Magical Midlife Battle （Leveling Up, #8）(31)

He drove in silence for a moment as the tape played.

“I should’ve backed down earlier,” he finally said. “The last thing I want is to cause trouble in this territory. I’ve done enough of that for a lifetime. I want to reconcile with my family. I want to be on good terms with them again.”

“I know,” I said, patting his thigh. He grabbed my hand and held it. “But you also have to remember that if we don’t hold up our end of the bargain and do all we can to help secure this territory, then you won’t have a family. None of us are going to survive. Mimi made a good point. I mean, if something as logical as clearing out Momar’s spies affronts him, we’re butting up against some real problems.”

Austin sighed and shook his head. “I’m not sure what I thought this homecoming was going to be like, but it hasn’t started out great.”

“It’s going to be fine. Let’s stay happy and fun and easy at this dinner and not talk about work. It’ll be good.”

He squeezed my hand. “I should warn you, Mimi and Earnessa don’t really get along.”

“I’d already gotten that impression.”

“And my mom likes to tell my brother how to do his job. It creates tension, especially when too much wine has been poured.”

“I’m happy to stay out of it.”

“And Kingsley likes to enjoy a cigar and a brandy in his study.” Austin paused for a brief moment.

“Men only. You’ll be left on your own for a bit.”

“I told you before, Austin, I’m well versed in handling all sorts of family drama, including the kind that’s directed at me. I’m a pro at being neutral. It’ll be great.”

He squeezed my hand again before pulling it away to turn onto a long driveway leading up an incline and to a large house. The entranceway had a wood trellis over it, flanked by windows with white shutters. A few cars were parked around the side, all of them fancy and newish, including a sporty BMW, a Lexus SUV, and a Mercedes sedan. It was like arriving at my ex-mother-in-law’s house.

Another wave of butterflies invaded my stomach. At least Mimi was here. I had to keep reminding myself that I had her. And Kingsley, if he didn’t run away to the men-only part of the house. The two of us had always gotten along.

“Here we go.” Austin left the keys in the ignition and climbed from the car, his own nervousness coming through the bonds.

He met me on my side and took my hand, walking me toward the entrance.

“I used to think this house was massive,” he said, his walk slow. “It’s six bedrooms, over seven thousand square feet.”

“That’s a lot to heat. What changed?”

He huffed out a laugh. “Ivy House.”

“Well…yeah, but Ivy House comes with dolls and now gnomes, so…”

His hand stalled in reaching for the door handle. Instead, he slowly swung it to the side and pushed the doorbell instead.

“Things will start feeling normal again,” I said softly, wrapping an arm around his. “You’ll see.”

“We should’ve brought a cooler and some clam dip.”

My bark of laughter was entirely unintentional and very ill-timed, because Kingsley opened the door to a face full of my spit.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” I reached forward to do damage control, immediately tugged back by Austin. “Right, no touching. But seriously, I’m so sorry. He made a joke, and I didn’t expect it, and…”

Kingsley stared at me as he wiped his hand across his cheek. “Yes, I can see how a joke of his might catch you by surprise.”

“Sorry.” I curled my lips under in an effort to rein myself in, but his reaction was just so comical

—and it felt so good to laugh after all the tension Austin and I had both been feeling—that I devolved into a fit of giggles. “Sorry!” Now I laughed harder because I couldn’t stop, holding my stomach and bending over. “Oh my God, what a freaking life we’ve landed in, huh?” I let a few more chuckles pop out. “Phew.” I wiped under my eye to dislodge a tear of glee. “So, anyway, what’s for dinner?”

“Hopefully whatever drugs you took.” Kingsley stepped back from the door. “Welcome. I think.”

“Nice car, jackass.” Austin lightly punched Kingsley as we passed him, entering the house. “I can’t believe you didn’t find one with an eight-track.”

“Like that? I figured as your mate keeps you flush with the sports cars, I would get you a Common Dick vehicle. The cassette deck was an added bonus.”

Austin curled his arm around me, bracing it on my hip and pulling me in close. Kingsley looked between the two of us for a moment, and I worried he’d mention what had happened earlier.

“Do you need a tour, or can we just skip to the food?” he asked, his face still deadpan and his tone droll, as though having dinner parties was like pulling teeth.

This time I tried to get a hand up to stop the spit flying at him, the laughter taking over again.

“Maybe…I should…step…outside,” I said through giggles, wiping the other eye now.

“Jesus.” Kingsley shook his head and walked into the house.

My laughter turned to wheezing as I tried to keep it in. Austin just waited patiently, a crooked smile on his face.