The Autumn Prince

40. Never the Right Time

"Traitor."

"No! I didn't—I mean okay, I can go with you."

"Sit down, Becca." Katherine grabbed at the leg of her jeans to stop her from leaving. "She's teasing you."

"Oh..."

"It's fine," Rachel confirmed, "I'll just take a walk to warm up and we can go running later. Sound good?"

"Sure," Becca smiled back, glad for the compromise.

"You should come too, Kath."

"I'm enjoying this sun, we can run our asses off back on the island."

The thought of Rachel on her own left me feeling anxious, and at the last minute I called to her. "You're just walking, right? I'll go with you."

"My hero," she muttered sarcastically. "I'm a big girl, Tom, I can manage."

"I need the exercise and there's no way you're dragging me out on a five mile run later."

"More like three."

"Might as well be ten, it's not happening."

"Then walk it." She shrugged. "Your woman won't run either so you can keep each other company. Seriously, my guy, I'll just be a few minutes out and back." I let her go without further argument and sat at the table.

"She'll be fine, Thomas. I'd worry more about anything that messes with her."

"Normally I'd agree."

"You think your dad might be here?" Becca asked.

"No. If Miss Gold thinks the city's safe enough for us to go shopping, we're probably fine anywhere as long as we don't make a scene."

"And that means keeping other people away from you." Katherine laid back and smiled at the sky, her golden hair forming a wreath around her head. "Which leaves more for us."

"That's..."

"What is it, Becca?"

"You said more for us, not you. It sounds like an anime I saw once. All these girls fell in love with the same guy, and they kind of bonded over it, even though nobody actually got him."

"That's hardly the same." I said, feeling suddenly uncomfortable.

Katherine only smiled. "Isn't it?"

"Tom's kind of right." Becca's voice dropped until I could hardly hear her. "He picked you before any of this happened, so it's not like we're really sharing."

"I'm the one who asked him out. Thomas never would have done it on his own."

"Hey!"

Becca turned her head just far enough to catch her eye. "It doesn't matter, he can still only have one girlfriend."

"Show me where it's written."

"Katherine!" I scolded, scandalized at her bringing our ongoing argument into the open. Becca and I exchanged an uncomfortable look and when nothing more was said we let it drop.

When Rachel returned, we talked about anything and everything other than fairies and magic. For a while it was open season for Katherine and Rachel, each trying to embarrass the other instead of focusing their attention on me.

"I shit you not." Rachel sat on edge of the picnic table in her running shorts. "The band just finished a set and this princess walked straight up to their table like she owned the place and sat on the drummer's lap."

"You really did that?" Becca gasped, covering her mouth with both hands.

Katherine turned away slightly, feigning disinterest. "That was a long time ago."