Page 61 of Goldilocks

Mary’s eyes narrowed. “Wait. Are you two dating? Like, you’re together? Dating?”

“Yes,” Goldilocks said before Sam could even think about how to answer that question.

Goldilocks tilted his head, eyes sharpening on Sam. He must have seen that Sam wasn’t about to answer the same way.

“Wow.” Mary leaned back, crossing her arms. “So the reason you keep ditching me, and are unavailable all hours of the day, is because you’re off with” – she gestured to Goldilocks – “a supermodel?”

Her tone was incredulous, but she didn’t actually seem angry. Sam still had his face buried in his hand and only peeked out sideways. Abby leaned back and murmured under her breath to herself, not taking her eyes off Goldilocks.

“What’s your name?” Mary asked.

“Go—”

“It’s Roan,” Sam talked over Goldilocks.

A hand was abruptly on his thigh, squeezing.

“It’s Goldilocks,” Goldilocks said.

“Goldilocks is a nickname,” Sam explained quickly.

Mary and Abby repeated, “Goldilocks?”

Mary was staring at Sam. He was preoccupied with trying to bury his face in his hands, mortified.

“I mean,” Abby said, “it does suit you.” She looked at his hair as she spoke. His perfect golden curls. “Would you like a drink, Goldilocks? I’m buying something for Sam.”

“Yes. I will have Sam’s preferred drink.”

Mary was burning a hole through Sam’s hands with her stare. He dropped them, and he angled away from her. “Is Laurence working?” he asked, desperate to divert attention away from the merman sitting at his side.

“He isn’t,” Mary said. “Tell me about these wealthy merchants, Goldilocks?”

“Mary,” Sam objected. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

Don’t make fun of him. But…Sam peeked at Goldilocks’s face. He wasn’t someone easy to mock, was he? He wouldn’t stand for it, and he wasn’t slow, so it wouldn’t take him long to catch on either.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Sam said. He was aware of Mary’s eyes, the shape of them hinting at merriment rather than anger. “It was new. It is new. And you scare people off,” he deflected.

“It’smyfault that you’ve been running around keeping secrets?” Mary said at the same time Goldilocks huffed, “You thinkshecould scare me?”

Mary leaned in, forearms resting on the table. She stared right into Goldilocks eyes, not backing down. Not one inch. “I promise I can be scary when I want. And I also promise that if you upset Sam, I will drown you in the ocean.”

Sam shut his eyes with a groan. “He’s a much better swimmer than you.”

“I can tie chains to his legs and throw him overboard.”

“He’s bigger and stronger.”

“I’ll bring some muscle with me then!”

Goldilocks huffed again. At least he found the threats amusing enough that he didn’t feel the need to respond to them. “I will inquire with the Northerners. They like fiery women.”

“Liking and being able to handle are two different things,” Sam muttered. He opened his eyes as Abby rejoined them with drinks.

“Okay. Look.” Sam set his hands flat on the table. He knew he was piping red. He also knew there was nothing he could do about it. “Mary, this is my boyfriend. His name is Roan, but he insists on being called Goldilocks. Please be nice to him. And Goldilocks, please don’t set Mary up with anyone unless she asks.”