“Start with, ‘Would you like to go todinner?’”
Courting advice from Kausar–who was single.Perfect.
* * *
He decided on lunch,at the last minute, his nerves giving way as soon as he heard her voice. He, former Prince of the Gargoyle Host in the Pacific Northwest, renowned warrior–former warrior–filthy rich business mogul with human women throwing themselves in his lap….and his testy foster sister scared him todeath.
“Communicator, connect withSurah.”
“Malin, what’s up?” she asked. A 3-D stationary image shimmered to life on his desk. She must have her live feed off again. He heard the tap of keys in the background, knew she was in herlab.
“Meet me for lunch this week. I have something I want your opinionon.”
“Weird, but okay. Just message when you’reready.”
She sounded distracted, about to disconnect. This wasn’t going right. He should say something else… “How are youtoday?”
“What? I’m fine. This formula–son of a…! I hate this computer. Cole!Cooolllleee!”
Malin winced, fingers thrumming his desk. “You’rebusy.”
“What were you saying? Look, if it’s important, you should just come to the lab, your key codes stillwork.”
“That will anger theCouncil.”
“Fuck the Council. They onlythinkI work forthem.”
He blinked. She rarely swore, and only when someone had run afoul of her temper. “Careful, my Lady. You are still beholden to the Court, and half-sister to itsPrince.”
“Blah blah blah. Cole, hey, take a look at this mess. Do we need to order new machines or did I just break it? Lana, can you run ananalysis?”
“Please defineparameters.”
Malinsighed.
“Hey, look, Malin, just holler when you want those eats, okay? You’re buying.Lana-”
She disconnected as he said, “Of course.” That was the way courting worked, wasn’t it? Except she didn’t know they were courting. He wondered how he was going to tellher.
