“What do you care?” I leaned in across the table to snarl at him. “You hate me!”
“It’s not like that,” he repeated. Draining his cup, Ben stood. “I don’t hate you, marshmallow, I just think you’re an idiot.”
“What’s the difference?!” I demanded to know.
“Between clocking you for tying me up and leaving me hanging for coming to check on you for Penny, and melting your face off,” the Cyclops said with a shrug, then grabbed me by my shirt and slammed his fist right into my kisser.
As the world spun and I mumbled something about having a word with all six of him, visions of smiling lime green eyes danced in my head. “Prettiest smile,” I garbled out, then promptly passed out.
William, Ben, Alfie
(No particular point of view)
“Was that really necessary?” Will asked, glancing at Ben as the Satyr kneeled before Greniv, who was knocked clean out.
“Seemed necessary at the time,” Ben grunted out. His hands went to his hips as he stared down at the downed Marsh man.
Alfie came up, staring down at Gren. Brow furrowing, he scratched at his chin, the beard he’d been growing out of late a little itchier than he’d anticipated. “S’pose he had it comin’,” the Were said with a barely withheld twitch of his lips.
“Of course you two would agree, you’re so chummy now.” Will’s upper lip curled as he glanced up at the pair. He was jealous, envious at the thought of that stupid wolf stealing his best friend away from him. Ben didn’t like anyone, save for Will and his little family. Why start being friendly now, Will thought.
“You jealous, Billy?” Alfie arched a single blond eyebrow at the Satyr.
“Don’t be ridiculous, dog.” Will scowled but glanced away.
“He’ll have a shiner, but he’ll be fine.” Ben waved Gren’s unconscious form off.
“What’s the matter, one-eye, jealous I’m friends with your sworn enemy? Afraid the man of the Marsh’ll replace you?” William muttered under his breath.
“At first, once they all started coming around. But Pen told me to stop being stupid, you’re my best friend, been so for years, long before all these other assholes were in the picture.” The Cyclops was straight forward, blunt, but didn't often admit much in the way of feelings. Unless it was with his Penny, who had her ways of making him talk.
Will’s face screwed up but he no longer looked ready to head butt something.
“Better?” Ben asked.
“Glad you’re his first asshole?” Alfie copied the look Ben was giving Will, but he kept ruining it by snickering.
“Actually, yes.” Standing, Will glanced down at Gren. “We really should do something about him.”
“I could draw a dick on his face,” Ben offered.
When Will gave him a funny look, Ben sighed, the sound long suffering. “They do it on the jobsite when guys fall asleep all the time, clip-clop. It’s not all that weird.”
“No,” Will said simply.
“The girls left one of their backpacks in my truck. It stinks like makeup…” Alfie raised his eyebrows, glancing from Ben to Will.
Will and Ben glanced at each other, then down at Gren.
As one, they all began to slowly grin.
Chapter 18
Aster
Iwas still humming happily on the inside. Rushing home to get ready for work, I laughed, thinking about doing the walk of shame into the nursery. Oh, it was so worth it.
It was noon when I heard a familiar voice greeting Glittaria and Domkel, who were working as greeters at the entrance today. Just when Glit would have leaned in to gossip with my big brother, I called out with a shout, “Well, would you look what the cattails dragged in! What has you slinking around here?”
