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We do, eventually, make it out to Dick’s.
Everyone is having lunch by that time, but no one seems to mind that we weren’t around before now.
April is completely fine. Elliot too. They’re making airplanes out of popsicle sticks, and he offers to make me one that I can keep.
I can’t think of anything I want more at that moment and I tell him so.
But after checking in on him, I’m out of excuses for not returning Iris’s call. And I really do want to know if she has any information about Ruby’s dad.
I take a breath and dial her number.
“About fucking time,” she answers.
“Good morning,” I say, going for laid back. It’s still morning for her on the West Coast.
“So you’re in Ohio without Cian.”
Okay, no small talk then.
I could come up with some excuse. Probably. I could even tell her that Cian asked me to come keep an eye on Ruby and the house. He’d cover for me.
But Iris isn’t stupid. And frankly, I’ve already hidden my relationship with Ruby for far too long. I’ve been fighting these feelings and dealing with barriers to being together. The only person I’m really interested in dealing with now is Ruby.
“Yes, Ruby, Scarlett’s sister needed my help,” I answer honestly and simply.
“So that’s how this is going to be?” Iris asks.
I frown. That’s not the reaction I was expecting from her. “Me helping the sister of one of our princesses? Yes. Of course. Our protection extends to the entire family of anyone brought into the O’Grady circle.”
That’s not an actual policy. Then again, none of the O’Gradys brought anyone into their circle until a couple of years ago when Cian’s sister, Fiona, fell in love with her now husband, Knox.
But would we all do anything for Knox? Of course. He’s one of us now. And I believe if Knox’s sibling needed help, we’d also show up for him or her.
Of course, I’m pulling all of this out of my ass. Still, it sounds good.
“Uh huh,” is all Iris says.
Iris isn’t just smart. She knows me very well. She’s been the head of the bodyguards for nearly the entire time I’ve been with Cian. There was just over a year where Declan, Cian’s oldest brother, had about nine bodyguards that he kept firing, until Iris came into the picture. Not that he didn’t fire her. She just refused to leave.
Besides, she only pretended to report to Declan. Ultimately, she reported to Alfred.
Which Declan knew the entire time he pretended to be the boss of her.
That stubbornness was exactly what the eldest O’Grady needed, and what prompted her promotion to HBIC—Head Bodyguard In Charge, officially. She prefers Bitch for the B, though.
“What’s the problem?” I ask. “Cian is fine.” I pause and take a breath. “I know you think I’m better than Jonah at the job, but you’re not going to make that obvious to him, are you? That would hurt his feelings, and he’s already sensitive about being the only one without a cool accent.” Iris doesn’t have an accent either, but ‘we’, the guys, love to tease Jonah about his boring American accent when we’ve all got Irish or British accents.
There, I’ll play this light-hearted, laid-back…
“Well, Jonah actually turns in security plans to me when he’s about to take a trip. I don’t think you’veeverturned in a plan. About anything.”
“The plan is always:provide security, don’t let any royals get kidnapped, hurt, or killed,” I say. “Seems like a waste of paper.”
“I need itineraries, locations, threat assessments—” Iris breaks off. “Never mind.”
I actually grin at that. She knows she’s wasting her breath. Not only am I not going to do those security plans, ever, she also knows that I know she’ll never fire me because of it.
The O’Grady royals are not in actual physical danger ninety-nine percent of the time.