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“He insisted on coming in…” She paused and squinted at Shay. “Have you always known who I am?”
Zephy’s new friend drew in a shaking breath. “Well, not when I saw your car broken down on the side of the road, but as soon as I got out of my car… I mean, it’s kind of hard to ignore the kind of social media attention he put out looking for you after you disappeared,” she admitted, throwing her shoulders back.
“Why didn’t you say anything?!” Zephy cried, throwing up her hands, and Shay tossed me a sidelong look.
“You obviously had your reasons for leaving. I told you right from the start that I wouldn’t ask questions, and I wasn’t going to judge you.” She glanced at me warily. “Is he going to kill me now?”
I balked at the suggestion, and Zephy was appalled by the idea.
She shook her head. “No, Shay, of course not! Why would he kill you?”
Shay didn’t seem convinced until I spoke.
“Thank you for taking such good care of her. We were all very concerned for her well-being, but I see now that she was in good hands. How can I compensate you for all you’ve done?”
Shay’s gaze darted from Zephy to me and back toward my fiancée. “Are you leaving?” she asked, understanding coloring her expression. A fusion of disappointment and hurt crossed her face.
Zephy nodded. “I should have never come here in the first place. It was all a miscommunication between us.”
Shay’s gray eyes narrowed. “Are you sure?”
Zephy looked at me and smiled, reaching for my hand. “Yes,” she said softly. “I have never been more sure of anything in my life.”
Her words appeared to calm Shay, who nodded, her shoulders relaxing, and I again offered her money.
“Friends don’t take payments,” Shay said haughtily. “I’m glad I could help.”
“Will you come to Ironhelm Place for our wedding?” Zephy blurted out. “We’re getting married right away.”
Shay appeared taken aback by the question. “I… I don’t know…” she hemmed. “I have a lot going on here…”
“I understand,” Zephy told her, but I heard the disappointment in her tone.
“Please try,” I interjected. “It would mean a lot to us.”
Shay cast me another wary look, but nodded slowly. “All right. I’ll try to find someone to man the boarding house for a bit, and I’ll inform my mentor.”
“Your mentor?” I asked. “What are you training for?”
“She’s an enchantress,” Zephy explained.
My brow rose higher, my interest piquing. “Is that right?”
Zephy untangled her fingers from mine and threw her arms around Shay, who huffed out a breath of air.
“No need for theatrics!” the brunette cried. “It’s just an RSVP!”
Laughing, Zephy drew back and smoothed out the front of her skirt. “We’ll see you at the palace, then,” she said brightly. “Thank you for everything. Will you do me a favor?”
“Sure…”
“If you see Hanover around, tell him to screw off for me, and give him that infamous middle finger of yours.”
Shay started to howl with laughter, a hand clamping over her lips. “I warned you he was a jerk.”
My eyes narrowed again. “Who is Hanover?” I asked.
“Don’t worry about it, my love. Come on. Let’s give Shay her house back.”
