Page 25 of Entangled With You

And a moment later, they continued.

They were in the living room, near the tv. I pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt to go join them.

I wish I hadn’t.

They were both facing the weather channel and a dramatically red-colored blotch of radar-imagery over the center of Florida.

“What is it, a storm?”

Magnus put out an arm for me.

Zach said, “Yes, I noticed it as I was answering the door. This was a few hours ago, a big storm they didn’t see coming. It lasted for a half hour and then dissipated quickly.”

“That’s right above Gainesville.”

Zach said, “Yep.”

I asked, “Do we go get the vessels?”

Magnus scrubbed his hand up and down on his face. “Twas just the first look for it. How many days did the vessel in Scotland take?”

I said, “There was a storm every day for almost two weeks before we got to it.”

“Aye, we have some time. We have a wedding tomorrow, and I am too drunk tonight tae time journey.”

“I agree. On Sunday we’ll deal with it.” We stood nodding at the screen as it changed to a car commercial. “That being said, Zach, I’m sorry, we probably shouldn’t watch Ben tomorrow night after the wedding. Just in case.”

“Definitely. No worries, we get it. I actually don’t think Emma could leave him anymore anyway. That was a long time tonight. We’ve got the hotel tomorrow night. We’ll take Ben with us.”

“Thank you for understanding. Now get some sleep you’re getting married tomorrow.”

“See you in the morning.”

Magnus kissed me on the forehead. “I need tae speak tae security on the back deck. Will ye return tae bed?”

“Actually, I’m kind of awake now. I’m going to sit on the couch and watch tv.”

11 - KAITLYN

Awind pushed Magnus in through the door. “Tis cold outside tonight.”

I was snuggled under a blanket, one of the soft fluffy ones, at one end of the couch. The tv softly flickered with an infomercial. I had been searching for something cool to watch, something entertaining. Instead I found mindless: an ad for a super strong tape. Magnus joined me on the couch, leaned on me between my legs. I placed a pillow under his head on my stomach and we pulled the covers up over both of us. He asked, “What is this then?”

“Shhhhh. It’s an advertisement for a super strong rubber sealer.” I twisted one of his curls around my fingers. “The guy on the tv cut a boat in half and now he’s going to use the tape to seal it up.”

Magnus watched the ad, his brow lowered, eyes squinted. “How much does this cost?”

“It’s not that expensive, actually.” The man tossed the boat in the water, got in it, and floated around. The boat was cut in half a second before, but now it was seaworthy. “If it works that good, it’s cheap.”

“We should order some, have it come by airplane.”

I gave him a sad smile. “Yeah... But we don’t really have a need for it. That’s the thing about infomercials you have to use your willpower and not order stuff while you’re drunk.” I sighed. “I’m nervous.”

He shifted to look up at me. “I ken ye are, mo reul-iuil.”

I stretched his lock out long and twirled it back into place. “Grandma says when my stomach feels this way not to think of it as fear but excitement. She tells me I have nothing to fear, only things to do. I reminded myself of that when I walked down the aisle to you on our wedding day. But now — now it really is fear. I can’t convince myself that it’s not. I don’t know how to talk to myself about it.”

Magnus solemnly nodded. “Perchance ye need tae stop talkin’ tae yourself on it, mo ghradh. When I am preparing for battle, I have tae ready myself with tasks. I sharpen my sword. I dress carefully so I daena forget anythin’. I ready my horse with attention and care. I focus on those tasks so I daena have time for the fear. Though tis there just behind my stomach.”