Chapter 40
Lyra
T
he storm rages for twenty-four hours.
But what is happening outside isn’t as bad as the storm inside Camille’s house.
Sophie waits for me when I get back to Camille’s. “I thought you were leaving after Bo did the fly-by?” I ask her, giving her a wet hug because I need the warmth. Madame Carol hurries over with a huge towel, clucking at me in French to get out of my wet clothes.
It happened so suddenly. One minute, I was wrapped up in Spencer’s arms and the next, we were racing down the hill, trying to outrun the rain, holding hands and laughing.
And now I’m at Camille’s, and I don’t know when I’m going to see him again.
“Bo told me he saw you were holding hands so I convinced him to wait until the morning. And then the storm, so we stay. Not that it’s a bad thing.” She grins with encouragement.
“So you could get the details?”
“In case you needed to talk things through.”
I burrow into the towel. “I think I might need Grayson for that.”
“Want me to get him?”
I shake my head. “Let me eat first. The main thing wrong with this show is that they never let me eat. I’ve only had strawberries and cheese.”
And a whole bunch of champagne.
But it’s not the wine that is making my head spin.
After a healthy dinner of Madame Carol’s fish pie, we sit around the table with a bottle of wine.
“It’s Spencer, isn’t it?” Bo begins.
“I knew it.” Camille claps her hands. “The first time I saw you together, I just knew.”
Grayson glances at me over his glass of wine. “This might be a problem.”
“Why?” Sophie demands. “She’s found love with my brother. That’s what the show is for.”
“There’s still eleven other men waiting to get their chance with her,” Grayson points out. “Does Spencer feel the same way?”
“I think so.”
“Of course he does,” Sophie adds. “He always has.”
“Should you check with him before you ruin my show?”
“It’s going to make the show,” Odin assures him.
“We still have four weeks to go. Plus, a trip to Nova Scotia for the overnights and hometown visits.”
I shake my head even as Grayson’s face falls. “I don’t want to do all that,” I tell him. “I can’t. It’s not fair to the others.”
“Neither is dumping them without a chance. They all gave up a lot to come here.”
“What if they can stay?” I glance at Sophie, who is bouncing in her seat, just like she did when Odin kissed her years ago. “I have an idea…”
Sophie stops bouncing. “No,” she says, all the eagerness and excitement of me finding love disappearing from her face. “Don’t even think about it.”
How did she know? I never thought I was that easy to read. “But you’d be perfect.”
“But I don’t want to be,” Sophie tells me. “I haven’t given up on finding love on my own terms. In my own way. I don’t want to be the Suitorette.”
“Was that your idea?” Grayson demands. “Have someone take over for you?”
“It still is,” I tell him. “I think Sophie would be perfect. Are you sure?”
“Absolutely positive.”
“Well, then. I happen to have another idea…”