Page 49 of Landing Her Eagle
Daphne giggles and flips her the bird. If she must be in the dungeon, at least she likes her cellmate.
“Hello, sunshine,” I say. “My day has been okay. How about you?”
“He calls you sunshine? Oh my God, Daphne, that is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard! I want to be a bridesmaid!” I guess this is a conversation for three since Mallory is joining in.
“It’s okay. I’m stuck working with a crazy person, but it could be worse. We’re dealing with the usual end-of-month busyness.”
“You know you love me!” Mallory’s cheeky grin appears over Daphne’s shoulder, and she peers into the screen. “Do you have a brother?”
She cracks me up. “Yeah, but he’s still in college, gay, and not as awesome as I am.”
“I can work with all that!” I hear a beep, and Daphne makes anoh shitface.
Mallory calls out, “Hi, Will!”
My uncle must have come to their area. How much did he hear?
“I’ll let you go. Talk later,” I tell Daphne as she nods and blows a kiss before signing off.
I hope they aren’t in trouble. Uncle Will is cool and won’t punish them for being goofy. But she’s concerned about things being awkward now that we’re in a relationship and she’s like family. Sheisfamily. She’s the person I want to make a family with.
And I want to be with my family. And not just through a screen someone can easily turn off. But instead, tomorrow, I’ll continue my drive to Portugal. Another town, another festival, another day, oceans away from the only person I really want to be around right now.
As I eat the steak I ordered for dinner, I think about how I can take care of the things I need to do in the shortest amount of time. I have a plan, but I think I need to revise it. When I get back to my room, I open my laptop and research other Christmas markets.
“Okay, what markets open earliest?” I mutter to myself, tapping away on my laptop. My intention was to attend the major markets that start in late November, covering the classic markets in Germany and Austria. My research shows me that there are markets in Manchester, England and Edinburgh, Scotland that start earlier in November. I could cover those, and then there are three in eastern France and western Germany opening within a few days of each other a little later in November. I could finish what I need to do and make it home in time for Thanksgiving. I imagine Daphne’s surprise if I showed up weeks early.
Chuckling to myself, I shake my head. Mari has me pegged. I am a planner.
29
DAPHNE
It’srare that the big boss comes down to our area. On the few occasions we need to discuss things with Will, we do it in his office. I think he knows I was speaking with his nephew, but he doesn’t seem to care.
“Hey,” he says, “just checking in to see how you’re doing down here. Swamped with end-of-month stuff?” Will glances around our space and seems to be disturbed by what he sees. “It is really dark down here.”
Mallory and I glance at each other.
She answers, “No, we’re good. What’s up?” Since we don’t get visitors here, there aren’t extra chairs, but that’s not an issue for Will. He sits on top of a spare desk that got schlepped down here when it was deemed unworthy of being upstairs. Yes, our area is where old office furniture goes to die.
“Nothing, really. You two are in your own little world down here, and I’m nosy.” We all laugh.
Mallory and I glance at each other. She gives me a look that’s clearly a question.Have I spoken to Will about my plans already?I shake my head slightly to show that I haven’t.
“I’ll let you get back to work,” Will says. “My door is always open if you need anything.” Will rises from the desk he’s been sitting on.
Why is he here? Does he know something? Did Logan tell him something? I want to think he wouldn’t because it’s for me to tell, but sometimes he thinks he knows what’s best and butts in where he shouldn’t. I hope he didn’t.
“Cool, thanks, Will,” I say.
“Bye, Will,” Mallory adds.
Our gazes meet as the door beeps, signaling Will’s exit.
“Was that weird?” I ask.
“A bit. Do you think he knows you want to cut back?”
