it, I think most everyone else will. But you have just given me an idea. I should probably include the menus of what we’ll be serving. It might help anyone who’s having second thoughts.”
I shrugged and continued eating my sandwich, happy to let her think through the pitfalls while I reaped the benefits. When I was finished, I went upstairs to shower and change then helped carry supplies to Mary and James’s place. Emily talked the whole way, mostly worrying about what to do if Mila decided not to show, or how she could help with conversation if things felt stifled.
“You worry too much,” I said when we were just about there. “It’ll be fine.”
“I hope so.”
The kitchen was deadly quiet. Both Mary and Emily had one ear to the kitchen door so they could hear what was going on in the dining room. The gesture wasn’t necessary.
I could hear the soft murmur of conversation coming from the other room. While it flowed easily enough, the casual discussion circling the weather made it hard to know how Mila felt about Newaz.
Emily straightened, disappointment tugging at her features.
“They aren’t using the cards,” she whispered.
“The cards are a little personal,” I said. “If you want things to get to that level, you need more wine.”
She gave me a worried glance.
“Not for me. For Mila. Tipsy frees inhibitions, and you’re not going to make an alcoholic of her in one night. Look how a little spontaneity helped Farco with Cheri. You know Mila will be fine.”
Emily looked at Mary.
The old woman made a face.
“Don’t look at me to say no. I’m all for whatever will get that poor guy laid faster.”
I choked on my laughter even as Emily sighed and grabbed the bottle of wine from the table.
“Just leave it out there,” I whispered.
She nodded and left. As soon as the door closed behind her, Mary focused on me. Since arriving to help, she’d slowly forgiven me for publicly laying into Merdon and had even started asking all sorts of questions about my relationship with him. The top winning question had been if I’d seen his jumbo-sized feybymaker yet.
“You should clog the drains on all the other bathrooms but yours. Then, when he’s in there taking a shower, just pop in like you hadn’t heard him.
“I’m not breaking things so I can sneak a peek. It’s not like we have a plumber on speed dial.”
“Hmm. Good point. You might just have to go with the direct approach and ask him to show you his happy stick.”
“I thought it was a rolling pin.”
“Oh, it’ll be many things to you if you use it right.”
“I think I understand why James chose to spend the evening in the basement.”
Mary snorted.
“He’s had fey over for days, helping him turn that into a sanctuary. He can’t even make it up and down the stairs on his own. I don’t know why he bothered.”
“Probably so the fey you keep peeking at have a more private place to stay.”
She looked thoughtfully at the basement door, and I could have sworn I heard, “someone’s getting a spanking tonight.” I really hoped, for Mila’s sanity, she drained the bottle before Newaz left.
Emily reentered the kitchen, her hands moving nervously.
“I think Mila’s bored,” she whispered.
“I’ll give Newaz the signal that it’s time to offer a face ride,” Mary said, starting for the door. Both Emily and I made a mad grab for her.
“A what?” Emily asked.
“A face ride. Apparently, one of the fey overheard a conversation where one of the girls said someone should ride a fey’s face like a horse until the girl was screaming the fey’s name. Newaz wasn’t sure what that meant, so I explained it to him. He’s very willing. Not with me, of course.”
I wanted to curl up into the fetal position on the floor for so many reasons. Foremost, was the image of Mary sitting on anyone’s face. Second, was knowing it’d been my conversation with Angel that had caused this mental anguish.
“If you need to drink tonight,” I said to Emily, “I’ll understand.”
She made a pained sound and steered Mary to a kitchen chair.
“You stay right there.”
“Fine, but things would move along faster if he—”
“Mary, we’re also trying to change perceptions, not just match people up. If the fey start propositioning during these meals, no one would ever volunteer to attend the next one.”
“Or maybe they all would.”
“Not everyone has your drive.”
Mary gave Emily a considering look.
“Is that why you haven’t settled on a fey? Because