Nadine

57. Stars

I finish up all the paperwork I can. Then I throw the rest away. I don't remember half those cases anyway. Then I spend an hour cleaning up my office before Mary comes in.

"Need to get ready for dinner little miss."

"HE PUT HIS ARMS AROUND ME AND GAVE ME A HUG!" I squeal and jump around. "And earlier today I sat on his lap at his desk!"

Mary laughs. "I told you that boy still has a thing for you. Now let's go get you cleaned up for dinner."

I smile the whole way to the bath. I really hope he still wants that kiss.

"Do you think he'll kiss me Mary?"

She smiles as she fastens my dress. "I'm sure he'll try. Maybe he just has to get up some nerve first."

I get to the dining room and sit by Tre. "Did you find anything out there?"

He glances at me over his cup. "We don't talk about that here."

"Oh I'm sorry."

He leans over and whispers in my ear. "Don't be sorry baby. We have been forbidden from talking about advisor business over dinner."

"I didn't know that."

He nods at me. "You ok sitting beside me?"

"I've sat beside you for 200 years Tre. Where else am I going to sit? I don't even know if chairs work the same in other spots."

He spits out part of the water he was drinking and busts out laughing.

He starts coughing and I laugh.

Once he gets himself calm he looks around. "Sorry everyone she caught me off guard nearly choked."

Mom smiles at us. "Are we all good now?"

"Yes ma'am sorry."

We eat a quiet dinner. I keep thinking about Dipak sitting on my couch and now Tre calling me baby. He said he would back off with the mate stuff. But maybe it was just a slip. He used to call me that a lot.

After dinner I go to the roof by myself. I want to look at the stars for a bit. I'm not going anywhere.

The alarms sound after about 5 minutes. I go to the edge and Dipak is standing in his spot staring at me. I fly down to him.

"What are the alarms for?"

"You are missing princess." He signals them shut off.

I scratch my head. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"I don't know what to tell you. I was on the roof."

"Are you leaving?"

"No. Just watching the stars. It's a clear night."

"How do they lose you so much?"

"She's always been sneaky." Gunner comes up to us.

"I am not that bad Gunner."

"That's the first thing Mary told me about you. 'You have to watch her, she's sneaky.' Mary was not wrong."

I bust out laughing. "Honestly guys. I'm on the roof, by myself, looking at the stars. That's all... Actually."

They both say "no."

"You didn't even hear what I wanted to say."

Gunner smirks. "You want to go camping."

"I'll stay on the property. Just camp by the river."

Dipak shakes his head. "Wait until this creature thing blows over and I will take you camping again."

I smile and jump up and down a few times.

Gunner looks at him. "Again?"

I turn back to the castle. Dipak says. "She likes to make a fire and cook on it." Nice save.

"I'll be on the roof guys." I fly back up and watch the stars for an hour before Dipak comes up.

He lays down beside me. "Sorry about the again."

"I kind of froze and didn't know what to say. You seem to be as sneaky as me though, sir."

He smirks. "So what is all this about me without a shirt?"

I bust out laughing. "That werewolf bite you took. I seen you without a shirt on. Later my mom told me she thought you would be my mate because I couldn't take my eyes off you the entire time."

We laugh. Then I hear something and throw the veil over my head.

"What are we laughing about?" Momma lays down beside me.

"Remember when I seen Dipak without a shirt on momma?"

She busts out laughing. "Dipak that lead to entire phase. This girl. One time, her and Mary were talking about you shirtless and they were walking out to go somewhere. Well, they opened the door and there you stood. They both froze and stared at you. I had to come out and tell you to come in. They were both frozen solid."

We are all laughing so hard.

My dad comes over. "What we talking about?"

Momma motions for him to sit by her. "Dipak shirtless."

"Oh not that again. I can't take another 10 years of that." He lays down.

"I can go shirtless from now on if you prefer it sir."

"Keep your shirt on boy!"

We all start laughing again.

We laugh and share stories for awhile.

Eventually my dad stands up and looks at me and Dipak. "Princess, why are you up here?"

"He wouldn't let me go camping daddy. Why are you up here?"

My mom starts laughing.

"NOPE! I'M OUT!" I jump up and make a run for the door.

"Right behind you princess." Me and Dipak run into the stairway.

I hear my parents laughing as the door shuts. "Well that got rid of them."

"Dipak, I might need alcohol after that."

"Me too princess. Come on. I'll get you home."

I take his arm. "I am tired."

"I can tell." He takes me to my door and opens it for me. Then pulls off my veil and looks in my eyes. "Goodnight princess."

"Goodnight Advisor Dipak. Thank you for laughing with me for a bit."

"I hope to do it a lot more." He kisses the top of my head and gives me a hug.

Mary walks around the corner and turns back around.

I start laughing.

"I SEE NOTHING!"

"You two are both sneaky." Dipak winks.

I smile and go in my house. "Good night sir."

"Good night sweetheart."