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“That’s it. Feel better now?”
“Sorry,” she muttered.
“No need to be sorry. I’ll move the blanket inside.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I can go outside. I’m just . . . usually . . .”
“Tell me,” he urged.
A laugh, barren of amusement escaped her lips. “Usually, I have someone with me. Someone that I . . .”
“That you trust,” he finished. Something filled his face. Something that looked like disappointment. “And you don’t trust me. How can you trust me when you don’t know me? We haven’t exactly talked much. Just that awkward dinner when you were dating the worm and sometimes when we’ve been here to see Regent.”
She licked her lips, grateful he understood. Then a smile curved her lips. “The worm? That’s what you call Michael?”
“Apt, don’t you think?”
She placed her hand over her mouth to try to smother her giggle. “I shouldn’t laugh, but . . .”
“But he’s totally a worm?”
Yeah, he was a worm. He’d broken up with her the same day she’d been kidnapped. And she hadn’t heard from him since.
He was worse than a worm.
“Maybe that’s a bit harsh,” Nico pondered. “On the worms.”
A burst of laughter shot out of her, shocking her.
“Who said worm? Do you want worms, Lottie?” Ace called out, appearing out of the trees. His hands were coated in dirt and there were streaks across his face.
Oh, Lord.
“Um, no,” she said. “I don’t want any worms.”
“Oh.” His little face fell. “What about grubs? I can get you those.”
How did she tell him no without disappointing him?
“Why don’t we leave them in the ground where they’re safe?” Nico suggested.
“That’s no fun,” Ace muttered. “Aren’t you coming out, Lottie? Keir said that maybe we could build a tree house. You could come sit in it when it’s ready.”
“A tree house? Perhaps we should get someone to go and get some stuff. Or can you buy them premade? Maybe I could call and buy one. I’m sure they’d deliver it today, but I’m not sure how you get it up in the tree.”
Ace and Nico stared at her.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“You don’t buy a tree house,” Ace told her. “You build it, and we don’t need no adults to help us.”
“You don’t? That doesn’t sound all that safe. Where are you building it?”
“I dunno. Out in some tree. Come see.” Ace grabbed her hand, tugging.
“Oh, I um—” Ace was surprisingly strong, and she stumbled forward as he pulled at her.
“Whoa, easy there, Ace,” Nico said, wrapping an arm around her waist.
