Page 47 of As The Shifter World Turns

47

A WEEKEND AWAY

Ivor

“Ready?” I asked Neil as he came down the stairs, two largish suitcases bumping behind him and a pack on his back. I should be used to all the paraphernalia Neil took with him on a weekend away, even when he wasn’t working. But he’d mentioned that he had a work session tonight, so I forgave him.

Me, I had a small overnight bag. Today being Saturday, we were only going away for one night. Micah and Daire had an event last night and Archer hadn’t been able to find a sitter he trusted.

I grabbed one of my friend’s cases and we headed along the sidewalk. “Have fun,” Martin waved and blew a kiss from his window on the third floor.

“Bye.” Neil returned his kiss.

We turned the corner, lugging our stuff past the back alley and to the next street. Micah’s car was parked out front of his and Archer’s house, and he was placing a bag in the trunk while Archer stood beside him holding Elune.

“Do you think he’ll actually leave Elune for one whole night?” I asked Neil.

“Hope so. I’m looking forward to a weekend by the beach and not having to cook.”

Daire’s parents had given us the use of their beach house—more of an estate than a house—and while I was looking forward to it, the place brought back memories. Ryder and I had shared a room there, had sex in the shower, swum together, walked on the beach, and held each other as we fell asleep.

No way was I taking the same room as when Ryder was with me.

“Do you think she’s okay?” Archer’s worried voice drifted along the street. “She’s irritable and insists on being held. ”

Micah took the baby from his mate and handed him the car keys. “She’s fine. Go have fun.”

The unicorn shifter spied us and said to Archer, “I win. Pay up.”

I giggled because I knew what they’d been betting on and so did Neil.

“Very funny. Ha ha,” our human friend deadpanned. “You know I bring a lot of stuff when I go away.

“I said three suitcases and Micah went with two. Damn, I should have said two,” Archer groused. He turned his attention to his mate. “Don’t forget to video call before Elune goes to bed. I want to say goodnight to her.” He kissed his daughter’s brow. “She feels a little warm. Maybe?—“

“Go,” his mate told him.

With our bags in the trunk, we buckled up and Micah stood on the sidewalk with Elune and waved until we were out of sight. I was in the front passenger seat and took note of how Archer’s eyes welled with tears. I could only imagine how hard it was for a parent to leave their child.

But I needed this weekend and once we were settled in the house, we gathered around the pool and the housekeeper brought us fresh lemonade and snacks. “This is the life. Living at the beach and letting the sound of the waves lull you to sleep is perfect.”

We clinked glasses.

“Who’s going first?” Neil asked.

Neither Archer nor I needed to ask him what he meant. Whenever the three of us got together, we always had confession time and shared whatever was going on in our lives. And while I was certain they were tired of my Ryder updates, this was the last one.

“Me,” I put up my hand. “I'm enjoying the job and the paycheck. I’m exhausted. Also,” and this was the kicker, “I wanted to let you know that I love Ryder and he loves me but I ended it as we can never be happy.” Surprised I didn’t cry, I took another sip of my drink. “That’s it for me. Handing over the mic to someone else.”

“Whoa. Go back,” Archer said.

“Yeah. That must have been super painful even though it’s been obvious for a while—at least to me—that you needed to do that,” Neil told me.

“True, but Ivor had to reach that decision on his own,” Archer noted as he tapped away on his phone.

“I’ll go next as Archer can’t focus right now.” Neil gave my fellow wolf shifter a look.

“Sorry. But Micah says Elune won’t go in her crib and cries when he leaves the room.” He nibbled his bottom lip as he put the phone on the table. “Go on. I’m listening.”

“My job is causing friction between me and Martin. He doesn’t like other guys seeing all of me—both what’s on the inside and the outside—and he’s worried Toby will find out.”

“On the one hand, I understand where he’s coming from, but he can’t expect you to give up your job because he doesn’t like it,” Archer reasoned. “Does he want you to become unemployed and homeless to please him?”

“And how would Toby find out?” I asked and then stopped, knowing that even though Neil’s work was behind a paywall, things had a way of leaking out. “Don’t answer that. But I agree with Archer.”

“I have no advice other than talking to him about it,” Archer added.

Neil sighed. “We’ve been doing nothing but talking and going round and round in circles.”

“Sorry I can’t come up with a solution either, Neil,” I admitted.

“It’s okay. I just wanted to vent.”

“We’ve been asked to participate in a study at the university,” Archer informed us. “Specifically Elune.”

“Oh no,” Neil sat up. “They’re not going to probe and prod our little Elune. I won’t allow it.”

Both Archer and I laughed at Neil’s outburst. He was so protective of Archer’s daughter.

Archer patted Neil’s hand. “It’s nothing like that. We have to fill in a mountain of forms and once or twice a week we take her to the university and they watch her play and interact with us.”

“Are they looking for something specific?” I asked.

“No. She’s a special case being the daughter of a unicorn and a wolf, so they’re using her for research purposes. But Micah’s worried they’ll find something.”

“Like what?” Neil popped an olive in his mouth.

Archer shrugged. “Anything that shows she’s less than perfect.”

“Not going to happen,” Neil interjected. “I can already tell them she’s perfection.”

Archer’s phone rang and he snatched it up. “What? How high? I knew something was wrong.” He stood up and paced around the table. “No, it’s okay. I’ll come home now.”

Neil and I shared a glance. “Elune?”

“She’s running a fever. Sorry, I gotta go.”

“We’ll pack and meet you at the car in five minutes.” I got up.

“No, stay. I don’t want your weekend ruined,” he told us as we followed him into the house.

“You drove us,” Neil pointed out.

“Ask Daire to join you. This is his family’s house. He and Micah have no commitments this weekend and he can record his gardening videos from anywhere.”

“But I feel bad that you’re worried and going home and we’re going to stay here and enjoy ourselves,” I protested.

“I love you for thinking that way but it’s a slight fever. Kids get them but as a dad I need to be with Elune when she’s sick. And you can’t do anything if you come with me. Both of you need space from the people in Sunshine Manor right now.”

“Maybe Archer’s right.” Neil looked at me.

“Okay, I agree.” As long as Daire will be here to drive us home. “But keep us up to date and if you need us, we’ll be there.”

“I will.” He left to get his bag.

Neil and I walked back to the pool. “We better get hold of Daire and if he can’t make it, we’ll be taking a bus tomorrow.”

Neil giggled. “I’m imagining the conversation now. ‘Daire would you like to spend the weekend in your own beachside home so that on Sunday afternoon, you can drive us back to Sunshine Manor?’”

“When you put it like that—. You phone him, Neil. You’re his oldest friend.”

“And he’s your roommate. You call.”

“Fine.”

He picked up on the first ring. “Ivor, what a surprise.”

“Old buddy, Neil and I were wondering what you were doing this weekend.”

“Mmmm. Let me think. I might be coming to the beach and rescuing two friends who have no way of getting back to town tomorrow.”

“He knows,” I mouthed to Neil.

“Archer?” he mouthed back.

“Would you? We do want to spend time with you.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll be there in an hour but I get to choose which movie we watch tonight, and with Archer gone, I don’t want any vegetarian food. This grizzly wants meat,” he growled.

While I was sad Archer wouldn’t be with us, I lay back on the lounger, put a hat over my head and breathed in the ocean air.