“Is he attacking you?” Dragon looked ready to spit fire with a little help from her device.
“No, no. He just took me by surprise. Put that away.” Now I had to introduce the faery to Dragon. Skippy.
But Robin took the lead. “My apologies for startling you. I’m a friend of Joey’s. You can call me Robin. And you must be her fierce…?” He trailed off, one eyebrow raised, waiting for her to fill in the blank.
“Cousin,” I supplied. “This is my cousin, Dragon.”
“Indeed,” Robin raised a brow. “Your cousin is in town for a visit? You never mentioned it to me.”
“My mom dumped me here because she’s embarrassed by me.” Dragon lifted her chin defiantly, as though daring us to pity her.
I opened my mouth to reassure her that that wasn’t the case, that her mother loved her and wanted what was best for her. But was that the truth? Before I could decide, the fae took over the conversation. “I am a grave embarrassment to my mother as well.”
“You are?” Dragon tilted her head to the side as she studied him. “Did she dump you in the middle of nowhere too?”
Robin shook his head. “No, she simply exiled me from her presence until I abide by her edicts.”
How could that be possible? He was beautiful and charming and had gotten me to sign up for an open-ended favor against my better judgment. I wasn’t sure what the requirements were to be a good faery son, but he must be one of the best at what he did.
“And what about you, lamb?” Robin turned those sapphire eyes on me. “Are you also an embarrassment to your mother?”
I snorted. “Are you kidding? I’m a washed-up former gymnast that never fulfilled her potential. A forty-something divorcee who lives in her house. My longest run of employment was six months at a temp agency. Of course, I’m an epic embarrassment to my mother. How could I not be?”
“What?” A new voice said from behind me.
I cringed. Shot a poisonous glare at Robin and then turned to face the music. “Hi, Mom.”
She was carrying two big bags full of what appeared to be pillows. Though her cheeks were reddened from being out in the cold, she looked pale.
“Let me help you with that.” I took the bags from her hands and retreated into the house cursing my runaway mouth with every step. I bypassed the kitchen and moved down the hall to the alcove at the base of the stairs and plopped the bags down on the shaker bench where we sat to put on our shoes. My gaze fell on Puck, who’d curled up in a patch of sunlight and was resting peacefully.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Okay, things weren’t so bad. I’d get through dinner and then Robin would show me how to go back in time to undo my accident. Then I wouldn’t be a colossal failure and the conversation that had just happened would be erased.
“I hope,” I muttered and then returned to the back door. I didn’t slow, just snagged Robin’s arm as I passed through and towed him to the car. “Going to the store. Text if you need anything.”
“Wait!” Mom called but I pretended I didn’t hear her as I cranked the engine over.
Robin slid into the seat beside me. “If you want to go back to avoid that conversation, that will count toward your three trips.”
I glared at him as the car turned off the street. “You set me up.”
“Me?” He pressed a hand to his chest and blinked. “How is what just happened my fault?”
I paused for the traffic light. “It’s what you do, isn’t it? Create chaos wherever you go for your own amusement?”
He frowned. “Well, admittedly, I have played a few pranks in my day. But you’re the one who was ranting about what a worthless daughter you are.”
“Because you brought it up!” A horn blared behind me and I pounded on the gas. “You might as well have jumped on my insecurity button with both feet!”
“Technically, Dragon brought it up. I was only trying to help you relate to her.” Robin’s tone was quiet. “I apologize if I overstepped.”
If I hadn’t been behind the wheel, I would have closed my eyes. As it was, I turned into the market’s parking lot and backed into a free space. I shut the engine off and sat quietly, staring at the sign advertising BOGO tomato soup