We were ready for the party and the guests began to arrive. I loved being a hostess, and especially this way, rich as all get out. I was able to make a sweeping gesture toward the kitchen — “If you need anything Zach will help you.” Toward the deck — “If you’d like a drink, Emma will serve you.”

At first everyone was awkward with Magnus. The last they had seen him was in the hospital delirious. They had visited to say, “Hey man, glad you made it back.” And then they hugged me, talked to me, commiserated with me, comforted me. As they had been doing for so many long weeks.

Because the last time they really saw Magnus he was fighting a life and death battle right in the middle of downtown. Then he disappeared. No one was quite sure of the correct words for, “What the fuck just happened?”

And I had already told them what happened. He was a very rich royal, he had been kidnapped and held for ransom. Apparently it was very common this kind of thing, which is why he always had heightened security. His family paid the ransom and then he had been dumped on the beach.

Quentin nodded along. This kind of thing happened all the time in world politics. James seemed skeptical, but what else would explain it? And Haley had accepted it as, of course, that makes perfect sense.

Magnus talked, he joked, he asked questions about James’s work, about Michael’s job, and especially focused on Haley, complimented her, teased her. Within an hour he was a friend again, and everyone appreciated having him back. Especially in the new clothes.

Because as Haley put it, “That man is heart-stoppable hot. Seriously, Kaitlyn, you gotta put a leash on him and make him stay.”

“I kind of have, what with the whole marriage thing. But also, staying isn’t really an option right now.”

“What do you mean?’

“He has business in Scotland. He has to go back, probably this week, and it may take a while.”

“But you just got him back! Magnus, are you leaving us?” Haley pouted petulantly.

“Och aye, I have business in Scotland. I must return.”

James joked, “Married life too boring, you rushing back to the highlands to get away?”

Magnus held my hand tightly. “I daena want tae leave her, but I must.”

Haley turned to me. “You aren’t going to go with him, see Scotland? I bet it’s beautiful.”

“No, I have work, running the estate, keeping the house. I have to keep Zach in work, so yeah — hey, Magnus, do you need another beer?”

I escaped to the house. Emma poured beers into glasses. “He’s really leaving again?”

“In a couple of days.”

“I’m sorry, it’s been nice to have him home. And we’ll keep working, right?”

“Yep, at the thought of losing Zach as his private chef, Magnus wanted to sign him right there for a ten year contract. You both have a job, a home, no worries.”

“How long will he be gone?”

“Could be weeks or longer. I don’t know, he has something big that needs to be handled with his family business.”

“Oh,” she gestured she would carry the beers out for me. “I guess we need to start thinking of you as the boss instead of Magnus; we’ve worked for you longer. He just seems like he’s the guy we work for.”

I chuckled, “True, I’m a bit boring to cook for; he has enthusiasm. It makes us all want to do things for him.”

Buffalo wings were passed around, walks on the beach were had. The night started with forty people but dwindled past eleven o’clock to about ten people. The core group with a couple of stragglers. A game of Cards Against Humanity was played. Magnus remained a spectator because, as he put it, “I canna make sense of it. Tis scandalous.” Then James got a hold of the speakers and connected his Spotify playlist to them and turned on a song that was deep, deep country.

Magnus sang along.

I dropped my cards and opened my mouth in feigned outrage. “How do you — what?”

Magnus sang a few more lines. “Master Cook played it for me, tis a verra good song. It played in my head over and over while I was away.” He sang, “. . . driving in my pickup truck.”

I said, “Zach, do you hear this? All your music history lessons for nothing — Magnus likes country.”

Zach shook his head sadly as he spooned ice cream into bowls. “Magnus, sir, I played you Nirvana, the Beatles, you prefer pickup trucks, really?”

“Listen, Chef Zach. He has a truck and also a beer. The woman he loves has gone away, tis verra poetic.”

We all burst into laughter.

James said, “You sound like Shakespeare most of the time, and you think this song is poetic? Well, you might be a little delusional, but your taste is headed the right direction.” He held up a beer toward Magnus. “To the Scottish farm boy-king and his love for American country music.”

We all laughed more and for a while, with the game, and the music, and the beer, we were laughing a lot. For much of the night I completely forgot to be depressed.

Michael said, “Kaitlyn and Magnus, Hayley and I were hoping to have Zach and Emma to dinner tomorrow night?”

Magnus said, “I believe tis my last night.”

“Zach does deserve a day off though, and I’ve never cooked for you. Some people say I’m pretty good. I mean, I’m no Chef Zach, but I could make you something special for your last night.”

Emma said, “If you’ll give me a list I’ll pick up the food for you.”

“Awesome, I’m really good at chicken breasts, but buy lots of ice cream just in case the chicken is lame.”

Magnus kissed my fingertips. “I would like that.”