Once Upon A Half-Time 1(31)

“One of three.” Lachlan got excited, and his smile grew. He wiggled like a hyper puppy, but he bared the sharp teeth of a wolf. “Imagine this. Dinner in the sky.”

“Sounds messy.”

“Only if you fall.”

Oh, he was serious. “What are you planning? If it needs seatbelts—”

“Not a seatbelt as much as a…harness.”

“What?”

“It’s this brand new experience in the city. Really exclusive. I have dinner reservations for us at Table In The Sky. It’s a formal, five course meal, seated around a table that is hoisted into the air by a crane, one hundred and fifty feet above the ground!”

“Well…” I cleared my throat. “This has been a lovely evening, but I really should get going—”

“Come on, Elle. Where’s your sense of adventure?”

“It resides exclusively at sea-level.”

“But you can see the city from above. Watch the sunset. Eat fantastic food. It’s supposed to be the greatest adrenaline rush in Ironfield.”

“Yeah, but adrenaline isn’t good for digestion.”

Lachlan only laughed. He took my hand and pulled me closer. Like a fool, I let him get near.

His spicy scent was mouth-watering in itself, no dinner required. He brushed my hair with a casual swipe of his fingers. I shivered as he touched my cheek.

“Just think of it as a magic carpet ride, Red. Suspended in the air, above the city, in the twilight…”

“Where all of Ironfield can see up my dress.”

“You’re right,” he said. “You go up. I’ll stay on the ground.”

I shouldn’t have looked into his eyes. That damn green could enchant anyone into making a terrible decision.

“If I plummet to my death…” I arched an eyebrow. “You better make sure my obituary says that I died as a divorcee.”

“This will be one of the best nights of your life, if only because you’ll be with me.” He charmed me with those dimples. “Time’s ticking, Red.”

“Yeah, we better move. God only knows if this crane turns into a pumpkin at midnight.”

He offered his arm, but a sudden knock pounded hard on his door, the rapid taps of someone very little but very impatient.

Lachlan opened the door, turning at the last minute to protect his boys as Sebastian ran at him for a hug, arms forward but fists firmly clenched.

Sebastian shouted hi and burst past us, immediately launching onto Lachlan’s couch.

A rather frazzled looking woman smoothed her graying hair into a low ponytail. She stepped into the entry, glanced at Lachlan, looked at me, and gave her son a familiar chuckle.

“Uh…hi, Mom.”

She didn’t waste time. “Lachlan, I’m so sorry to do this. I need a favor.”

Uh-oh.

Only one type of favor came with a Pokémon overnight bag. Lachlan lowered his head, but he cast a single glance to Sebastian, hell-bent on making a fort out of the brand new couch’s cushions.

Lachlan’s mom pulled him into a hug, a sneaky way of transferring the bag.

“Aunt Meredith has appendicitis,” she said. “She had surgery, but she’s getting out today. Paul is stuck in Canada until tomorrow. She’s got no one to help her at home. I’m going to take care of her for the night. I need you to watch Sebastian and take him to kindergarten tomorrow.”

Lachlan nodded. He cast Sebastian’s little bag over his shoulder, about the same size as the Tinkerbell one the team still forced him carry to practice.

“Is Aunt Meredith okay?” he asked.

“Oh, she’ll be fine. I just want to make sure she’s not alone tonight.” His mother gave me a gentle smile. “I’m sorry if this interferes with any plans you might have had.”

Lachlan gestured to me. “Mom, this is Elle. Elle, this is my mom, Fiona.”

“So you’re the mystery wife.”

My reputation preceded me.

“Oh.” I hesitated. “He told you?”

Lachlan winked. “I tell my mom everything.”

“How…sweet.” What kind of weird, Twilight Zone dimension was this? I’d never met anyone who actually talked, let alone trusted, their parents. “And not at all…awkward.”

Fiona laughed. “Oh, don’t worry, honey. We all make mistakes. Feel free to blame Lachlan.” She pulled her son in for a hug once more. “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“Yeah. No problem.”

“Sebastian hasn’t eaten.”

“Neither have we.”

Fiona shook her head. “Then I wish you the best of luck. Please try to feed him something other than pizza. I’d like this child to get a little nutrition at some point in his life.”