When he came back to the greenhouse, it was with a pot of strong tea, freshly baked bread, hard cheese, fried eggs, turkey bacon, and a decadent apple tart topped with vanilla custard. Xander set a blanket on the floor, then spread out the food. He sat, gesturing for Bisma to join him. She shook her head, heart beating fast. He was being too kind; it made her wary.
‘You won’t eat?’ Xander asked, leaning back on his elbow as he took a bite of bread.
It would be too easy to say yes, to give in, but she needed to be strong, to be careful.
‘No, I’m alright,’ she replied, lifting her chin.
He shrugged. ‘Suit yourself.’ He pulled the apple tart toward him.
It really did look delicious. Bisma’s convictions wavered. And besides, it wasn’t as though she was going to give him her heart just because he’d brought her some food.
‘Well, if you’re just going to eat it all like a pig,’ she said with a roll of her eyes.
He grinned as she sat down and ate with him. The tea was divine, just what she needed, and, oh, the cinnamon dusted atop the apple tart was truly heavenly.
They ate in companionable silence, until Mei roused.
Bisma jumped to her feet. ‘Mei!’ she called, rushing to her side. ‘How do you feel?’
Mei groggily rubbed her eyes, pushing her short hair back from her face.
Holding onto Mei’s thin arms, Bisma helped her sit up. ‘Slowly,’ Bisma said, as Mei swung her legs over the table. Xander came to Mei’s other side; he and Bisma helped Mei stand. She felt as light as a feather.
‘I’m …’ Mei trailed off as she registered something. Her eyes opened wider. ‘Is that custard? I’mstarving.’
Bisma smiled. ‘Come, I saved you some.’
Mei sat down on the picnic blanket, and Xander pushed the food closer to her.
‘Ooh, fancy,’ Mei said, holding up the heavy silver spoon.
She began to eat, and a weight lifted off Bisma’s chest.Mei was alright.Bisma snuck a glance at Xander, who was smiling fondly, as relieved as she was. Something skittered across her chest, impossible to ignore.
Xander stood, coming to Bisma, and she stood as well, as if propelled by some force she had no control over, some sort of ancient magic she was not familiar with but which called to her all the same.
‘Bis,’ he said, giving her one of his usual smiles, though this time, she could see he was nervous. The pulse in his throat was racing.
She looked up into his eyes, which were the color of glistening evergreen trees after rain. They shone like jewels as he regarded her, the skin by his eyes crinkling softly. She inhaled the scent of cloves as he stepped closer. Her skin warmed.
‘Perhaps, sometime, we could get a meal together under less stressful circumstances?’ he asked, his voice low. She bit her lip, her heartbeat spiking as he reached for her hand, taking it in his. He ran his thumb across her knuckles.
She yearned to say yes—with every beat of her heart she did.
‘Or maybe not,’ Xander said, seeing her hesitate. ‘Perhaps we could just go for a walk in the woods?’
And those words—that question—it was like a bucket of ice had been poured over her. Bisma snatched her hand away from his. Those words were too familiar. She would not open herself to such pain and ridicule again.
Alarm and confusion filled Xander’s eyes.
‘I don’t give payment that way,’ she snapped.
He was taken aback by her tone. ‘That—that wasn’t what I was suggesting,’ he said, his brows knit together. He was upset. ‘Bisma, you know that’s not what I meant.’
‘Do I?’ She glared. ‘You’ll have your payment by the end of the week.’
‘You are impossible—always finding some way to twist my words against me.’ He let out a frustrated groan. ‘I don’t want your money.’
‘Of course you don’t!’ she cried, not caring that he was right. Being cruel was the only way to keep him away, to keep herself safe. She couldn’t trust him, no matter how much she yearned to. ‘My hard-earned coins mean nothing to someone as frivolous and spoiled as you.’
