Page 29 of Come Fly With Me

Charges weren’t filed.And Grunt doubted Lake would ever ask him to fill in as a bodyguard again. As far as Grunt was concerned, all was right with the world. Jasper Fox had disappeared from social media, his manager saying he was taking some time off to get over the mobbing ordeal in Glasgow. Harry Styles tweeted photos of pizza at Jasper and wished him well.

Grunt didn’t give a crap about the spoiled singer, but Claire liked to follow the news. She’d also printed off a photo of him running down Sauchiehall Lane, Jasper tucked under his arm. It was framed and hanging in the hallway. She’d written ‘My Husband, the Hero’ on the mount under the image.

Damn, but he loved his wife.

Something he planned on showing her over and over again that weekend. Three nights in Paris. He could hardly wait. Claire had been planning all the things they’d see and do while they were there. Grunt hadn’t told her that he had no intention of leaving their room. But at least he’d booked one with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

“Babysitter’s here,” Claire shouted up the stairs.

Grunt grabbed their bags and headed down just in time to see Claire throw the door wide open.

Her twin sister, Megan, stood on the other side, grinning at them. There were squeals and hugs between the girls and backslaps between Grunt and Megan’s husband, Dimitri. At last, they calmed down enough to ask why they were there.

“We’re the babysitters,” Megan said.

“But Lake and Kirsty are babysitting.” Claire looked as confused as Grunt felt. “Grunt arranged it. Didn’t you?”

He nodded.

Megan heaved a sigh. “I don’t know about Lake being involved. All I know is that you should never play online poker with Magenta. She’s either world-class awesome, or Harry wrote her a program that helps her cheat.” She shrugged. “Either way, I lost, and loser gets to babysit.”

Claire frowned. “Not sure I like the idea of our kids being a forfeit.”

“Where are they anyway?” Dimitri asked.

Grunt pointed upstairs. “Disney Channel.”

Dimitri nodded. “I’ll get the bags while they’re occupied. You guys better get going, or you’ll miss your flight. Don’t worry about the kids; we’ll all be fine.”

“Aye.” Megan nodded. “I brought my gun.”

Before Claire could freak out, even though Grunt wasfairlysure his sister-in-law was joking, he picked up his wife and carried her to the car.

“Anniversary starts now,” he told her as they drove away.

“We should have said goodbye to the kids and told them we were off.” She glanced back at the house with concern.

“We already said goodbye. Text them if you have to.”

She pulled out her phone. “Do you think they’ll be okay?”

Grunt grinned. “If anyone can deal with our kids, it’s your sister.”

“True.” Claire smiled and relaxed into her seat as she texted their kids.

“Paris, here we come,” Grunt mumbled before speeding out of Invertary.

Betty Tries Twitter

A conversation between Betty McLeod (an old lady referred to as Satan and widely mistrusted—for good reason), and Harry Boyle (Invertary’s resident computer genius and naïve nice guy). They’re sitting in Betty’s home away from home -

Benson Security shop in Invertary.

This conversation takes place just before Caught.

Harry (pointing at the screen of the phone Betty just bought): This white bird on blue is for a site called Twitter. You can go on there and send short messages to people.

Betty (eyeing Twitter with suspicion): Which people?