Chapter 52

A knock on Eve’s door a few hours later caused her and Arec to jump.

Eve grinned at him before she called, “Who is it?”

“It’s Bella,” she said. “Is Arec in there with you?”

“I’m here, Bella,” he called. “What’s up?”

“The others sent me to ask when you would be down,” she said after a moment.

Arec glanced at Eve and grinned.

“Tell them that we’ll be down soon and to have a large meal waiting for us,” he called. “We’re going to be starving by then.”

Eve giggled and reached up to twine her fingers in his hair, drawing him to her for a kiss.

Thirty minutes later, Arec and Eve walked into the kitchen. They held hands and grinned at the others gathered around the table in the room.

“It’s about time you two came down,” Ray grumbled.

“Don’t mind him,” Bella said, elbowing her brother in the ribs. “He’s always grumpy when he’s hungry.”

“Well, I wouldn’t be hungry if they hadn’t taken so damn long,” he said, rubbing his side.

Turning to look at Arec, he added, “I hope it was w