An arm slipped around me, and someone kissed my cheek. “Sorry I took so long. Someone was causing a scene in the other room,” Lorraine said. “Need any help?” I offered. “If he comes back, maybe. For now, what can I get you all?” Tyler and I both got beers. Rich ordered a whiskey. Martin got wine. And Dylan had scotch. “I’ve seen her around the apartment building. Is she the one we can hear?” Rich asked when Lorraine had gone. “No, and don’t let her hear you say anything like that. She doesn’t like being overheard.” “But we can hear someone. Are you sleeping with other women too?” Martin asked. “Oh, yes, he is,” Rich confirmed. “Sometimes, three or four.” “I had three once here. And I haven’t had four since I moved in.” “You really sleep with more than one woman at a time?” Dylan asked. “Sure, don’t you?” “I’m married.” “And that’s why elves don’t marry.” “Don’t you worry about diseases?” Tyler asked. “I can’t get them. And I use protection so I don’t transfer something from one woman to another. I am responsible.” “Have you thought about settling down?” Rich asked. “Until recently, that wasn’t an option. I don’t age, so I had to move around to hide that. I couldn’t just leave a wife.” It was possible now, but did I want that? “Rich is married, and so is Dylan. What about you two?” I looked at Martin and Tyler. “Married with kids,” Martin said. “I’m engaged,” Tyler added. “You are?” Rich asked. “Two months now. We still haven’t set a date.” “Congratulations,” I said. “Next round’s on me.” “Police consultant pays that well?” Rich asked. “Not hardly, but it’s only four drinks.” I lived off what I made, but I had money Underhill too. I had been paid well for my service to Oberon. I tried to save that for if my people returned, but I’d used some of it for emergencies. It wasn’t legal currency here, but I could sell it for the value of the gold, and occasionally, I found a collector who’d pay more for it. “So, Sean is the only one who’s not taken,” Dylan mused. “And he likes it that way,” I insisted. “What about Lorraine?” Rich asked. “You two get along.” “We’re friends. I’ve asked her out. She’s not interested. She likes the relationship the way it is.” “She’s seen the women you sleep with and is jealous,” Rich claimed. “She’s fixed me up with half of them. And I’ve done similar for her. We’re both happy with the arrangement. I like being single. I’m happy this way.” “What if there were more elves around?” Tyler asked. “Elves don’t marry. Even if I wanted that, no one else would.” “And you won’t marry a human.” “What’s the point? I’ll live thousands of more years. She’d be lucky to live to be a hundred. We’d get married, and I’d watch her grow old and die. I’d then be alone with a broken heart. Why would I want that?” No one had an answer to that. I figured they wouldn’t. I’d thought about it before and hadn’t come up with a solution.