“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you and Emily were in the same house.”
“It’s okay. Merdon said you’re here about the Tenacity assholes. How can I help?”
“You can help me,” Emily said. “We need to talk to Taylor. I bet Caleb and Connor will help, too.”
“Help how?” Hannah asked.
“We’re going to throw the fey and the humans together and note the troublemakers,” Emily said. “We’ll need to recruit the boys and Taylor to take the notes since you and I don’t know everyone.”
Hannah made a face.
“That doesn’t sound like a good idea. We call them the Tenacity assholes for a reason.” She looked at me. “They beat the hell out of your man for having the balls to get his own food while they were too chicken shit to do it for themselves.”
“I know. It won’t be easy on the fey, which Angel is making clear to the volunteers.” I quickly outlined for Hannah how we planned to keep the humans and the fey together while the humans ate. Then I went over the pros and cons of having the soup kitchen.
“And once Matt has a list of names? Then what? Having an attitude isn’t a reason to die,” Hannah said.
Emily reached out and took the other woman’s hand in her own. Their shared look said more was behind Hannah’s comment than she was letting on. Something personal.
“It’s a watchlist,” I said quickly, “not an exile list. Matt won’t act until there’s actual proof of wrongdoing.”
“How are we going to get the proof?” Hannah asked.
“Matt will worry about that part later,” I said, unsure how much of that Mya and Matt wanted me to share. “It’ll take us a while to get this part going.”
They both agreed to help and started to make plans to go to Tenacity right away.
“I’ll do an inventory on what’s in the supply shed after today’s run and work with Mary on a menu plan,” Emily said. “We’ll keep it simple. Soups and stews will be easiest. Noodles and rice will help everything stretch. While we’re over there recruiting for help, I’ll check in with Matt and see what space he’s prepping. We’ll stop by later to give you an update.”
“You can let Mya know,” I said, standing with them.
“I will. But I don’t mind stopping by and letting you know, too.”
“She likes getting out of the house,” Hannah said with a smile as Merdon descended the stairs. His hair was wet, hanging down his back. He didn’t look at me or Tor. His gaze remained locked on Hannah as he crossed the room and stood beside her.
He looked angry even as she smiled up at him. I really needed to get their story.
“Then I won’t mind the visit,” I said agreeably.
We all left their house together. But, with a wave goodbye, they went their separate way to the wall.
My legs ached even worse now from the time I’d spent sitting. I tried to walk normally, but it was next to impossible. I was more than ready to agree to Angel’s massage offer, even if it was some random fey petting my feet instead of actually rubbing out the aches. Anything would help. And afterward, I’d go home and take another soak in the tub. Hopefully, Emily wouldn’t be back with an update until after dinner.
I glanced at Tor, who’d been silently following me since we left the house this morning, and wondered where he fit into my plans. Was it fair to ask him to show me the way to Angel’s place? Although he said the fey didn’t have much to do to occupy themselves, he had to be bored by now.
“If you want to go do your own thing for a while, I’m fine finding my own way to Angel’s,” I said, walking beside him.
“I can show you where Angel lives.”
“Are you sure? Emily and Hannah are going to Tenacity, where all the single women are. Wouldn’t you rather go with them?”
He gave me a considering look.
“Are you nicely telling me to go away?” Shock must have shown on my face because he hurried to add, “It’s okay if you are. I can give you space. Emily says that females sometimes need space to be themselves.”
“It sounds like Emily is giving you some sensible advice. But that’s not what I was trying to say. I’m feeling guilty that you’re spending all your time following me around. If you want to do something else, I would understand.”
“I have nothing else to do, and I like following you.”