His mother came up and gave her king an enthusiastic kiss on the cheek.He bent down and whispered something in her ear that seemed to change her mood before they quietly stalked off.Leaving the faire.
Hawk didn’t look surprised.Lilian’s heart sank.“He’s leaving?”
“This isn’t really his thing.”
“Having fun with people?”she asked, waving a hand at the party surrounding them.Everyone was celebrating a place that Marcus and Janelle had created together.And they were leaving.
Hawk didn’t answer immediately.He seemed to be thinking about the question, as if it had never occurred to him before.“I think it's more the breakdown of the faire structure.Everyone here is equals, friends.It breaks the illusion of the faire, and that’s what he doesn’t like.”
Disappointment bit into her.“And what about you?This isn’t really your thing either, right?”
“Yeah.”He hummed the word, putting his hands into his pockets and rocking on his heels.“But I’m enjoying myself, thought I might stay for a while.”
An arrow of triumph snagged in her chest.She clutched at it dramatically.Despite the earlier weirdness between Hawk and his dad, they were still at the faire, and it was impossible for her not to feel the pull of it.“Well, I think you deserve a drink.Let’s get back before Margo and Logan help themselves to our defenseless tankards.”
Hawk’s brows narrowed.“They wouldn’t.”
Lilian shrugged.“I don’t know.You’ve lost some of your big, scary manager clout.”
“I knew I shouldn’t have listened to you.”He shook his head, muttering under his breath something about incentivized fun and tax deductions.
She nodded along sympathetically, doing her best not to think too much about the conversation she’d overheard.Or the strange air between Hawk and his father.It had been easier before when she assumed they were two sides of the same coin, both unapproachable, tight-lipped assholes from the same gene pool.Now, though, she wasn’t so sure what to believe.
With an exaggerated yawn, Logan stretched his long, muscular limbs.The movement reminded Lilian all too well of the black barn cat her grandmother used to own.“Welp, I have to bid you ladies farewell.My men need their captain.”
Margo glanced at her phone to check the time.“You have a show soon?”
“At noon.”He nodded.
“At Dead Center Stage?”Margo pressed.“You're going to walk all the way there in this weather?”
Logan eyed the door, as if noticing the pouring rain for the first time.Then his gaze slid down to the brace on his leg.“Huh.Do you think they'll cancel it?”
The question was directed at Lilian, who gave him a knowing look.Sunday had been plagued with rainstorms.They hadn’t canceled the morning’s Finding Mr.Brawn Show, only because it finished before the downpour started.She and Logan barely made it back to the shop just in time.The stage in Pirate’s Cove didn’t have a cover, but The Grog did have a smaller stage where performances relocated to.
Margo sighed.“I have an umbrella.Let me help you.”
“I don't need help.”
“You don’t have to impress me, Mr.Tough Pirate,” Margo said, grabbing her umbrella.“Let's go.”
Logan huffed, staring at the downpour.“Maybe my men don't need me.”
“Come on.”Margo grabbed his hand and hefted him to his feet.“You can lean on me, but no hogging the umbrella.”
“Ms.Bodice,” Logan whined, “I am being kidnapped by your young assistant.If anyone should come by looking for me…”
“I'll direct them to the stage.”Lilian waved.“Good luck.”
The pout on Logan's face was for show.At least, she thought it was as she watched the two shuffle out into the downpour.Lilian sent up a silent prayer that no one would see them and tell King Rothbury.The last thing they needed was grief over a yellow umbrella.
With Logan and Margo gone, her shop became eerily quiet.Usually there was someone to talk to, but now there was only the rat-a-tat of rain against the wood roof filling the small space.
Lilian took a deep breath as the fresh smell of rain seeped into her lungs.She loved these kinds of days, watching the rain fall from the comfort of her shop felt like home.It was impossible not to feel at ease, especially with a book in hand.
She took out her battered copy ofThe Raven Kingand settled in for one of her favorite scenes.Penelope had just arrived at the Dark Elm Ball in a dress made from lily petals.Her mind instantly thought of Russ and his designs.A dress covered in dewy water that looked like crystals across her body, in a fabric so sheer she could feel the Raven King’s heat as he pressed against her.
“Penelope…” His deep voice rolled over her like thunder across a field.
