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I laugh, my hair bouncing with the movement of my shoulders. “Correct.” Then I place my hands on my stomach. “No baby here.”
“I suppose you’d have some explaining to do if there was.”
Blinking, I stare at the jumble of papers in my lap and freeze at the words spoken behind me. Did I imagine that deep voice tinged with humor?
But Lucy also must have heard it, because she looks up at the doorway behind me and smiles. “Oh, look who’s here.” She stands and holds out her hand as she passes me, approaching him. “I’m Lucy Reynolds.”
“Frederick Shaw.”
It’s really him. But why? What isheof all people doing here?
Placing the papers back on the desk, I turn in my chair, gripping the armrest as my head travels up the length of him. While not in a full suit, he’s still got on trousers that are slightly rumpled and a black long-sleeved, button-up shirt that he’s rolled to his elbows. The sight of the corded muscles of his tanned forearms that are normally covered by a jacket makes me shiver. My gaze works its way up his hard chest, the strong upper arms that no shirt can properly conceal, the shoulders made of lead, perfectly still as he stands stiff, at attention.
And finally, those piercing chocolate eyes that don’t miss a thing. Those full lips. That white scar that divides his left eyebrow—marring the otherwise perfect symmetry of his face.
I think it’s my favorite of all his features.
I swallow hard. Darn it all. In coming here, I’d hoped to cleanse my body’s reaction to him from my system. Clearly, that did not work.
“Hi.” It’s all I can say, despite wanting to ask him why in the world Topher sent him of all people to protect me. Because clearly, thatiswhy he’s here.
His jaw flexes. “Hi.”
“Well, that’s a funny way to greet your fiancé.” Lucy leans back against the doorway and watches us.
Fiancé … wait. What?
Oh no. Lucy’s made the worst possible assumption. I should have been clear with her earlier, that it’s my brother getting married, not me. But Topher’s words ring in my head:“You can’t tell people there who the wedding is for. That would certainly draw extra attention.”
And sure, I wouldn’t have to tell her who my brother is. But I’ve already told her I’m from Kentonia. I’ve even told her my real name—my first name, anyway. If she got really curious, all it would take is her googling my name plus my country’s and she’d be able to figure out who we are. Who Topher is.
The question is, is my instinct right? Can I really trust her? And do I want to stake everything on that? Maybe, for now, I take the easy route.Go with the flow, as they say here in America. I can always tell her the truth later.
That is, if Frederick doesn’t give it away first. Because right now, his eyes are narrowed, his brow furrowed. “I’m not—”
“Lucy’s right,” I practically yell as I twist and jump out of my chair. “That was quite a funny way to greet you. I just hadn’t expected to see you today.”
“Surprise.” His voice is devoid of humor now, completely flat. Unreadable.
Lucy’s still watching us, and I can tell by the way she’s shifting from foot to foot that she’s not quite sure what to make of all this. I don’t want her to give it a second thought, to have any reason to be suspicious.
Which is why I hurry around the chair and fling myself against Frederick, wrapping my arms around his sturdy frame, tucking my head under his chin. “Hi, Muscles.” The nickname slips out. It’s the way I’ve always thought of him in my head, but have never said out loud.
I bury my head in his chest. Oh blimey, what must he think of me right now?
It takes a moment before those strong muscled arms wrap around me, and I can hear his heart beating beneath my ear. Is he just as affected by my presence as I am by his? Probably not. More likely he’s wondering what in the world’s gotten into his best mate’s little sister, since this is the first time we’ve ever hugged.
“Um, hi,” is all he says. Again.
I pull back and lift up on my toes—he’s a good twenty centimeters taller than me—kissing both of his cheeks in our country’s customary greeting. Of course, I’m never allowed to greet him like this at home, given our differences in status. So when my feet fully hit the ground again, my lips burning from their brief contact with his stubbled jaw, I’m not surprised to see the shock in his gaze.
I just blink up at him, unsure of what to say or do. WhatamI doing? He probably thinks I’m throwing myself at him. Which, okay, fine, I technically am. But I would never … not in real life.
“Well”—Lucy’s voice breaks through my confusion, causing me to jump and turn back to face her—“I’d better get back to work. The restaurant’s owner will be leaving town for several months soon and I’m taking over management, so there’s still so much to learn. But I think I found the sheet you wanted.” She heads back to the desk and picks up a piece of paper, which she slips into my hands. Yes, it’s a list of vendors, but it’s painfully short.
My nose scrunches. Only a few venues are even listed.
Lucy’s lips turn downward. “I know it’s not much to go on. I really do think you’d be best off just going to the places in town and seeing if they have availability. A venue’s going to be tougher. I’ll put on my thinking cap for you, but there are a few out-of-town places on this list to get your search started.”
