Page 139 of Blood Stone

Someone knocked on the trailer door. “Garrett.”

Kate groaned.

“Winter,” Garrett said. “Well, the peace wasn’t going to last.” He got up and started to dress.

Kate rolled over and put on her jeans. “I don’t know how we arrange it, but I’d like to do this again, sometime.”

“We got away with it clean cold because we didn’t plan it.” He threw on his shirt. “Planning it means a next time won’t occur. But we can watch for opportunities.” He caught her chin in his hand and kissed her quickly. “I agree, this was nice.” He went through to the main room to let Winter in.

Winter stepped into the trailed and stood aside with a grimace. “Sorry. He insisted on knowing where you were.”

Roman stepped up into the trailer. “I might have figured it out for myself.” He glanced at Garrett’s open shirt. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“Would it matter if you were?” Kate asked, from the bedroom door. She was fully dressed.

Roman turned to look at her. His face dropped into neutral. “No,” he said stiffly. He held out a big white card. “Brittany wanted you to have this right away. I think you should read it.”

“An invitation?”

Even Garrett recognized the stiff white card and florid script as an invitation of sorts. Why the hysterics over an invitation?

“Just read it,” Roman said, lifting the card up toward her.

Kate took the card and starting reading. “Oh shit,” she said and held it out to Garrett.

He took it.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

Invites

Kathrine Lindenstream

&

Adrian Xerus & Calum Micheil Garrett

To

The 63rd Annual EmmyAwards Show

Sunday, September 18, 2012,

at the Nokia Theatre.

“Well, there’s a crooked dram of whiskey and a game that’s gone to Lucifer,” he murmured.

“What?” Kate asked.

“Ah, he’s reverted back to Gaelic. Always a bad sign,” Roman said.

Garrett looked up from the card. “I was back in the old tongue?” he asked Roman.

Roman grinned. “Scotch references and all, you old sot.” He looked at Kate. “He’s worried.”

“That was Gaelic? I’ve heard him use it before.” She bit her bottom lip. “But not when he was worried.”

Roman’s grin faded. “Well, there’s then, too,” he said. He crossed his arms.