“What are you doing here?” Lucas demands with a nervous laugh.
Does no one think I could be here for Lyra?
“This is Spencer Laz,” Grayson calls out. “He’s a good friend of Lyra’s brother. Brothers,” he corrects. “He’s a little late to the party, but he’ll be joining you all in throwing his hat in the ring for Lyra.”
At least these men aren’t glaring at me, but no one is very excited to see me.
Except Lucas. “Spencer, dude, I never thought I would see you here.” Lucas extends a hand like we’re friends.
We’re not. If we were, he might not be surprised to see me.
“I didn’t think I’d see you either,” I say.
“Yeah, well when they asked for the boy next door, I jumped at the chance. Lyra’s always been pretty special. But you should know that already. This guy is like the fifth prince of Laandia,” Lucas tells the others, slapping me on the shoulder. “We gotta hang out with him because he’s got the inside track.”
I’ve had to deal with all sorts of people, so I know it’s hard coming back from a bad first impression. And unless Lucas stops talking, he’s not coming back from this.
He doesn’t stop. Instead, he starts spouting Battle Harbour gossip about me. And Lyra.
I’m not sure if Lucas is trying to make himself look good by knowing all this information about me, or showing the others that I’m a threat.
“I thought you had a girlfriend?” I interrupt Lucas. “Or was it a fiancée?”
Lucas’s face drains of colour. “No—no, no. No, we broke up. A long time ago actually.”
“Is that so?”
Along with knowing the residents, I make sure I’m kept informed of what’s going on in town. I also have staff who love to gossip.
“Sad, but I… I said I’m coming here. I’m going to take this chance with Princess Lyra, and that’s it,” Lucas says in a hearty voice, not like a man who broke up with a woman for a one-in-twenty-five chance with Lyra Erickson.
Like me. I don’t sound like that. I’m determined, but I also miss Abigail.
“That’s too bad,” I tell him. “You guys were together a long time.”
“Well, I’m moving on with Lyra. I hope.”
Grayson looks at us out of the corner of his eye, and I can see that Lucas’s time here will soon come to an end as clearly as if I were predicting the future.
I also get the feeling it’s not going to make me any more popular among the men.
14
Lyra
G
raysonisusingmysnazzy convertible, so I’m escorted back to Camille’s in one of the SUVs.
What the hell just happened? And why, when I haven’t been alone in days, is there no one in the car for me to ask?
None of the producers ride back with me, which is a smart move for them, since I’m in a mood.
I don’t know exactly what kind, but it’s definitely a mood.
Seeing Spencer was like someone slapped my face, then gave me the biggest bear hug. I’m soangrythat he showed uprightafter I had such a good date. Right after I started thinking that maybe things will be okay, and maybe my person could be here.
But the anger can’t wipe out the sheer delight in seeing him. The relief that he was there. That he came for me.
