Page 29 of Landing Her Eagle
Liam refills Daphne’s wine, and she picks up the glass as she answers. “I’m not going. This all happened suddenly, so my passport needs to be renewed. Plus I have work and my house. I can’t up and go on the spur of the moment.”
I wince. Daphne takes a large sip of her wine. She’s bouncing her leg under the table. It’s her tell that she’s stressed. I give her thigh another squeeze, and she gives me a tight smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.
“Oh no!” Kendall exclaims. “That’s a shame! You can expedite your passport renewal. I’m sure you can get time off and—oof.” She gives her brother a dirty look. I’m pretty sure Liam kicked her under the table. There’s a reason he’s usually my other best friend. When he’s not trying to pick up my girl. Thank goodness Kendall is going to school for elementary education and not something like International Relations. She does not have a future in diplomacy.
My mother, bless her soul, starts talking as if the past two minutes didn’t happen. “I saw you brought dessert, Daphne. I’m saving room. What is it?”
Dad picks up the conversational baton. “You don’t even know what it is, Holly-honey, and you’re saving room? What if it’s something you don’t like?”
Rolling her eyes, she says, “Mike, it’s dessert. Of course, I like it.”
I love my parents.
Daphne smiles with appreciation at Mom. “It’s a caramel apple cake with cream cheese frosting from Half Cocked. I’ve heard it’s delicious. Logan loves their cream cheese frosting from their carrot cake cupcakes.”
Aunt Faith chimes in. “It sounds delicious! Thanks so much for bringing it. I love all the apple desserts the season brings. I was thinking it’s such a pleasant night we could have dessert out on the patio and light the fire.” She gets up from the table. “I know you kids are heading out, but we’ll relax out there after you go. Does everyone want coffee with their cake?”
Our fathers trained Liam and me well, so we collect the dishes now that everyone’s finished eating. Our dads do the same.
“Do you have any tea, Aunt Faith?” I ask. “Daphne isn’t a coffee drinker.”
I place mine and Daphne’s bowls on the counter while Liam rinses the dishes to prepare them for the dishwasher.
“Oh, no! Don’t go to any trouble on my account,” Daphne protests.
But Aunt Faith assures her it’s not an issue and plugs in the electric kettle she keeps on the counter.
Kendall claps with excitement. “Ooh!We have a spicy apple chai and a cinnamon apple rooibos! Which do you prefer?”
“Lipton?” Daphne answers with a sheepish smile.
“Daph isn’t fancy about tea,” I tell Kennie with a wink.
Mom slices the cake as Aunt Faith prepares a tray for Dad to take to the patio with the coffee mugs, creamer, and sweeteners. The water has heated for the tea, so Daphne’s preparing her mug at the breakfast bar. Uncle Will comes in from lighting the outdoor fireplace and takes the tray of cake plates and forks.
“Wow, you folks have dessert service down to a science. I’m impressed!” I say, opening the French doors off the family room to the patio that’s more like an outdoor living room.
The deck outside the main bedroom upstairs forms the roof of the space. There’s a large table for family dining and a café set for a more intimate meal for two. Conversation seating and a TV make it a fun space to watch baseball on summer evenings. The natural gas-fueled brick fireplace supplies gentle warmth against the chill of the night. This patio is nicer than most people’s living rooms.
“Oh my goodness. This space is gorgeous,” Daphne says in awe, stepping outside with her mug of tea.
“Yeah, I’d love to have a space like this one day,” I say, admiring the area.
“Me too,” she replies. “But Gran’s house isn’t right for a patio this elaborate.”
I assume we’ll move to something larger when we start a family. But first, we need to figure out what we’re doing in order to be together, so I let the matter drop.
We’ve all chosen to sit on the casual grouping of couches and armchairs rather than the outdoor dining table. I miss times like this—being with my family and Daphne. I’ve been all around the world, seeing and doing incredible things, but a simple fall evening in New Jersey is exactly where I want to be. I’m fortunate to have these people in my life. Daphne would give anything to spend a carefree Friday night with her parents and Gran, and she never will. I’ve been taking this for granted.
“Okay, let’s go!” Kendall exclaims, practically ripping my cake plate from my hand when I put my last bite in my mouth. “I’m legal now and want to play the slots! This is the first time we’ve all been out together, and I want to get going.”
“I guess that’s our cue to leave,” I say, standing and pulling Daphne up with me. We say our goodbyes to the parents and get in my Jeep. Kennie and Daphne are in the back, and Liam is riding shotgun.
“We’re going to Devil’s Den, right?” Kendall asks with her head between the front seats. “The reports on the news when it opened were fantastic. I love how it plays on the Jersey Devil legend. Is Teagan really descended from the family?”
Liam answers. “Yeah, on the maternal side. They’re witches. No shifting into the Jersey Devil. I don’t think any of them shift. I believe they used spells and misdirection to create the legend.”
Now it’s Daphne’s turn to poke her head between the seats. “You know Teagan Penhall?”
