Nicholas’s mouth was so close. As I looked at it, he licked his lips. I licked mine in reply. We leaned

closer, closer, dangerously close..

Then the oven timer dinged.

We immediately straightened, snapping away from each other. Nicholas turned, coughing into his hand.

I reached for the oven mitts and pulled the finished stuffed mushrooms from the oven.

With the tray safely on the counter, I couldn’t find the courage to look at him again.

He cleared his throat. “Nostalgia does tricky things to the mind.”

“It does,” I agreed, thankful for the safe retreat his words offered.

“I should go now.” He took a step, then paused. “Goodnight, Piper.”

“Goodnight.”

I didn’t move again until his footsteps disappeared from the kitchen. Even after he was gone, I needed a moment to get my heartbeat under control.

finishing touches on

storage.

not think about what

Charlotte and I were adding the finishing touches to the garden party dresses for me and Elva. She was sewing on the ruffled trim with the

“about your other

now, in the early days, she had seemed to only barely tolerate me. The overly–friendly one had helped me feel more at

her down,” Charlotte said. “They let her go from the palace staff, but she was able to find another

I had worried that

less stressful.” Charlotte picked at a straw thread.

glad to hear she is safe and well. I’ve been thinking of her.”

spoke to her, she seemed worried about

of the palace might be

I said, giving her a smile. “And that’s what matters. With the support I

of

and ruined appetizers were nothing compared to the

past.

head, food for both Elva and me, and proper medical

had to endure was secondary to those basic needs, which in the past

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