Page 100 of The First Taste
“Ugh, gross. He’d better not. I used to say that the only person he could never date again was Kingsley. She is really toxic for Keir. But now, I’m amending my statement. He can’t date Natasha, either.” She gives me a sly look. “He can date anybody else in the world. You, for instance.”
“Funny that you should mention that. Natasha finds me competition, apparently. So she had a bunch of pictures of hot guys my age for me to look at. She said she wanted to plan some dates for me because I was acting like a ho.”
Saffron squints. “That sounds like a distinctly American term. What does it mean?”
“In her words, she’s been watching me parade around the castle wearing short skirts. And she’s doing Keir a favor by protecting him from my feminine wiles. She’s crazy.”
“You’re preaching to the choir, Ella. I’ve been trying to get Keir to fire her for months.”
I snort. “He doesn’t believe me when I tell him that Natasha is in love with him. It’s creepy. Like Fatal Attraction-y.”
I pull a face and Saffron gives a whoop of laughter.
“The way that you describe things is delightful.”
I flush and grin. “Thanks.”
“Seriously. I will back you up if you decide to talk to Keir again. The very idea of him dating her is like… bleh! Can you imagine what sharing holidays with Natasha is like?”
I giggle. “No. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that she’s a terrible gift-giver, though.”
Saffron bursts out laughing at the very idea. I wiggle my eyebrows and giggle too. We pass away the afternoon like that, laughing and sharing stories. It’s the first time I really have felt at home here and I must admit, I love it.
Thirty-Five
“Ella!” Isla yells.
My antennae go up. My attention is drawn away from my phone, where I’m texting with Joy about her summer dance class.
“Isla!” I shout. “What is it?”
Sorry, gotta run. Talk to you soon?
Joy is quick to respond.L8r!
I set my phone down and listen for Isla. It’s getting late and I thought she had already gone to bed.
Cupping my hands around my mouth, I try again. “Do you need me?”
I’m in the big empty room I found on the second floor, splayed out on the dusty stone. I went for a hike with Isla yesterday and thought I was fine.
But today, my right leg is stiff and beyond sore. So I found a cool, quiet place to stretch it out. I’ll be honest; if Isla needs me to move anywhere right now, it’s going to be tough.
“Ella? Where are you?” she shouts. “I want to show you something before I go to bed!”
“Up here!” I call back. “Can you find me?”
A few seconds later, Isla comes barreling through the doorway. She stops short, looking around at the large room, empty except for a large number of dust bunnies.
“Whoa. Was this room always here?” she wonders aloud.
I give her a wry grin. “I’m pretty sure.”
Keir appears in the doorway, filling it up with his tallness. He looks quite casual at the moment, dark hair mussed and wearing his running clothes. He folds his arms and watches Isla.
“What did you come all the way up here to show me?” I ask. Folding my legs, I try not to grimace.
“Look what I drew!” She shows me a piece of construction paper, with a sort of creature scrawled on it. It’s not a person and probably a bird… I think. It’s also orange and green, which is throwing me off a little.
