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There was silence on the phone.
Then Tania whispered, “Was that the night one of our diners was attacked? Barry, I think his name was.”
“I’m not sure,” I said, my stomach tight with tension. “I don’t remember much because I was hit in the head multiple times. Why, what happened to Barry?”
“You were hit in the head!” Tania exclaimed. “By who?”
“I don’t know,” I lied. “But it could have been the same person. What happened to Barry?”
“He was attacked too,” Tania said. “He’s unconscious in hospital at the moment with a cracked skull and broken ribs. They don’t know if he’s going to come out of the coma or not.”
I closed my eyes, a strange wave of feeling washing over me. Was it happiness? Or apprehension? I wasn’t sure, but I wasn’t sorry that Barry had been so badly injured. Not when I knew what he’d tried to do to me.
“That’s no good,” I managed at last.
“When are you coming back?” Tania asked. “The restaurant’s been struggling without you.”
My gut twisted this time, guilt hitting me hard. “Ah... I probably need another day, Tania. I’m still recovering from the attack.”
“Oh shit! I’m so sorry, I can’t believe I didn’t think about that. I’ll tell the big bosses that you need a week, and that’ll make them send another manager from the city. Or, should I say two weeks? Then they definitely won’t say no.”
I opened my mouth to say that I didn’t need a week, let alone two. But Anthony wandered over to the desk, his eyebrows raised high. I could sense his interest in the discussion, and it made me hesitate.
“Tell them I need two weeks, Tania,” I said with a gulp as I turned away from Anthony’s intent look and focused on the book-lined wall to one side of the desk. “Then at least they’ll send you a decent manager. If I’m better sooner than that, I’ll just come back in.”
That was the best solution. It gave me some time to work out what I’d fallen into over here, and my restaurant and the staff would be well handled.
“Ask for Maree,” I added. “She’s tough, but fair.”
“No problem,” Tania said. “I will. You just get better, Charity. Don’t worry about us.”
I huffed out a laugh. “I always worry about you, Tania.”
She giggled into the phone. “I’m fine. Oh, I have to go. Delivery truck is here.”
“Okay, go. Talk to you later,” I said, and she hung up seconds later.
I sat still for a moment, staring at the phone in my hand. They were fine without me. They wanted me there, sure. I made things easier for them all, but they’d survive without me, right?
“Two weeks?” Anthony’s hopeful voice sounded in the room.
I put the cell phone down, turned in the swivel chair and stood up. “Yes. But that was more for the sake of my staff than anything else. If I have less than a week off, my bosses won’t replace my shifts. They’ll just expect the staff to pick up the slack, and they can’t. They need a manager.”
“I’m glad you’re going to stay a bit longer,” Anthony said, his voice soft now. Almost too quiet. “I was worried after this morning that you might wake up from your nap and demand to be taken home.”
“Why?” I asked, shaking out my heavy skirts. “Because you turn into a dragon?”
I shrugged. I’d dreamed of a lot worse things to admit. “It’s all good. Lunch?”
Anthony’s eyes widened as if I’d shocked him, but then he nodded and we walked to the dining room, where a table was set for two. “Your parents aren’t joining us?”
He held out a chair and I sat down, admiring the simple yet beautiful fare.
“My parents flew to a neighboring kingdom after breakfast this morning to visit my older brother who’s living there with his wife at the moment.”
I nodded as though I understood, though I didn’t. “So, all the princes and princesses marry each other? To keep the royal blood lines pure, or something like that?”
Anthony chuckled and reached for the jug of water. “Hardly. We each marry our fated mate, if we’re lucky enough to find them. My brother just happened to be fated to a princess, whereas Prince Anselm just married a human woman, actually. Someone from your world.”
