King Maker (King Maker 3)

Yet dumbly, I longed for more. I wanted not only the thrill and challenge Kalen possessed, but the adventure. Every encounter between us, whether friend or foe, was filled with passion.

It didn’t matter now. I’d ruined any chances of that.

I longed to talk to Lizzy, who would have all the answers. I wanted to tell her how I’d left both of them tongue-tied when I told them they would be sharing a room.

Though Turner and I had broken the rules many times in our childhood, I doubted he would sneak into my room the way Kalen had.

Now that I had the answer to where my feelings lay, what was I going to do about it? I closed my eyes and let my mind drift as I decided on the next course of action before it was too late.

Between jetlag and lately always feeling abundantly tired, the sun was high in the sky when I awoke after a night of fitful sleep. I’d dreamt of being bound and all the fear that came with it.

I was grateful for the growl from my stomach to dispel those nightmares and the promise of the smells coming from below.

After a quick trip to the bathroom to freshen up for the morning, I followed my hunger to the kitchen, hoping to pass the time until I could talk to Kalen again.

“Well, good morning to you, lass,” Isla greeted.

“Good morning to you as well.”

She waved a hand to the table I’d sat at last night. It was no longer ready for a dinner of seven. It sat empty.

“I’m sure you’re hungry.” She nodded and I didn’t disagree. “I have a full Scottish ready for you. Do you want tea or Kalen brought coffee? He thought you might like it.”

I blinked several times, though I wasn’t a stranger to Kalen’s kindness. He’d always seemed to take care of me without calling attention to it.

“Tea is fine.”

Old habits died hard. I didn’t want to put her out. Part of me wanted to help, as that was what we did at home. But I graciously sat and waited as she brought a steaming plate of food over to me.

Every inch of the plate was covered with food. There was no way I could eat it all.

“Wow,” I said.

She grinned. “It’s a lot, but my Kalen can eat and this is his favorite meal.”

“I don’t know where to start,” I said, truly mystified.

“Try what you don’t recognize first. That way if you don’t like it, you’ll have something on your plate you do like.”

I nodded and moved my fork to the dark disk of mystery food.

“Aww,” she said. “That’s black pudding. Give it a go.”

Having a stomach Lizzy said was made of steel, I could eat just about anything. I cut into the dark disk with the edge of my fork and scooped up a half bite.

“Mmm,” I said, though I wasn’t exactly sure what I thought of it.

“It’s not for everyone,” she said.

“I don’t hate it.” I aimed my fork at a square of fried meat. “What’s this?”

“Loren sausage or square sausage. It’s mincemeat, or what you Americans would call ground beef with spices and such and then fried.”

I dug in. It was really good and I nodded my appreciation.

“I think I know the rest. Ham,” I said, pointing to that meat.

“Some call it Canadian bacon as well, I think. We call it streaky bacon.”

I took a bite of it as well. There were also a fried egg, sausage links, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans, and toast.

“It’s all very good, but I honestly don’t think I can eat it all.”

She laughed. “It’s fine. There’s plenty more for the boys.”

When she called them boys, including Turner and Kalen, I was struck imagining Kalen in his youth.

“What was Kalen like as a boy?”

For a second she wore a wistful expression before it faded into sadness.

“The boy was much like the man, stubborn and driven. He didn’t have much of a childhood, I’ll admit. I have to take the blame for that.”

I rested my fork on the plate and gazed into the woman’s haunted eyes, waiting for her to continue.

“I guess I shouldn’t start the story there. In my defense, I should begin at the beginning.” She sighed. “I’d gotten into college much to my father’s dismay.”

That sounded too familiar.

“Part of the reason he let me go was I promised to get a job and send money home.”

Though her eyes were on me, they’d gone far away.

“I hadn’t ever had a job before, but I’d landed one as a waitress. That’s where I met Roy.”

It took me a minute to connect Royce King with Roy.

“He was charming, of course. Said all the right things to make me smile while I took his order. I have to admit, I got butterflies just being near the man.”