"Hey, what can I say, I'm a sucker for romance," Emrys said, meeting my amused stare.
"I just pegged you more for a barhopping thug," I teased.
"Gee, thanks, but since I can't drink or eat that pastime is rather lackluster," he quipped. "Theater only requires my patronage to be entertaining."
"Why don't you tell her about your work," Haniel said, speaking for the first time. His point was clear. Emrys casting himself as a sensitive theater crony didn't bode well for the soul sucking image he was supposed to have.
"My work seriously bends your feathers doesn't it, Archie?" Emrys mocked. "You'd think someone in your position would appreciate someone like me. Perhaps you've missed how many souls I've delivered to your boss." >"You are special, not normal," he stated like I should feel honored or something by the fact.
"I don't like being studied all the time like all of you are waiting for the next weirdo thing I'm going to do."
"You are of great importance to Guides and Protectors alike, not to mention humanity."
"Wow, all of humanity too? Sweet, nothing like having the pressure of humanity on your shoulders," I said sarcastically.
"Precisely," Haniel said, looking pleased as my sarcasm missed him by a mile.
"I was being sarcastic, Haniel," I complained, rising to my feet.
"Are you not always sarcastic?" he asked, throwing an uncharacteristic verbal jab.
"Look at you trying to be funny. I'm going to go shower."
"Feel better?" Krista asked, looking up from her chaise lounge in the corner of the living room where she was writing.
"A little," I said, not worried about my aggravation with Haniel. It seemed inevitable that we'd always have a love/hate relationship. I loved that he was a cool mentor, but I hated that he continued to treat me like a little kid. If I hadn't won his trust by now, it was unlikely I ever would.
"Where did Haniel take you?" Krista asked as she curled up her legs so I could sit on the foot of her chaise lounge.
"Inukjuak, Quebec."
"Ooh, we've never made it up to that region. How was it?"
"Beautiful. Lush hills, like, as far as the eye can see. It had a definite tranquil feel to it."
"Maybe your uncle and I will have to pop up there one afternoon," she said, taking in my shining eyes as I described it.
"You totally should. You guys should take a picnic up there or something. It's an amazing place to see."
"That sounds like a great idea. It's been awhile since we've had some time to ourselves."
"Hey, it wasn't my idea for you guys to lock me away like some fair maiden."
"We were just trying to protect you since you seemed hell-bent on defying us," she said, smiling at me to soften her words.
"I know," I said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to go shower. What did you guys decide to order for dinner?"
"Well, since it's really just the three of us, since your friend Emrys and Haniel don't eat, we decided to go with cold cuts from Joe's Deli. We figured keeping it casual would help make it less awkward."
"Right, because eating in front of an Archangel and a Soul Trader won't be awkward enough," I quipped before heading off toward my bathroom.
"Keyword was 'less' awkward," Krista called after me, laughing.
Despite myself, I laughed with her as I closed the bathroom door behind me.
***
Two hours later, laughter was the furthest thing from my mind as I perched on the edge of the sofa in the living room, trying not to fidget. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans for like the millionth time as I once again checked the time on my phone. In all my ignorance on the proper rules of dating, I'd neglected to nail down a time when I mentioned the family dinner to Emrys. It was twenty-seven minutes past five and Emrys was still absent. I tossed my phone on the couch beside me in frustration, vowing I wouldn't pick it up again for at least ten minutes.