I should have known something was up the moment he looked at me earlier.
Nothing happened, man. I was just showing her how to whittle.
A few moments passed, Vince’s typing bubble appearing and disappearing.
Vince
Look, I know she’s hot and you guys probably made out in the closet in NYC and I don’t blame you, but you told Ollie there wasn’t anything between you two. Think about what the press would say if they caught wind of you hooking up with one of the women
There isn’t anything going on.
I rolled my eyes, aggressively slathering mustard on a piece of bread. Like I needed a reminder that Birdie was here for Oliver and not me. I was annoyed that Vince would even think I would do anything to cause a stir in the press or hurt Oliver. My phone chimed again.
Vince
OK. Just make sure nothing else happens. It’s not just you guys that would get the shit end of the deal. My family would too, you know?
My temper flared. This entire conversation was bullshit. I knew exactly what it would cost everyone if I had feelings for Birdie. I had spent the entire day thinking about what it would cost everyone.
I KNOW!
I threw the dirty knife into the sink, and it landed with a loudbang, causing Eugene’s head to jolt up from his bowl, cocking worriedly to the side. He wasn’t used to this kind of anger from me, but Vince’s words had really struck a chord. I had to get out of the house and work this energy out.
I grabbed my coat and slid on my work boots. Eugene loped up, eyes pleading to tag along.
“Of course you can come.”
He answered me with a bark as his tail thudded happily against the kitchen island.
The steps leading to the service entrance at the back of the palace were a bit icy. As soon as I got through the door, I checked the list of tasks, mentally adding salting the steps to the top of the it. Having someone slip down those was the last thing I wanted.
I grabbed the large bag of de-icing salt and took care of the steps. Once that was done, I flipped through the clipboard with the work orders, looking for a smaller project that could be completed tonight. Spotting an order that had come in earlier this afternoon for Rosalind’s room, I fetched my toolbox and headed upstairs.
The palace was quiet. I figured that everyone was probably finishing up dinner or already in their suites for the evening,given the busy day. If it weren’t for my agitation and need to fix something, I would probably have been in bed watching a movie.
Eugene padded behind me up the back stairwell. No one minded if I used the ornate staircase by the palace entry, but I tried to avoid it when both Eugene and I were tracking in snow and salt. No need to give anyone extra work cleaning up our footprints in the morning.
At the top of the stairs, we entered a corridor filled with doors to everyone’s offices. Isobel had begged and pleaded with me to take one of them, but I refused every time she mentioned it. There was no reason for me to take a royal office when I had a perfectly good desk downstairs in the basement.
The door to Leroy’s office was cracked open and I spotted a head of copper hair. Eugene and I approached to find Xavier examining the bookcase, running his fingers along the spines of the books.
I was surprised to see him in the palace at all after his absence today, much less in his father’s office. Leroy typically didn’t like anyone to be in there alone.
“Hey,” I said, trying not to startle him.
“Oh—hey, Knox.” He turned and gave me a nod. “I’m just looking for something. What are you doing here?”
I held up the pink slip with the work order on it. “Headed to Rosie’s room.”
Xavier nodded approvingly, then shoved his hands in his pockets, his shoulders bowing inward. “I was just looking for something. Father said I could come look through his books to find any answers.”
I made it a rule to stay out of other people’s business, but I couldn’t help but examine Xavier closely as he spoke. He had been acting strangely since his abdication. Even now, therewere dark circles under his eyes, and his worried posture was a change from his normal ramrod-straight back.
“Okay. Well, I need to go finish this work order.” I turned to leave.
“And I think I found what I needed. See you later.”
I paused, knowing I was about to overstep but deciding I didn’t care. “Hey, Xavier, where were you today?”
