“Leave. And knock. I’m ignoring you until you do.”
She groans and leaves, slamming the bedroom door behind her, then bangs on it. I’d despair if she were a Pitch. She doesn’t behave as if she has an ounce of Grimm in her either; my stepmother’s blood is thin as gruel.
“Come in,” I say.
Mordelia opens the door and leans in. “Your friend’s back.”
I turn from the mirror. “What?”
“The Chosen One.”
“Simon?”
She nods. I push past her out the door, muttering, “Don’t call him that,” then run down the stairs. If he’s here, something must be wrong. Maybe they were attacked on the road… I slow down when I get to the dining room.
Simon is standing in the foyer, covered in snow and muck. Again.
I put my hands in my pocket. “Déjà vu, Snow.”
He runs his hand through his hair, smearing it with mud. “There’s still no good way to get from the road to your house.”
“And you still can’t remember a basic weatherization spell. Where are the girls?”
“Halfway to London by now.”
“Why aren’t you with them?”
He shrugs.
I walk down the last steps into the foyer and take out my wand.
He holds up his hand. “I’d prefer to just take a shower and change, if you don’t mind.”
“Why’d you come back?” I say—softly, just in case Mordelia is lurking around.
“I can leave if I’m not welcome.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I thought you’d be happy that I came back.”
I step closer to him, and my voice drops to a menace. “Why? So we can tumble around and kiss and pretend to be happy boyfriends?”
He shakes his head, like he’s at his limit, then rolls his eyes mightily. “Yeah… I guess so.Yes.Let’s do that, okay?”
I fold my arms. “Take off your shoes. I’ll find you something to wear. You’ll make us late to dinner.”
***
Simon looks stunning in a grey suit.
SIMON
I came back because I was afraid of what might happen if I didn’t.
Baz might just pretend that nothing hadeverhappened between us. He’d make me feel like I dreamt this whole thing—like I was a maniac and a moron for believing he’d ever felt something for me.
I was already feeling like a maniac and a moron in the car with Penny and Agatha.
