“She toldGood Morning New Yorknothing. I couldn’t make heads or tails of what she said. Nor of what she told my family. It’s all very mysterious and cryptic. Frankly, I didn’t want to know then and I’m not sure I want to know now.”
“I watched it. She said something about—”
“Daffy, please. I’m asking as your friend. Leave it be.”
“So you don’t want to know? Really?”
“In this case ignorance is bliss. Better than being hurt. Besides, what good will it do? She’s moved on. I’ve moved on. Let the past die.”
He illuminated the steps with his phone’s light and started up. The conversation soured his silly affection for Daffy and reminded him not to get caught up in the romance of the Old Hamlet, of Dalholm’s lore of love. Romance was his Achilles’ heel.
Despite his attraction to Daffy’s forthright charms, he was not ready to move on. So, other than their mutual interest in theKing Titus, they had no business hanging round together.
He bid her goodnight in the royal wing. “See you in the morning.”
She smiled softly. “I’ll be ready.”
In his apartment bedroom, Gus slipped from his clothes then brushed his teeth. He fell into bed with nothing on his mind but sleep and his morning errand. Not true. Daffy was all over his thoughts. Her bold honesty irritated him. Why did he need to speak to Coral? To hear her justification for leaving? He didn’t.
Gus snatched up the remote and powered on the telly. Then after a moment, clicked it off.
In the dark room, his gaze drifted toward the window where Emmanuel’s predicted snow fell through the ethereal glow of the castle’s lights.
A soft laugh vibrated through him. There was nothing predictable or usual about this trip to Hadsby. And oddly enough, Gus found the notion comforting.
Chapter Fourteen
Daffy
Midnight. And she still wasn’t sleepy. Her thoughts churned and turned. All because of her conversation with Gus.
He was so close when he helped her on with her coat. His warmth whispered over her. When she all but ran into him, their eyes met, and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. Just the memory of it now made her lips tingle. She’d seen desire in his deep blues.
Then her phone rang. Worst luck. Ella. And what did he mean when he said he’d be like Prince Michael, falling to his death from the Northton Cliffs while holding the hand of his true love.
What true love? Did he mean her? She was the other person in the scenario. And why was he so touchy about Coral? Didn’t he realize how amazing he was? He went on and on about the amazing women in his life but failed to recognize his own real worth.
Now the glowing blue digital clock on the other side of the room declared 1:00 a.m. Somewhere in her musings she’d drifted asleep only to be startled awake by her buzzing 6:30 a.m. alarm.
Just when she entered a sweet dream too. She wore an exquisite blue gown with a vast skirt and running through a field toward a golden sunset and the old cracked portico. A relic from another era located on the highest ground behind the castle. Once used as a lookout for invaders from the east.
Daffy sank down under the covers, eyes closed, and willed herself to return to the dream. But it was too late. The slumber fairy had vanished.
The alarm sounded again.
All right, all right.
She kicked out of bed and stumbled toward the bathroom. Gus would arrive soon. After a quick shower, she tugged on her best jeans and warmest jumper, fixed her hair in a ponytail, and brushed on a bit of makeup. Well, she didn’t want to scare the poor lad.
After the chair was safely delivered to Emmanuel and his workshop, she’d do some paperwork before heading to the lodge for lunch. To her friends. To her fiancé. To her love.
After her uni boyfriend confession last night, she realized she might be holding back on Thomas. Afraid she’d get hurt. Well, she’d not pull a Prince Gus and refuse to trust.
Today, she’d be all Thomas’s. She’d been too flirty with the prince. And frankly, he with her. Her lips had a lot of nerve tingling with the idea of a kiss from him.
Thomas was nothing like the dirtbag from uni. He was the opposite. Proposed in a public place with a very public demonstration of his love and devotion. That should be enough for her to trust him. For their relationship to work, she must go all in.
Fear of rejection was a prison, not a protector. She’d learned young that rejection was a part of life. From inside the walls of Perrigwynn Palace to the man she thought she’d marry.
