A new year and the first Wednesday deserves new words. Technically, 2/3 of this snippet was written last week (and I got an honorable mention from last week’s #ThursdayThoughts judge!) I have to admit that the prompt was a good one. **”It’s not that simple.”** So that’s our inspiraton for today’s challenge. No more #1lineWed prompts. The person who took it over when I and the organization who originally sponsered the Twitter account has decided their conscience won’t let them stick around. No skin off my nose. I haven’t checked the hashtag to see if anyone else took up the mantle. Anyway, here’s a slightly expanded version of my original 250 words for Thursday Threads. The scene is pretty much self-explanatory.

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Kin didn’t look up as a warm body dropped onto the barstool next to him. “I came down here to find some peace and quiet,” he muttered.

Loch laughed deeply and four women turned their heads to give him appreciative looks. “Ya came to a noisy bar full of people to find peace and quiet. Tell me another tale, mate.”

“Fine then. I came down here to get away from the lot of you.”

“The lot of us or Meg?”

Kin snapped his mouth shut. Loch always saw too much. When the bartender approached, he pointed to his bottle and held up two fingers. Moments later, full bottles landed in front of them.

“Have ya nothin’ to say, boyo?” Loch tipped his beer bottle and drank but his gaze stayed fixed on the man sitting next to him at the bar.

Kin stared at his hands which remained clasped around his own bottle. “What’s to say?”

“Ya could start by admittin’ the cailín is yer mate.”

“It’s not that simple.”

Loch snorted. “It’s not?”
Snarling, Kin drained his bottle. “No, ya bloody fool, it’s not. I’m a feckin’ Wolf. She’s…” No more words came.

“She’s what? Beautiful? Intelligent? In love with yer sorry arse?”

“She’s…” Again words failed him. Then he found some. “Her father’s a bloody Major-general. Her mother’s a movie star.”

“And?”

“And I’m a feckin’ Wolf.” Kin growled, the sound rumbling in his chest loudly enough the bartender turned to stare at him.

“Aye, Kin, ya are. And because yer a Wolf, you’ll love her and keep her safe for all of her life. You’ll bend over backwards t’make her happy. You’ll never stray. You’re honorable. And I’ve heard it said that you’re on the dark and sexy side.” Loch held up his hands, palms forward in a “now take it easy” gesture. His eyes glittered with humor. “Not that I would say that. You bloody well snore loud enough t’wake the dead and there’s nothin’ sexy about that.”

After taking another sip, the Irishman clapped Kin on the shoulder and continued. “She know’s what’cha are and she hasn’t run away screaimin’ like a banshee. She’s yer mate. Claim her. And yeah, ’tis that simple.

Kin could only hope.

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There it is. I wish I could say that the new year has started off with a bang but Real Life is still trending. Makes me want to snarl a little bit like Kin. Today is a new day. I’ll do better. What about you writers out there? How’s your writing going this year? (All 4 days of it so far! 😉 ) Feel free to grab the prompt and forge some new words. Readers, how’s your life going so far?