Tall Dark and Hungry(6)

"No."Terri laughed at the compliment and shook her head. "I've always been interested in the theater, unfortunately I have no ability in that area. I teach scriptwriting, actually, and volunteer in community theater.»

That was all Bastien wanted to hear. He started forward at once, intending to bring an end to his cousin's flirting, but the elevator doors opened just as he did. His attention was drawn to the trio in the entry as he heard Kate's distressed, "Oh, Lucern! You'll never guess what's happened!»

After the briefest of hesitations-a hesitation that ended only when Terri moved past him to join the three people in the entry-Bastien followed her to find out what the dilemma was. It did seem to be the day for problems.

"We had the production meeting, then Chris went home to finish packing and collect his things for the California conference. He forgot his briefcase at the office, his flight was at five, and he didn't have time to come back for it, so I said I'd leave early and run it out to him. And thank goodness I did!»

"Er… Kate? Do you think we could move into the living room so I can put my foot up?"the other editor asked. "My leg's killing me.»

"Oh. Of course, Chris. He's supposed to keep his leg elevated,"Kate explained to the rest of them. She took his arm to help him into the living room. "It's broken.»

Bastien merely raised an eyebrow. That fact was rather obvious from the ungainly cast on the man's right leg.

"How did he break it?"Terri asked. She seemed to be the only person who cared.

"Oh! Terri."Releasing Chris, Kate turned to her cousin and hugged her in greeting. "They found you. I'm so glad. How was your flight? I hope you don't mind staying here, but my apartment's so small and, now that I have to fly out of town, I wouldn't want you to be there all by yourself and-"

Bastien had been grinning at the way that Kate's abandoning him had left the injured editor flailing about, trying to find his balance, but as her words registered, he turned his attention fully on his soon-to-be sister-in-law. "Fly out of town?»

Terri and Lucern spoke the words at the exact same moment, bringing an end to the hug the two women had been enjoying.

"Yes, I-"

"Kate!"It was a panicked cry from the male editor, who was losing his battle to stay upright.

"Oh, Chris!"She whirled just in time to catch his arm and keep him on his feet, then helped him the rest of the way to the couch. She fussed briefly over setting his casted leg on Bastien's mahogany coffee table, then placed a couple of the black accent pillows from the blue-gray couch beneath to raise it higher and save the surface of the wood. Then she straightened with a sigh. "Where was I?»

"Explaining why you have to fly out of town,"Lucern growled, moving closer in a way another woman might find threatening, but that Kate merely took as an opportunity to cuddle with her man. She slid an arm around him and leaned close with a sigh that might have been pleasure or relief.

"Yes, well, as I was saying, I had to run C.K.'s briefcase over to him. But there was no answer when I buzzed his apartment, and I knew he was waiting for it, so I finally buzzed his landlady and had her come up with me. She unlocked the door and we went in, calling for him. I heard him shout from the bathroom, and you won't believe it!»

"What?"Terri asked.

"The toilet from the apartment above had fallen through the floor and landed smack on top of him.»

"It wasn't just the toilet,"Chris inserted, looking slightly embarrassed. "A good portion of the ceiling came with it.»

"Yes. And he was trapped underneath. And the pipes had broken and water was pouring down on him.»

"Fresh water,"Chris clarified quickly.

"Yes. And, well, the landlady rushed out to call for paramedics and a plumber, and I got the toilet off of him.»

"It wasn't just a toilet, Kate,"he repeated, looking more upset.

"And…"She paused and sighed. "Well, I went to the hospital with him, of course.»

"Of course you did,"Lucern crooned. "You're such a good person, my love.»

She smiled at the compliment and kissed him.

"But what has that got to do with you flying out of town?"Terri asked.

Kate broke the kiss and turned back to continue. "Well, I had to call the office and explain that a toilet had felled Chris.»

"It was a good portion of the ceiling too, Kate!"The man was sounding a tad testy, but Bastien managed not to laugh. He supposed he'd be testy, too, if a toilet had fallen on him.

"And the minute they heard what had happened, they started fretting over what to do about the conference in California.»

"They want you to go in his place,"Lucern guessed unhappily.

"Yes."Kate didn't sound too pleased, either. She rubbed a hand lightly over Lucern's chest. "This is a five-day conference, but I'm flying in the day before and not returning until the morning after, so it's a week. I'm going to miss you, my love.»

"No, you won't."Lucern pressed a firm kiss to her forehead. "I'm coming with you.»

"You are?"Her face lit up like the sky on the Fourth of July. "Oh, Lucern!»

The couple immediately indulged in another kiss. Bastien was expecting another of their marathon kissing sessions, but much to his surprise, Kate broke the kiss after only a moment. She headed for the elevator, dragging Lucern behind her. "We haven't a minute to lose. We need to pack and book another seat on the flight for you, and-"

"Er… Kate?"Bastien called, halting the pair as they arrived at the elevator and pressed the button. "Aren't you forgetting something?»

Kate turned back with a questioning expression as the elevator doors opened. Her gaze slid over the inhabitants of the room, then landed on Terri. "Oh, Terri!"She rushed back to clasp her cousin's hands. "I'm terribly sorry about all this. I know you flew over here to help with things, but there's no one else who can go, and really there's nothing to do for the wedding anyway-everything's taken care of. Just enjoy yourself, relax and tour New York. Have a good time. Please don't hate me.»

"Of course I don't hate you,"Terri laughed, giving her a hug. "Of course you have to go. Besides, I rather dumped myself on you without warning. It's okay, go on. I'll be fine.»

"Er, Kate?"Bastien said as the two women broke apart. When his soon-to-be sister-in-law glanced toward him, he gestured to the couch where her coworker sat, leg elevated. He hadn't meant Terri was whom she'd forgotten; it hadn't occurred to him that some apology or explanation should be made to the woman. Work was work. It was C.K. he thought Kate had forgotten about.

"Oh!"Her eyes widened on Chris. "I'm sorry. I forgot to ask.»

"Ask what?"Bastien queried, afraid he already knew.

"Chris can't go back to his apartment until it's repaired, and he has nowhere to stay. You have Mrs. Houlihan to look after him and… well, I was hoping he could stay here. If you didn't mind,"she added.

"Of course he doesn't mind."Lucern moved forward to take his fiancee's hand and lead her back to the elevator as he said, "Bastien can always be counted on in a pinch. He'll take care of everything on this end, and he'll even send the things we'll need once we're there.»

Bastien frowned, oddly displeased by those words despite their truth. He was the one everyone always turned to. They did all count on him. And, in this instance, he would certainly send the "things"they would need in California. Namely, blood. But while he usually had no problem being the one everyone counted on, for some reason Lucern's assuming that as usual he would take care of things, was rather annoying.

"We'll call when we get to California,"Lucern assured him, pressing a button on the elevator panel.

Bastien stared as the metal elevator doors slid closed, then turned slowly to survey his guests. Terri was standing beside him, looking a little lost. He didn't blame her. She had taken the last of her vacation time and flown all the way here from England to help with her cousin's wedding, but Kate wasn't going to be around.

Chris was shifting uncomfortably on the couch, looking as if he'd rather be uninjured and on a plane to California. Who wouldn't?

And Vincent was standing by the editor, glancing from him to Terri as if trying to decide who would make the tastier snack. Bastien wasn't surprised when his gaze settled on Terri.

"Bastien, I could use a bite,"his cousin announced as if on cue. "It was a long flight.»

"You will eat out, thank you,"Bastien said firmly.

"Okay,"Vinny agreed easily-too easily, Bastien thought. And he wasn't surprised when his cousin turned to Terri and asked, "You wouldn't happen to be hungry, would you? Care to step out for a bite?»

"Actually-"

"Mrs. Houlihan will make you something,"Bastien interrupted quickly, moving closer to Terri in a protective manner. He'd be damned if his cousin was going to sink his teeth into her. She was-well, she wasn't on the menu.

"Do you think she could make something for me, too?"Chris Keyes asked tentatively from the sofa. "I could do with something to eat as well.»

"She'll make something for both of you,"Bastien agreed, then glanced at his cousin. "You'll have to find your own food.»