I just got caught up in my own head.” That was the standard excuse I gave when I slipped up.
Before the quakes, people always used to forget things in the rush of their own busy lives. My mom used to say it was because we were getting caught up in our own heads. With so much to do and think about, inevitably things were missed or forgotten.
Thinking of Mom hurt, so I focused on moving.
“I’ll set the table,” I said, pulling out of Mary’s hold.
“Nonsense,” she said.
“I insist. It’s my way of apologizing for not visiting sooner.”
Mary harrumphed and took a seat in the chair next to James. Emily emerged from the kitchen to help me set the table.
“I think there’s an extra plate,” I said, holding up the fifth in the pile.
“Nope. We have more company.”
As if timed, the bathroom door down the hall opened, and Merdon stepped out with a towel around his waist.
“Now that it is a sight,” Mary said, twisting in her chair to see the fey. “Merdon, darlin’, your clothes are still in the washer. You’re just going to need to sit down and have breakfast with us as you are.”
I shot Emily a look. “Did you tell him we were coming here?”
She shook her head. “No. I swear.”
I swiveled my angry gaze to Merdon.
“Are you following me?”
Mary made an impatient noise.
“He was here first, so he sure as fire didn’t follow you. Behave, Hannah. Merdon is one of the many fey who doesn’t have a home to call his own. They all know they’re welcome here for a shower or a clean change of clothes whenever they want. It’s the least we can do for the food they provide us.”
James snorted.
“It’s not the food. You like the views, Ma.”
“Hush, Pa. It is too the food.” A smile curved her lips, and she winked at us. “The views don’t hurt none, though.”
During all this byplay, Merdon watched me closely. His attention would have been understandable if there was even a hint of typical fey yearning in his steady, yellow gaze; but there wasn’t. His indecipherable expression gave me no hint of what he was thinking when he looked at me. Yet, I felt judged and hated him for it. He had no idea what hells were tormenting me or what I’d survived.
“Do you mind not staring? It makes me uncomfortable,” I said, keeping my tone light so Mary wouldn’t scold me again.
His complete disregard of my request rekindled the temper he’d sparked to life with his unwanted interference earlier. A flush heated my neck then slowly crept higher.
“Hannah, come help fetch what Mary made for breakfast,” Emily said, noting the stare-down Merdon and I were having.
“You are so sweet, Emily,” Mary said. “My feet sure are tired.”
James snorted again.
“And there’s no view in the kitchen. Need your glasses, Ma?” James asked.
“Hush. Merdon, be a dear and help me to the table?”
I didn't flee to the kitchen fast enough to miss the way Mary petted Merdon's bulging bicep as he helped her to her feet.
“There’s no way I can sit at that table and eat,” I whispered to Emily.
She chuckled. “Mary's harmless. I think the way she treats the fey is funny. And Merdon probably enjoys the attention as much as the rest of the fey do.”
“I didn't mean Mary’s questionable fascination. Although that is a little stomach-turning. I meant I can’t stay here with him. This might be a coincidence, or maybe he overheard us talking and planned it.”
Emily didn't dismiss my concern. We both knew how sharp fey hearing was. In fact, Merdon was probably listening to us now. My gaze slid to the door.
“We'll eat fast. Take this.”
She handed me a baking dish. The lid rattled, and I tried harder to hold it steady.
“Everything all right?” She asked, noticing.
“Fine. I wish everyone would stop asking. It's making me not fine.”
“Sorry.”
“Let’s just hurry up and get this over with.”
Emily shot me a hurt, surprised look. Before she even spoke, I was berating myself for letting too much of my anger slip.
“Mary and James are both looking forward to this. Be nice.”
I turned on my smile, not all one thousand watts but one with just enough happy to back my words.
“I’m always nice.”
I led the way out of the kitchen and saw Merdon was already seated on the far side of the table. With James on one end and Mary sitting beside her husband, opposite Merdon, that meant my options were to take the end