Kieran and Jamie got as far as kissing in a convenient corner booth with dirty chai teas on tap before their hard-won solitude was interrupted again. Note to self: stop bringing best friend on dates with me.

Nix and Ziggy returned arm-in-arm, shoulders pressed together like some kind of united front.

“In other fantastic news: We’re double dating! Make room, love birds.”

Nix and Ziggy filed into the opposite bench and just about forgot the other couple existed. Our future double dates are going to be very quiet on the group conversation front. She traced the Hex codes of the rainbow on the side of Jamie’s neck: #FF0000, #FFA500, #FFFF00, #008000, #0000FF, #4B0082, #EE82EE. Jamie melted under her fingertips; she had a sensitive neck.

“Loving the silver in your hair,” Nix murmured just loudly enough for Kieran to hear across the table.

Ziggy blanched and started pawing at her painfully expensive haircut. “Where?” She’d just gotten a touch-up. She’d started sprouting grey hair in her early twenties and it was escalating quickly. People weren’t often nice about it; they hadn’t been at school. Kieran winced on behalf of her best friend’s battered self-esteem.

Nix traced a single strand from the crown of her head to behind her ear. “Just there.”

“No one’s mentioned it.”

“No one’s noticed. I don’t usually even notice. I’m not much use with metallics. Silver’s good as grey to me. Gold is yellow. Doesn’t make much difference when I’m looking.”

“But you noticed on me.”

“Yeah, I did.” Nix scooted closer to her. “Guess you’re magic, after all.”

“I accept that.”

“Good.” Nix kissed her cheek and leaned back to watch Ziggy munch on baked corn chips. Kieran blinked as Nix’s friendly body language shifted and became more guarded as she spied something in the distance, to the opposite end of the Bookstop. “Hold on a mo’, I have a man to put the fear of god into.” She tossed her napkin aside and strode over to an older couple, a man and a woman around forty and fifty, respectively, who were canoodling at the service counter.

The woman, all riotous hair and very well-preserved curves, startled on seeing Nix striding over. Her surprise melted into an affectionate eye roll. The ensuing conversation was audible from here. Kieran, Jamie, and Ziggy pretended not to be listening while leaning toward the bar conspicuously.

“Be gentle, Nix,” the woman said. “He’s an old ’un.”

The man, who was distinguished by his aggressive eyebrows, sat back wearing an expectant smile. If I didn’t know better I’d say he was Scottish. Kieran had seen her fair share of Scottish men of a certain age and they all looked like that at the end of a lifetime: a bit miffed at their continued existence and the state of the world, and a bit tickled by it all, too.

“If it isn’t the mouthy lass of our mutual acquaintance. I’ve been waitin’ to get told off by you.”

Definitely Scottish. The wry tone gave it away.

“I’ll be quick,” Nix quipped. “Far be it for me to keep the elderly up past their bedtime.”

An expressive brow arched. “Are you even potty-trained yet?”

Nix cocked a hip and made herself at home on a bar stool. “Not too much to piss on your shoes, your life, and your stinking dog if you hurt our Tracy.”

Though the woman, who must have been Tracy, covered her face, it was obvious she was smiling behind her cupped hands.

“I don’t have a dog, but even if I did, it would not deserve that treatment.”

“Nor does she. She’s the best. You’re lucky she loves you.”

The man took Tracy’s hand and brought it to his lips. “Took me too many years to figure that out, but aye, I have. I have. I’m no fool.” Tracy gazed at him sweetly. Theirs was an old love and it was obvious it ran deep.

Nix was thoroughly disarmed by the display. “Better not be.” She scrutinized them a moment longer. “Take her out somewhere nice!” With that parting shot, she hopped down from her stool and made her return to the table. With a quick peck for Kieran, Jamie rose to see the couple, retrieving a plate of scones from the service window and refilling their forgotten mugs with their drink of choice.

Tracy and her partner chattered among themselves, oblivious to Jamie floating around them.

“Demon child you’ve got there.”

“She’s a good girl, love. Just got a bit of a protective streak.”

“You don’t say,” he wittered. He finally seemed to notice Jamie scrubbing the counter top. “And you, there. What grave injury will you be threatenin’ me with?”

Jamie slowed her scrubbing action and looked up. She was still as sweet as ever, but there was a subtle humorlessness to her expression that Kieran hadn’t had cause to see yet.

“I’m the one with my feet on the ground. I won’t hurt you. I won’t even threaten you. You wouldn’t believe me if I tried it. Good. But you will regret losing her if you break her heart again. Know why? Because as great as she thinks you are, you’re totally replaceable. She’s amazing enough for a dozen soulmates and I’ll help her find a dozen and one if you hurt her anymore. I’ll make sure she barely remembers your face and then I’ll make sure you know all about it. Mess with her, mess with me. Mess with me, you’ll regret it.”

Kieran blinked. Nix smirked. Ziggy sighed. I do like the scary cute girls. She was going to hear about this later.

“Nothing terrifying about that,” Pax answered baldly. His eyebrows had moved sharply north during her diatribe and appeared in no rush to resume the neutral position. “Do you have to take in the terrifying ones?” he addressed to Tracy. “You’re like a soddin’ Amazon princess gathering all the wee lost girls and training them up into miniature Boudicas.”

“Oh no, dear,” Tracy countered. “It’s them that have adopted me. They were already bold as a blade when I met them.” She hummed in happy contemplation at his startled look. “Scary to think about me making them worse, isn’t it?”

“Which you’d absolutely do, ya daft harridan. That thought, that’s going to fester.”

“Should do.” She gave him a grinning smooch on the lips. “We’re going to get this right this time, you and me.”

He fixed Jamie with a lingering, wary glance. “We’d better. It seems like my life depends on it.”

“Just your credit rating! Possibly a limb or two.”

“So nothing I can’t afford to lose.”

“Too right,” Tracy confirmed, positively beaming at her soulmate. His bewilderment softened in favor of affection.

“Have I told you lately that I love those eyes of yours?” He touched her cheek. Her eyes wrinkled as her grin broadened.

“Not today.”

“I love those eyes looking right through me.”

“And I love yours looking right at me.”

“I love you, mad woman.”

“Likewise, my mad man.”

Jamie took her leave quickly on seeing the couple was thoroughly distracted with each other. She was beaming when she returned to their table. She eased back under Kieran’s arm and Kieran was happy to have her. If she had to date an intimidating girl, she’d rather have her on her side than playing for anybody else’s team. Guess that’s what love feels like. She’d never known.

Ziggy stared over her shoulder at the touching twosome. “Tell me we’ll never get that bad.”

Nix hedged unrepentantly, “I don’t believe in starting my relationships with lies.”

“Must you be so incorrigible?” Her complaint might have been more effective were she not so enamored of Nix’s irreverence. She leaned into Nix’s side.

“Yup. Get used to it.” She grabbed Ziggy’s hand. “Come here, you. We’re going to have a religious experience at the dessert case.”

“Based on what?” But she didn’t resist Nix’s pull. Something told Kieran there wouldn’t ever bee much resisting going on in that relationship. Object at rest, meet your unbalanced force.

“Based on sugar and love. Your mind will be blown.”

“Again?” Only Ziggy could disarm an unflappable woman like Nix with a single word.

Nix tried to work up a scathing glare at Ziggy with no success. “Sap.”

“I know you are, but what am I?”

“Shush. I’m about to change your life.”

Ziggy darted forward to kiss her. A drive-by snog, if you will. “You already have.”

Nix ignored the heat burning in her own cheeks. “Embarrassing.”

Kieran supposed they were all a little embarrassing right about now. Love, even brand new, untested love, will do that to you.