It was something we shared too.
The next table was a bagel station. There were a dozen flavor options and then slicers, toasters, and just about every option of topping ever. First were several cream cheese flavors, smoked salmon, capers, onions, avocados, cucumbers, fruit, jams, peanut butter, and about eight things I didn’t even recognize. The tags told me what the peppers and weird tomatoes were, but it was a cool set up.
And a bagel on a plate ended up in my hand. I wasn’t even sure who put it there, but yeah, a plain bagel seemed the least scary.
Next was a crepe buffet, plates of them folded all pretty, made with the crepe machine I’d seen Nick use to feed us all. There were a few flavors, but the star was the range of toppings again. There was everything for breakfast crepes someone could imagine; all the syrups, jams, fruits, compotes, and more labeled clearly and perfectly.
After crepes was a yogurt parfait station. Again, a few flavors, but the toppings were ridiculous. Sure, there was a lot of crossover on what you might want on your crepes and yogurt, but that was sort of the awesome part as maybe I’d do fresh fruit in my yogurt and try something else for crepes. Or multiple things. It was really cool.
Last was the egg buffet. There were metal catering trays with domes to keep them fresh, and they had an array of eggs: poached, fried, hard boiled, over easy, and then several types of scrambled eggs with fixings. Those were basic, but then there were more toppings to add as everyone loved bacon in their eggs, but not everyone like onions or black olives.
I did, but not everyone did.
There were also other options for sides, like breakfast potatoes, sausage, bacon, and more for those who didn’t like it all mixed together. Overall, there was nothing anyone could bitch about. Really, they’d have to just make shit up; Nick and his helpers did such a great job. There was something for everyone, it was done well, and knowing Nick, it all tasted amazing.
Relief filled me, and I reminded myself I was annoyed people crashed the weekend. It was hard to balance as I didn’t want everyone to look bad when they’d put so much work into the event, but then I was pissed people were abusing my coven. Again, life wasn’t easy, and I reminded myself it would be over in less than forty-eight hours.
That helped. A countdown helped.
Everyone else was still getting food, so I went over to the far table in the corner and sat down, careful of how I did with the dress. I bit back a groan as my cramps kicked up, hoping my period would just start already now that I had made an appearance, and when I had sex with my nobles during my period, that weird thing happened with them making me feel better. Well, better than over the counter medicine could.
But I knew a lot of this was nerves too, so I didn’t want to get to the part where I was naked and having sex like an adult show for a thousand people. Yeah, I felt a stronger need to groan then. Instead, I nibbled on my bagel and sipped my tea.
People started arriving and the reaction to the spread was actually good. I think people were so shocked and happy to get food they couldn’t get as much anymore—or at all depending where they were or their situation—that it overruled the petty side of them. The helpers were really booking it though as carts came out again and again with refills.
At least people didn’t seem to be wasting the food. That would have just pushed me over the edge when people were hard up for food all over.
I realized my group had sat down with me and the overflow at the next table, all of them chatting about what was going on or updates. I hadn’t heard a single word. Glancing over at Tyson, I was glad I wasn’t interrupting him, but I didn’t want to forget. “Where’s Chris?”
“He wanted to see what was going on at Albuquerque,” he said, clearing his throat. “I suggested it. Being okay with us and getting thrown in the deep end of visiting courts and all of this crazy is very different. I would never have joined a coven if yours was like most, and I don’t want him to think that’s who we are.”
“Smart, yeah, I get that,” I agreed. “How is it going there?”
“Good.” He nodded when I gave him a nervous look. “Ten stayed with the thirty elderly the first time and the others went back to get more. They should have arrived with a second group today, and a few are going to be helping at the hospital right across the street, so they were going to get started cleaning it up. Chris made it clear that’s the limit for the quarantine, there or the hospital.”
“Any more problems with that asshole?”
He sighed. “Yes, but he took it back down to disapprovingly hostile instead of upping the level. I think he was testing the waters for a takeover, but people weren’t happy his bull was risking help. It maybe bought more peace, but things are going to boil over. Chris and I agree with you to let the assholes self destruct, but he’s determined to get the good people out.”
“He’s a catch like that,” I teased, waggling my eyebrows at him.
“He is.” He gave me a worried look. “He asked if we can be together again, for real this time instead of when we could and not on assignments. I want that. I love him.”
“Of course.” I searched his eyes. “Why do I feel like you’re asking me for permission?”
“He is. It’s a princess’s right to deny relationships of her
