now.” Cain shrugged. “But maybe someday.”
At this rate, the Manor would fill up fast, but the thought didn’t bother Slate. “We’ll be glad to see you whenever you come back.”
Cain gave them a two-finger salute—part military precision, part peace sign—and faded.
“I think that’s everyone,” Dash said. “Gary left a note, the boys are upstairs, and Cain is off on a new adventure. Let’s go before someone new drops?—”
A shriek echoed from upstairs. “Meredith?”
Dash pushed away from the table a second before Slate. They bolted for the stairs, and Slate wondered what could have scared… “Oh shit. Do you think?—”
“It has to be.” Dash took the stairs two at a time, but then pulled up so fast Slate ran into him.
Meredith stood on the landing in her pajamas and wild bed hair. She blinked several times before rubbing her eyes with the heels of her palms. “Mermaid! What’s wrong?”
“I was using the bathroom,” Meredith said, staring straight ahead and still blinking. “There were noises in the adjoining room?—”
Slate barely held back a snort. Dash’s shoulders shook, and Slate heard the smothered laugh coming from in front of him.
“—but I couldn’t imagine what you’d be doing inthatroom at this hour, so I opened the door and?—”
She stopped. Made a helpless gesture with both hands that encompassed everything she couldn’t seem to articulate. “I saweverything.”
Slate’s teeth dug deep into his lip, and Dash made a sound that might’ve been a cough but was definitely suppressed laughter.
“They were—” Meredith tried to use her hands to explain, but it didn’t help. “They didn’t have—there was no?—”
“The coffee’s ready, and we’ve got blueberry muffins,” Dash said. “You’ll love them. They’re out of this world good.”
“Thank God your boyfriend can bake.” Meredith shot Slate a grateful look. “I hope there’s enough of both. I might need two muffins and a pot of coffee.”
She moved around them and continued down the stairs. He wasn’t certain, but Slate thought she said, ‘I’ll never unsee that.’
Slate waited until her footsteps faded toward the kitchen and then lost it. Dash joined him, clutching the railing so he wouldn’t fall.
“It’s not funny,” Dash said, waving his hand like it would help.
“Not at all.” Slate nodded at first, but then shook his head, because that was after all the correct reaction.
Their admonishments didn’t stifle their continued laughter. Dash wiped his eyes, and Slate pressed his hand against his lips. Finally, they got themselves under control.
“Guess that answers that,” Dash said.
