We did another loop before I spoke again. “Did Nicky send you to find me?”
“No, he did not.” She answered me evenly, and I believed her. She didn’t have any reason to fib. “Actually, it was Daisy. She’s on her way over, but she suggested you might be out here. She’s going to meet us here in a bit.”
“Why?” I scowled at her. “I told you, I’m fine.”
“You’re not, Kyra. And that’s perfectly all right. You shouldn’t be fine—you have a reason to be angry. Daisy and I just want you to know that being angry doesn’t mean that you have to be alone.”
I swallowed over the lump rising in my throat. “I’m not angry. Not really.”
Alex sighed. “Irritated? Annoyed? Royally pissed off? It’s all semantics, Ky.”
“I’m hurt, Alex.” Giving a small pile of leaves a savage kick, I growled. “My feelings are hurt because Nicky’s been shutting me out, and my pride is hurt because his picture was all over the newspapers this morning—pictures from a party at a bar where there were women who hardly had any clothes on. Pictures where he’s sitting at a table between two of those women.”
“It’s shitty, Kyra. You’re entitled to be hurt. But you also need to realize that as stupid as my brother can be, he’d never look at another woman, no matter what. Even if she was strutting around the bar completely nude. He loves you—you’re the only person in the world for him.”
“I don’t have any doubts about Nicky’s fidelity. But at the moment, I’m seriously questioning his judgement. He knows better.” I stomped my foot, sending a fine spray of water in every direction. “If I had done something like this, everyone in the world would be shaking their heads, going on about the idiot American who doesn’t know how to do anything right. But Nicky’s supposed to be smart. He was born into this. What the hell was he thinking?”
Alex sniffed. “He’s a man. God only knows where his brain was.” She paused for a moment. “Did he ... say anything?”
“No.” I bit off the word. “He called early this morning on his way to ... I don’t even know. Wherever he’s going this weekend, for some international symposium about the UN resolution to preserve farmland.” I shrugged. “He said there was going to be a story in the papers, and people would be talking. He said he hadn’t done anything wrong. According to him, one of the women Hector had invited managed to smuggle in a phone and took pictures. They didn’t know until it was too late.”
“Why didn’t he come home and talk to you in person?” Alex voiced one of the questions that had been niggling at my heart all morning. “He could’ve delayed his trip by an hour or so.”
“Because our brother is a moron.” Daisy trotted up to us, moving to my other side and taking my arm. “Clearly. He has the most wonderful wife in the world, and he’s acting like a complete twit.”
“Thank you.” I felt a modicum better walking between these two stalwart women. “But I don’t want to come between both of you and Nicky. You’re family.”
“And so are you, Ky.” Daisy leaned in and kissed my cheek. “It’s sometimes easy to forget in the midst of all the other nonsense that comes with marrying into this dynasty, but we reallyarefamily, and that means you’re stuck with us.”
“She’s absolutely right. All for one and one for all.” Alex hugged my arm. “We stick together.”
I sniffled. “You’re both sweet. I couldn’t ask for any better bonus sisters.”
“Bonus sisters.” Alex laughed. “I like that.” She gave an all-over body shiver and glanced at me sideways. “Do you possibly feel like you could continue to be supported by us inside, perhaps with a nice cup of tea and some delicious biscuits? It’s positively biting out here.”
I nodded. “Sure. And bonus points if the biscuits are chocolate.”
“You’re in luck—they are.” Alex tugged at my arm. “Let’s go before I freeze off any crucial body parts.”
As it turned out, Alex’s definition of a nice cup of tea included a healthy splash of brandy. Very soon, we were all feeling quite a bit warmer.
“The truth is, it’s not just the pictures,” I admitted. I was laying across one of Alex’s very proper wing chairs, my feet dangling off one of the arms. “Something’s been up with Nicky for a while now. He’s not telling me everything. It’s making me nuts.”
To my surprise, Alex agreed. “You’re not imagining it. Jake told me the other day that he’d accidentally overheard the end of a conversation between Nicky and our father. Jake said it didn’t make much sense to him, but the discussion was definitely tense. He asked me if I knew what they might’ve been talking about, but of course, I don’t.”
“I asked Nicky. I don’t like to play around—if you haven’t noticed, subtlety really isn’t my strong suit.”
Across the room, Daisy turned a snort into a cough, while Alex merely smiled and tilted her head. “Isn’t it? I hadn’t noticed.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, ladies.” I rolled my eyes. “Anyway, he didn’t say he wasn’t hiding anything, but he definitely changed the subject quickly.” I dropped my head and groaned. “I don’t know what to do.”
“I might not have long-term answers, Ky, but I have a perfect idea for this weekend.” Daisy sat up and clasped her hands, her eyes sparkling. “I’m going to a weekend house party in Warminster. It’s going to be so much fun. Come with me.”
Before the words were out of her mouth, I was shaking my head. “Oh, Daisy, that’s sweet, but I couldn’t. I don’t want to crash a party—especially not this weekend.”
“But it’s not that kind of party, Ky,” Daisy insisted. “Not at all stuffy. Half the people there won’t have been properly invited. It’s more of a bring a friend and come for a laugh sort of thing. You won’t be out of place. I promise.”
Alex frowned. “But they have to give a guest list to the Palace, so that our security can do background checks. You’re not forgetting that, are you, Daisy?”
