Josue’s laughter felt so real. “Take care of yourself, little brother.”
“You too.” The call ended, and Scout bit his lip, worried about Josue but needing to be okay with Luckynow.
“What?” Lucky prompted.
Scout smiled at him, suddenly exhausted. He’d sent two guys to upstate New York via portal, and it was like he didn’t remember how tired that could make a guy until right now.
“My brother, Josue, wants you to know that the two assholes with the guns and bowie knives have had their memories wiped of any time they spent here or in upstate, and they are now probably wandering around the tri-state area asking strangers if they know who they are.”
Lucky choked on a laugh. “Seriously?”
Scout shrugged. “I, uhm, wanted them somewhere you weren’t. The last place I ever want you to be is where I grew up, so, well, there they were. In the middle of the woods where I ended up after I got kicked out.” He gave a crooked smile. “’Cause, you know, I don’t want you to have to go anywhere.”
Lucky nodded, but he still looked worried. “But Scout, how’d they find me?”
Scout moved forward again and pulled Lucky into his embrace, grateful for his height and his reach, because he wanted Lucky to feel safe and this was the easiest way to do that.
“I don’t know,” he said, worried. “But you told me that the gang hunting for you had a witch—someone who was rolling the bones or whatever—tracking you. Josue said that the two guys didn’t remember anything about the island, and even if they did, he and Alistair couldn’t remember what they’d said. And seriously, it sounded like his own memory had gone wonky. I’m thinking that maybe the guys looking for you have someone innocent on their side. They’re not having somebody’s sister roll the bones so she can help her brother kill you. They’re saying, ‘Hey, sweetie, we need to find our friend.’”
“How do you know it’s a sister?” Lucky asked suspiciously.
“Idon’t.” Scout huffed out a breath. “I’m saying that whoever they’ve got tracking you must be totally innocent ofwhythey want you. Because Alistair and Josue got nothing out of the guys I sent their way.”
“Huh.” Lucky glared at him, and Scout yawned.
“I’m sorry,” he said behind his hand. “I’m sorry. I… that thing I did with the guys took it out of me. I’m sorry. I’m like, I totally want to spend the night with you, but first there’s food, and then there’s talking to people, and then there’s—”
Lucky let out a breath and relented somewhat.
“Tell you what,” he said. “You go nap. I’ll finish up here. I’ll meet you in your apartment when I’m done, and we’ll figure out dinner then, okay?”
Scout smiled at him prettily. “Your apartment?” he asked. “Can we do yours? Kayleigh’s like a herd of horses, which is weird because she doesn’tlookthat big.” He paused. “Wait—there’s supposed to be a meeting atourapartment for dinner later.”
“Yeah, sure, whatever.” Lucky tried to grouse, but Scout could tell he was pleased. He dug in his pocket and came back with the keys. “You get some sleep in my apartment. We’ll meet Marcus and Helen when you wake up. Just… you know. Take Piers to keep an eye on you as you sleep. Can you do that?”
“Wouldn’t you rather have him here to help you finish early?” Scout offered helpfully, another yawn at the ready.
Lucky studied him, eyes narrowed to slits. “No.”
Scout had no choice but to yawn again.
While You Were Sleeping
ONCE PIERSwas in charge of half dragging an exhausted Scout down to the apartment through the back entrance, Lucky returned to help Helen clean up.
“Tomorrow’s Monday—your day off, you know,” she reminded him as he was busy washing glassware.
He glanced up. “I knew that,” he said. “Why?” The island’s tourist business was notoriously slow on Monday and Tuesday, picking up a little on Wednesday but getting super busy during the weekends.
“Because you and Scout both have the same day off,” she said imperturbably. “But, you know, Marcus and I, we work.”
They took turns taking entire days off, because their regular days were short-houred, although Lucky thought the shop was doing well enough that she could maybe get another helper or two.
“I know,” he said. “Why? You gonna hire someone else so you can take two days off?”
“Perhaps,” she said, nodding. “Wouldn’t mind it. Marcus has Kayleigh and Scout. I could do with a couple of baristas, but that’s not the point.”
“What is?” he asked suspiciously.
