Page 35 of Valentine's Day Treasure

Suddenly the males were speed walking. Dahlia and Cerise had to jog to keep up.

“Dinner’s at 7,” Crew said reading the sign on the closed restaurant doors. “And there’s a dance floor in there.”

Dahlia and Cerise cupped their hands to the glass but couldn’t see inside.

Beckett wandered across the hallway, where there was a large, open room, with comfortable chairs placed around an oversized river rock fireplace. Beckett picked a chair and sat down, looking like he might stay a while. Cerise followed, sat on his lap, and within the space of zero point two seconds, they were making out like teenagers under the bleachers.

“Oh no you don’t,” Dahlia said, grabbing Cerise’s arm and tugging on it. “You can make out in Ella’s room.” She pointed to herself and Crew. “That’s what we’re going to do.”

Cerise laughed and Dahlia pulled her far away from Beckett.

“Come on, Beckett, where is it?”

“Okay, okay.”

Beckett got to his feet and they were on their way down another hallway, to an exit door, and outside. A short path just outside the door led them to what looked like a two-story house. A sign in front said, “Presidential Suite.”

“This is a room?” Dahlia asked.

Crew nodded. “The whole house is the suite, but it’s not as big as it looks. The entire upstairs is a movie theater that seats fifteen people.”

They knocked but no one answered. Beckett laid on the doorbell, but still no one came to the door. Dahlia got her phone out and texted Ella and within a minute, Ella opened the door.

“Come in, come in.” She pointed over her shoulder. “Look around. I gotta get back up there before they pick out the movie without me.” She started up the steps.

The opening sounds of orchestra music started playing, loud.

“Too late,” Dahlia said.

Ella hustled back up the stairs, one hand under her belly.

“Guess we’re staying,” Beckett said.

They took off their snow clothes then made their way up the stairs into an open room full of leather seats and round tables with a serve-yourself concession stand along one wall, with popcorn, candy, and sodas. A full-sized movie screen covered an entire wall. Mac and Bruin were in the seats closest to the screen, with soup bowls in front of them, and a massive container of popcorn between them, both of them eating fistfuls of it. Near them on the floor was the stockpot full of stew. Trent and Troy lounged in the aisle. Ella was in Trevor’s lap at a corner table, feeding him popcorn a piece at a time.

On the screen, a muscle car zoomed down a road with a woman in labor screaming in the back seat, and the man driving asking her how fast she thought they were going.

“Talladega Nights,” Cerise whispered. “This is hilarious.”

Crew grabbed Dahlia’s hand. “Have you seen it?”

“No.”

“It’s funny—you’ll like it. Where do you want to sit?”

They grabbed snacks and chose their seats. Dahlia sighed happily and kicked her shoes off, folding her feet under her in the comfortable leather chair and eating a little popcorn.

This was going to be a treat.

18—Leaving Scotland

Heather woke up suddenly, still on the couch in the semi-darkness, with her mate asleep beside her and a wet spot beneath her.

“Ew,” she whispered, rolling off of it.

“Aye,deae,” Graeme murmured, his eyes closed.

Heather sat up, nausea gripping her. She wrapped both arms around her stomach, breathing deeply and waited for the feeling to pass. Next to her, Graeme began to wake. He opened his eyes and saw her uncomfortable.

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