The Rampion landed in Benoit Farms with a loud shudder.
"That," said Scarlet, who was watering the small garden on the patio, "does not sound healthy."
Wolf, watching from the doorway, shrugged, and Scarlet laughed, putting her watering can down and heading towards him. "You're right, Wolf. They always sound like that, don't they?"
He nodded, his grin smug and amused at the same time, simultaneously proud and entertained that she knew what he meant from just a shrug.
"Let's go inside," said Scarlet.
Cress and Thorne knocked on the front door a minute later, and Scarlet and Wolf both went to open it.
"Scarlet!" Cress said, wrapping her arms around Scarlet. Scarlet grinned and hugged her back, and Cress pulled away after a minute and hugged Wolf, too. "Wolf, how are you?"
"'m good," Wolf said, patting her back.
Thorne raised his eyebrows at Scarlet and then clasped his hands together, bowing at the waist. "Scarlet, our esteemed hostess, it is my utmost honor and -"
"Quit it, Thorne," Scarlet said, punching him in the arm.
"Hey, watch it!" Thorne said. "Don't injure my flying arm."
"Like we'd notice a difference."
They alternated raising their eyebrows and glaring at each other for half a minute before hugging. "I missed you, you red-haired maniac."
"Likewise, Captain."
"And you," Thorne said, pulling back from Scarlet and stretching a hand out at Wolf. "Have you been enjoying farm life?"
Wolf grunted and looked at Thorne's hand. "What's that for?"
"Friendly invitation to a hug or handshake, whichever you prefer?" Thorne shrugged and looked down at his hand, turning it over and examining it before he shrugged again and stuck it back into his pocket. "Anyway." He put an arm around Cress's shoulders and strolled forward into the house. "What'd I miss?"
"Oh, do come in, Thorne," Scarlet said, rolling her eyes as Thorne sat down on the living room couch, pulling an only slightly protesting Cress down next to him.
"Thanks, I will," Thorne said. Wolf sat himself down on the armchair across from Cress and Thorne, and Scarlet sat down next to Cress, who smiled at her.
Thorne leaned forward, rubbing his hands together like they were cold. "So what'd I miss? What's going on here in the adventure that is the French countryside?"
Scarlet debated reaching over Cress to slap Thorne, but she figured if she did that every time Thorne was being Thorne, he'd be black and blue within the hour.
"Ignoring Thorne's. . . enthusiasm," Cress said, and Scarlet grinned, "how are things going? We haven't seen you guys in. . . what was it, three months? We've missed you!"
"We missed you, too," Wolf said. "Things are good here, though, right, Scar?"
"Yeah, things are great," Scarlet said. "We just planted a ton of tomatoes."
She and Wolf shared a grin, and Thorne made gagging sounds. Scarlet was quite pleased when Cress smacked him in the arm, even though he grumbled and wondered aloud why so many women seemed to be out to hurt him lately. Scarlet was glad that Cress wasn't nearly as shy as she had been when she'd first met her. It was nice to see her so comfortable.
"One of our dogs just had puppies," Wolf added, and Cress squealed. Wolf smiled. "Yeah, they're pretty cute. Scarlet isn't nearly as scary when she's around one of them."
"I find it hard to imagine any form of non-scary Scarlet," Thorne said.
"Sometimes I do, too," Wolf said.
"You're lucky I'm too lazy to get up," Scarlet said, "because otherwise -"
"She'd kiss him, probably," Thorne stage-whispered to Cress, who rolled her eyes, smiled, and lifted his hand, kissing his knuckles lightly.
Scarlet grinned, because she was fairly certain Wolf was blushing.
"So puppies," Thorne said, letting his hand and Cress's drop to the couch between them. "And tomatoes." He sighed. "You guys are living the dream."
"Well, how are things on the Rampion, then?" Scarlet said. "Where have you been lately?"
"Eh, nowhere too exciting," Thorne said.
Cress said, "That's not true. We've been all over. We were just in the American Republic for a few weeks, that was great. We went to so many museums, and then we went to a couple of beaches, those were really nice. Thorne and I went scuba diving."
"Sounds fun," Scarlet said. She grinned at Wolf. "But I like it here with Wolf."
When she focused on Wolf smiling back at her, she almost couldn't hear Thorne's retching sounds.
Almost.
And she didn't think she would have it any other way.