“I didn’t insult her,” Boyle began, then swore bitterly before gulping down beer. “All right then, I did. I admit it. Admitting a wrong and apologizing ought to be enough.”
Fin slid down to a slouch. “I’m forced to agree with you, Connor, though it pains me, about the cave. She’s not a man, brother, and you don’t handle her as one with a sorry, mate. I’ll stand you a round. Flowers, as she’s romantic, and something with some shine to it to show you understand the depth of your mistake.”
Astonished, Boyle shot straight up in his chair. “Now I’m buying her jewelry just for blowing off when she wasn’t even meant to be there? I’ll not do it.” A man had his pride, and his spine, didn’t he? “It’s nothing but a bribe.”
“Think of it more as an investment,” Fin suggested. “Christ Jesus, man, have you never put your foot in it with a woman and had to find the way to pull it out again?”
Boyle set his jaw. “If I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong. If that’s not enough, well, that’s that. I’ve never gone around with a woman who matters, so . . .”
“And she does. Matter,” Connor finished.
“It should be apparent enough.” He brooded into his beer. “I’m not going around buying flowers and baubles to put a patch on it. I’ll apologize, for I couldn’t be sorrier to have put that look on her face. The mad, that’s fine. You shout it out and it’s finished. But I hurt her, and I’m sorry for it.”
He pushed up. “I’ll see about the steaks.”
“Mad for her,” Fin said when Boyle left the room.
“And panicked with it, which would be good fun if this hadn’t happened. She’ll forgive him, for she’s tenderhearted and just as mad for him. But she won’t shine again until he gives her back what she’s so willing to give him.”
“What would that be?”
“Love, given freely and without conditions. The flowers, the bauble will make her smile, when she’s ready. But he’ll have to give over himself before she shines again.”
“It’s what makes us all shine,” Fin observed.
* * *
IN THE LIVING ROOM OF THE COTTAGE WITH THE FIRE SIMMERING and candles lit, Iona snuggled into the corner of the couch. Meara had not only come, but with provisions of pizza and ice cream.
“Pizza, cookie dough ice cream, wine, and girls.” Iona lifted her glass in toast. “The best there is.”
“I keep the pizza and ice cream in the freezer for just such emergencies.”
“It’s perfect. We should all be lesbians.”
“You’ll have to speak for yourself there.” Amused, Meara took a second slice.
“I think the Amazons were probably lesbians. Or some of them anyway. That’s what I thought of you when I first saw you
.”
Choking on her bite of pizza, Meara downed some wine. “You took a look at me and thought: Why, there’s a lesbian?”
“Amazon. I hadn’t thought about your sexual orientation, then I saw you and Boyle together and figured you were together, but that was wrong. Amazon,” Iona repeated. “Tall and gorgeous and built. I’m a little bit drunk.” She smiled at Branna. “Thanks.”
“Oh, anytime a’tall.”
“We can all be Amazons.”
“You’re a bit short for it,” Meara pointed out.
“There had to be some runts in the litter.”
“Word is she’s small but mighty,” Branna added.
“Damn right! See what I can do?” She popped a jittery ball of flame into her hand.
“Best not to play with fire, or magick, when you’re a little bit drunk,” Branna advised.