Bridges Burned (Going Down in Flames #2)(63)

“Is this supposed to be a comment on how much I eat?”

He grinned and took the large spoon from her. “I thought it might make you laugh. There are regular spoons in the bottom of the bag.” He grabbed the bag, reached inside, and then frowned. “I threw real spoons in here. Maybe they fell out in my car.”

Should she eat with the ladle-sized spoon? If she was by herself, she might. “I could call Rindy, the magical fairy who knows all, and ask her where my grandparents keep their spoons.”

“Good idea. From the outside of the house, I know where the kitchen is located. From in here, I haven’t a clue.”

A quick call to Rindy had Abigail the maid at their door five minutes later with a pushcart loaded with utensils, drinks, and snacks.

“Wow.” Bryn looked over the platter of fruit and cheese, the plate of cookies, and the bowl of popcorn. Several types of soda and bottled water also sat on the cart.

“Thanks, Abigail. This is awesome.”

She inclined her head. “If you need anything else, you can reach the kitchen by dialing three-six-six-three.”

“I better write that down.” Bryn stepped away from the door.

“No need to write it down.” Abigail grinned like she knew a secret. “It spells food. Your grandfather is a clever man.”

“Yes, he is.” Bryn watched as Abigail left the room and closed the door behind her. She grabbed two spoons off the cart, tossing one to Valmont. “What would you like to drink?”

He came over to investigate and picked up a bottle labeled lime fizzy water. “The name alone makes me want to try it. How about you?”

Her first instinct was to go for a soda. She checked the other options and picked up a pretty pink bottle. “I’ll try the strawberry fizzy water.”

They settled back on the couch with the lemon ice set between them. Bryn took a bite. The cold, tangy sweetness melted in her mouth. Thank God it still tasted as good as she remembered, even though it wasn’t made here in town. “How did you end up buying lemon gelato from New York?”

“My grandfather vacationed there once. Said it put his lemon gelato to shame. He’s refused to serve anything else ever since.”

A knock sounded on her door. Before she could stand and open it, the door opened. Her grandfather stood in the doorway frowning. “What is he doing here?”

Could her grandfather make Valmont feel less welcome? “He’s my friend.”

“He’s staff. You can’t be friends with the staff.”

And it was on. “He’s my friend and my knight, and he’s not your staff.”

“You don’t need a knight,” her grandfather said. “No one has a knight anymore. It’s archaic. Release him from his bond.”

“No.” She stared her grandfather down, refusing to blink.

The jerk grinned. “Good to know you fight for what you believe in.”

And with that he left.

Bryn stared after him and then turned to Valmont. “What the hell was that?”

“I think it was a test, and you passed with flying colors.”

“It’s frightening to think his blood runs in my veins.”

“Could be worse. Imagine how Jaxon feels.”

Bryn laughed. “Sharing blood with Ferrin. That is a terrible reality.”

“Speaking of Jaxon,” Valmont said, “why were you having lunch with him the other day?”

Hoping to show him how stupid she thought the whole Jaxon fix-up idea was, she rolled her eyes. “Since my grandparents recognized me, my grandfather wants me to marry and have grandkids and all that crap.”

Valmont bit his lip like he was trying not to laugh. She glared at him. “I see you’ve connected the dots.”

Laughter poured out of Valmont’s mouth. It was a warm, rich sound, and surprisingly enough, it didn’t make her angry. In fact, she joined in.

He regained control but still grinned like an idiot. “That is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. You and Jaxon, together. I imagine neither Jaxon nor his father are amused by the idea.”

“My grandmother and Jaxon’s mother, Lillith, are behind it. Ferrin would have me assassinated before he allowed me to marry his son. I might prefer that myself.”

“Why is your grandmother scheming with Lillith? Shouldn’t Jaxon’s contract already be in place?”

“It was.” And the story wasn’t funny anymore. “Rhianna didn’t fully recover from her injury after the attack on the theater building, so Ferrin, being the utter asshat that he is, voided their agreement.”

“That’s awful. What will she do?”

“Jaxon, who has turned out not to be a total asshat, promised he’d take care of her no matter what. Which is admirable, but it shouldn’t have to be that way. I don’t see why it’s an issue.”

“Jaxon is more honorable than I thought.” Valmont reached for her hand. “When will you know if you’ve been approved for an arranged marriage?”

“No idea. I try not to think about it. It’s all so weird. A few months ago, I was a normal girl living a normal life in a public high school. My biggest worry was who I’d sit next to at lunch. Now it seems like I’m living in a foreign country on the brink of a war. A lot of people hate me. Some of them are trying to kill me. If I live, there’s a chance, however slim, that I’ll be forced into an arranged marriage, which has nothing to do with actually loving or even liking the person. My grandmother told me marriage is a legal contract that produces children. Nothing more. I can’t believe that. My parents are happy, I can’t—”