Page 134 of The Queen’s Shadow
“Sounds as if you’re part philosopher.”
Niles tipped back his beer bottle. “Maybe life makes us into one.”
John grabbed the flamethrower and set about lighting the small chimenea fire while Niles, his duties over, turned off the grill.
The warmth and glow from the chimney drew a small crowd, and he was soon engaged in conversations with people who had a much different approach to life than he did. He chatted with a ski instructor who worked only a few months a year, a fly-fishing guide, and a stay-at-home father.
Margot and John ran a small breakfast restaurant in Grand Lake, so they were among the first to leave, but Margot narrowed her gaze at Niles in a silent reminder that she wasn’t certain about his intentions.
Attending events like this—and answering questions from inquisitive friends who were questioning his motives—wasn’t at the top of his list of ways to spend a Saturday night.
Surprisingly, though, he couldn’t think of a single thing he’d rather do.
Now, as Brandy said goodbye to the last of her guests, he made sure the fire was out before going inside and tackling the arduous task of loading the dishwasher.
Even when it was full, the counters and tabletop were still filled with items needing to be washed, and he sought out dish soap.
The contrast between her kitchen and his pristine one startled him. It made him see how empty and solitary his life was.
When Eleanor had been alive, they’d had a whirlwind social life. She’d been a prominent attorney, and he’d been an investment broker. Both had been aware of the need to network their way to success.
On the rare occasions when they had entertained, Eleanor had hired caterers.
In his entire life, he’d never dealt with a party aftermath like this.
“Are you scared off?” she asked, coming back into the house after taking care of the dogs.
She flipped the switch to turn off the outdoor lights.
“Despite the terror gnawing at me, I’m still here,” he said.
“That’s right. After all, you are a big, bad, brave dragon, right?” she teased. “But honestly, Sir, you didn’t need to pitch in.”
He reached for yet another dish.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done, but I’ll handle the rest of the clean-up tomorrow morning.” She propped her hips against a cupboard and looked at him. “I hope you enjoyed the event, at least a little. You did great on the burgers.”
“They were charred.”
She grinned as she pointed out, “That’s much better than raw, right?”
“Are you always an optimist?”
“Guilty.”
“And yeah. I did enjoy myself.” He took a sip from his now-warm beer. “Even though you didn’t need me.”
“Of course I needed you, Sir.”
“John could have handled it. He owns a restaurant.”
She had the good grace to flush a bit. “I like to let him relax when he comes here. The guy who does most of the cooking really is out of town.”
“Fair enough.” He believed her. She would think about her friends and how they deserved the chance to rest. It endeared her to him even more. “Where can I find the dish soap? I looked under the sink.”
“Why do you ask?”
“So I can finish up here.”