“Wow, that’s so nice.”
“It is my honor.” Leo inclines his head. “When you’re ready to depart, I would like to say goodbye, Miss Fischer.”
“I’ll be sure to say goodbye.” Wren smiles as Leo goes back to the butler’s pantry. “While I was eating, I was looking at that art news website you told me about. There was another major Monet sold on Tuesday last week. Anonymous buyer.” Wren wiggles her eyebrows at me over the top of her coffee cup.
“It’s just a coincidence. They would have put them in the collection, don’t you think? Or told me. Why wouldn’t they tell me to prepare for them?” True, I was drawn here under false pretenses, but I’m doing my job. The one that’s listed on my contract. The one that’s going to get me another job when I head back to New York. My stomach clenches. It’s easy to pretend that day’s not coming. It’s easy to play house—or castle, as is the case now.
“Not if they’re trying to surprise you. What about my friend Anne? She didn’t want to be with a shifter, and he bought her a house. A whole bleepin’ house, a library full of books, and they got her father out of jail.”
“Wren, that’s Beauty and the Beast.”
“It’s not, but she said he was a beast in the bedroom.”
“You’re killing me. There’s no way they would just buy multi-million dollars’ worth of paintings because I went all gaga over one in his office.”
“You’re going to owe me dinner when those auctioned Monets show up at Cloud Rift.”
“Deal.” Because there’s no way.
“Have you read the latest articles?”
“No, have you?” My sister confuses the heck out of me sometimes.
“Yeah, it’s interesting. There’s a big debate over the ethics of it all, though. With some people saying if you can afford the art, you should be able to have it. Some say whoever is buying the art is trying to drive up the prices, and another group demands they be publicly displayed, even though at least three of them have been in private collections for decades.”
“They’re not buying them.” It’s a statement.
“Fine, but you should bring it up with Kieren. Whom I never got to meet. Oh, and you totally are going to owe me dinner.”
“Yes, he’s busy. I’m pretty sure he’ll be home by Monday, though.” For the ceremony.
Wren’s packed up before we know it, and we walk shoulder-to-shoulder slowly down the hallway to the side driveway entrance.
Leo appears, holding a large bag with paper handles. “Chef has prepared you some snacks for the trip back to Zurich.”
“I... whoa, Leopold. How long do you think it takes to get to Zurich?”
“Well, you’ll be well supplied if you get lost. Don’t get lost,” I say.
“Oh, I won’t. Can you imagine how mad Mom would be if I got lost and didn’t make report time for my flight?”
“She’d lose her flight benefits.” I clasp my hand to my chest.
“Flying for free’s no joke until you don’t have it anymore.” Wren laughs.
“I guess she would.” Mom and Dad are on Wren’s benefits. She’d put me on, but then she’d have to take off her childhood bestie who’s been flying out west to see her sick grandmother.
“Thank you, Leopold. I’ll share it with the rest of the crew.” Wren gives him a hug, and his shoulders tense up, but then he smiles before heading back into the house. Wren hops in the car. “Tell your bosses I said goodbye. And text me when Evander comes home... Also, if you can get it out of him, would you find out if those other dragons, the red ones, are okay?”
“Wren?”
“Yeah, sorry. Never mind.” She shakes it off and pulls the driver’s door shut, her package of food secured tightly on the passenger seat next to her. She peeks into it and pulls out a bag of oatmeal raisin cookies. “My favorite,” she squeals. “And they’re still warm. Right, I should go. I’m going to miss you. Keep me up to date. And remember, you’re amazing.”
I hug her through the window. “I’ll miss you,” I say.
“I’ll see you at Christmas.”
I shake my head.
