“Hey, Sarah,” Darcey said when she picked up. “Did you get my messages?”
“Yeah, thanks for taking care of those things,” she said. “How’s Adam?”
There were a few seconds of silence, then Darcey blew out a breath. “I picked him up today, and it was obvious he found out while he was in school.”
“He wasn’t happy about it, I suppose.” It was a statement, not a question.
“No,” Darcey said. “He wouldn’t even talk to me. Just locked himself in his room when we got home. But, don’t worry, I’ll talk to him, okay? We’ll sort it all out when you come home. When are you back?”
She bit her lip. It was probably safer if Darcey didn’t know about the whole attempt on her life thing. “In a few days. So, everything’s okay with the site?”
“Yeah. That package went out just in time, and the lady at the Ship N’ Click said you’ll get it tomorrow first thing. So,” Darcey began. “How are things with the hubs?”
“Ha. Were you waiting all day to ask me that?”
“Of course. It’s not every day you find out you’re married to a national hero. Is he even better looking in person?”
She let out a long, overdrawn yawn. “Woo, it’s really late out here. I should get to bed.”
Darcey giggled. “Oh, is that how it is? Fine. But you’ll give me some real details when you get home, right?”
Home. A pang of loneliness hit her. Las Vegas and their crappy two-bedroom apartment seemed really far away right now. “I will. ’Night, Darce.”
“’Night, Sarah.” It was the way she, Darcey, and Adam always said goodnight to each other, ever since those days back in their foster home. When they turned off the lights in that tiny bedroom they shared, they could pretend everything was okay and they were the perfect family.
Another pang of loneliness hit her, and as soon as Darcey hung up, she sent out a text to Adam.
Can we talk? Just say the word and I’ll drop what I’m doing to call you. Send. Her gaze remained on the screen as the seconds ticked by, but there weren’t even any bubbles popping up on the chat to indicated he was typing.
“Fine.” Putting the phone on the bedside, she sank back into the pillows. Stubborn kid. But she couldn’t fault him for being, well, what he was—a teenager still trying to find his place in the world. When she took on the responsibility for raising Adam, she hadn’t been much older than him, and there was no time for normal teen stuff. But she vowed to let Adam have the space he needed to have a normal childhood and figure out who he was. Be careful what you ask for.
The fake yawn seemed to have affected her more than she realized as she drifted off to sleep as soon as she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, it seemed like only a moment had passed, but light was already peeking through the gaps between the shades. Immediately, she reached for her phone, but still no reply from Adam. With a grumpy sigh, she went to the bathroom to wash up, got dressed, and headed downstairs.
“Good morning, my lady,” Thoralf greeted cheerfully as she entered the kitchen. “An employee from The Agency has brought your vehicle back, and your keys are on the table by the door. He also informed me that Mrs. Lennox herself checked you out of your motel, and your things are in the trunk. Also, Daniel has brought us food and supplies.”
The countertops in the bright, cheery kitchen were covered with various paper bags overflowing with boxes of food, veggies, and other household sundries.
“Awesome.” Glancing around her, she wondered where Daniel was.
“Daniel has gone to work,” Thoralf offered, as if reading her mind. “He informed me that he will be back later tonight, but to call him should we need anything.”
Disappointment flooded her, but she ignored it. “All right. Have you eaten?”
His dark blond brows snapped together. “I confess I have not. My skills in the kitchen are quite limited, but I’m sure I can find some fruits or vegetables to eat.” He dug through the bags and took out a bag of apples. “Ah! Something nutritious. This shall do.”
She looked at him skeptically. “Surely you need more than that. Hold on.” Searching through the first bag within her reach, she found some eggs, milk, and bread. “Ah, here we go. Why don’t I make us some breakfast?”
“You don’t need to—”
“It’s fine, really. I’m starving.”
It didn’t take her too long to find everything she needed to put together a simple breakfast. Thoralf was happy to help root around the kitchen for things she needed or with tasks like breaking the eggs into a bowl or making toast. Soon, they were sitting down to some scrambled eggs, toast, juice, and coffee.
“This is most kind of you, my lady,” Thoralf said as he took a spoonful of eggs into his mouth. “Delicious.”
“Thanks. And please, call me Sarah.” She didn’t quite know what to make of the dragon shifter. It was almost like he stepped out of a medieval TV show or novel from the way he acted, talked, and dressed. This morning, he wasn’t wearing his armor, but instead, donned a long-sleeved white shirt and tan pants. “So … you’ve been traveling for a while now, Thoralf?”
“Yes.” He took a gulp of orange juice. “My quest has taken me far and wide. I began in Europe and made my way through Asia, South America, and now I am here in the United States. It’s my first time here.”
“And you said you’re from the Northern Isles?” she asked. “I’m afraid I’ve never heard of that country.”
“Few have my—I mean, Sarah,” he corrected.
