“I’ll have one after dinner.”
“Is that a rule?”
“No, but?—”
Taking her hand, I say, “No buts, unless we’re talking Bruiser butts. We’re getting you some cake.”
“We can’t have cake for dinner.”
“When you’re with me, anything goes.”
“But where are we going?”
“Good question, where do they serve the best chocolate cake?”
“They’re all good.”
“Okay, where can we go that’s quiet, private, and serves the best chocolate cake?”
Cat’s lips quirk. As if knowing we’re not returning to Blancbourg until I have my way, she leads us in the opposite direction and down a little lane bordered by flower boxes and dappled late-day sunlight.
The scent of bread, steak, and chocolate fills my nose. I could go for some of each. We stop in front of a bistro with checkered tablecloths and the kind of quaint that can only be found in hidden corners of places like Concordia.
We take a seat at a little wooden table under a canopy of grapevines strung with lights. I order us each a slice of cake, but take mine with ice cream.
While we wait, I say, “Not to brag, but I think my charm helped at the historical registry office.”
“Maybe you could use it on Regina. I mean, Mrs. Harrow,” Cateline mutters.
“Is she giving you trouble?”
“She’s the chief financial officer. Er, the bursar. The one who needs the thirty-four thousand dollars.”
“She needs it or the school needs it?” I ask as two plates topped with several layers of moist cake with frosting between and topped with glossy ganache appear between us.
Cateline takes a bite and her eyes close as she relaxes. “The school, of course. We just keep going deeper into debt. But Regina is entirely unpleasant about it. Like it’s my fault.” She goes on to tell me how the former junior headmistress was passed over for the job of headmistress, which went to Cateline.
“We could prank her,” I say, trying to add levity to what sounds like a major stressor.
“If it were that easy, I’d have left a note on her desk that says the exterminator will be by to deal with the rodent problem. She hates mice.” She pauses a beat and then adds, “Don’t worry. There’s no rodent problem.”
“Or we could actually set a bunch loose.” I take a forkful of cake and ice cream. “This is good.”
“That’s going too far—the mice, not the cake,” she says with a laugh.
“You know where to find me if you need some help, Kitty Cat,” I reply with a wink.
When we’re done, we head back toward the school, but Cateline goes slowly as if the closer we get, the more the reality of the financial predicament sets in.
“You’ll figure it out,” I say, meaning to be helpful.
She pauses on the street, obviously upset. “It’s just that our budget keeps shrinking while our expenses keep rising. We have a huge advertising budget but no new students—except you guys. We’ve cut so many costs. On top of that, she threatened Arthur with letting him go. No way.” Her voice rises several octaves as she gets upset. “And our week at the school is almost over, meaning I have to leave with you to parts unknown. I’d like to say I’m leaving Blancbourg in capable hands, but Regina—” Cateline cups the side of her face. “Sorry. I don’t know why I’m telling you this.”
Twilight falls and paints our surroundings a dusty shade of lavender. I peel her hands from her cheeks but don’t let go, letting our linked fingers hang between us. Warmth spreads from where my fingers connect to hers and up my arm before blazing in my chest.
My gaze dips to meet Cateline’s eyes. “Maybe you’re telling me because you trust me? Starting to think of me as an ally rather than an adversary? At least, I’d like to think so.”
“Are you asking whether our truce is official?”
