you?”
He sounded surprised. I nodded. Torin’s family name was de Clare, but he’d taken up St. James after his older brother James died in the crusade. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“It is priceless, and I’m not talking about its value.” Andris frowned and bit his lower lip as though undecided about something. “It means a lot to Torin, so don’t lose it.”
He was acting weird, and I hated when he talked down to me as though I was a child. “Of course I won’t lose it.” I took it from his hand and slipped it under my shirt, so it rested on top of my undershirt. We continued down the hallway. To our right was another set of stairs leading to the second floor. Beyond it were several bedrooms, including Eirik’s old room and the pool. To our left were the doors to the dining room, kitchen, and pantry.
“Has he told you about his family?”
“No.” Torin didn’t talk much about the past, except about his brother.
Andris’ frown deepened. “I’m sure he will when he’s ready. Some things are way too personal and painful to share, even with those you love.” He sounded glum as though reliving his painful past. “I only found out about a century ago when he was wasted after… Let’s just say he was wasted.”
Curses came from the kitchen, and a change came over Andris. His serious tone disappeared, and the flippant guy I knew took over. “Lover boy is still venting. He scared four of the six applicants before we even started interviewing them.”
Crap! I didn’t want to see him yet. But curiosity won. “Applicants for what?”
“Cook slash housekeeper slash whatever I want her to do around the house,” he said.
“A Mortal for a housekeeper? You’re going to give her a heart attack if you appear out of nowhere.” I waved toward the hallway mirror portal.
He shrugged indifferently. “We all don’t have Immortals tripping over themselves to work for us. Mrs. Willow only makes dinners, so she won’t be here until we are home from school, except Fridays and Mondays, when she’ll come in the morning before we leave for housecleaning and laundry. She doesn’t get a house key either. Torin insisted.” Andris pushed the kitchen door, and I smiled when I saw the dishes on the counter. “He refused to consider the two I liked just because one couldn’t cook and the other was intimidated by the size of the house.”
“We were interviewing for a housekeeper, not your next lover,” Torin retorted. He looked up and saw me. “Hey, you. Came to apologize?”
“We could have hired one as the cook and the other as a maid,” Andris cut in before I could respond.”
“And you’d have seduced both by the end of the week.” Torin’s eyes stayed on me. “I can tell you what to say if you’d like.”
Seriously? “I’m not apologizing. I’m not the one who acted like a douche.”
“Did I miss something? Did you two fight?” Andris asked with glee. “Your fights are so entertaining and hil—”
“Shut up, Andris,” Torin snapped, but his eyes didn’t waver from mine.
“Whipped,” Andris muttered and snatched a plate of food off the table.
We ignored him. After the seriousness of our discussion outside the kitchen, I’d concluded that Andris was a lot more complex than he let on. He adopted different personas to suit each occasion, faking shallowness when he wasn’t. No, change that. He could be shallow, rude, and childish, but he also had depth. He was amazing with electronics, and only those close to him knew he loved books.
Torin still waited, but I wasn’t playing. “You made them cook something as part of the interview?” I asked instead.
Surprise flickered across his face. I’m not sure whether it was my calmness or question that caused it. “Just a dish and they couldn’t get it right.” He dumped the contents of two plates and reached for two more.
He’d shed his jacket, and every time he reached up to put the spices back on the shelf, the shirt
He sounded surprised. I nodded. Torin’s family name was de Clare, but he’d taken up St. James after his older brother James died in the crusade. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“It is priceless, and I’m not talking about its value.” Andris frowned and bit his lower lip as though undecided about something. “It means a lot to Torin, so don’t lose it.”
He was acting weird, and I hated when he talked down to me as though I was a child. “Of course I won’t lose it.” I took it from his hand and slipped it under my shirt, so it rested on top of my undershirt. We continued down the hallway. To our right was another set of stairs leading to the second floor. Beyond it were several bedrooms, including Eirik’s old room and the pool. To our left were the doors to the dining room, kitchen, and pantry.
“Has he told you about his family?”
“No.” Torin didn’t talk much about the past, except about his brother.
Andris’ frown deepened. “I’m sure he will when he’s ready. Some things are way too personal and painful to share, even with those you love.” He sounded glum as though reliving his painful past. “I only found out about a century ago when he was wasted after… Let’s just say he was wasted.”
Curses came from the kitchen, and a change came over Andris. His serious tone disappeared, and the flippant guy I knew took over. “Lover boy is still venting. He scared four of the six applicants before we even started interviewing them.”
Crap! I didn’t want to see him yet. But curiosity won. “Applicants for what?”
“Cook slash housekeeper slash whatever I want her to do around the house,” he said.
“A Mortal for a housekeeper? You’re going to give her a heart attack if you appear out of nowhere.” I waved toward the hallway mirror portal.
He shrugged indifferently. “We all don’t have Immortals tripping over themselves to work for us. Mrs. Willow only makes dinners, so she won’t be here until we are home from school, except Fridays and Mondays, when she’ll come in the morning before we leave for housecleaning and laundry. She doesn’t get a house key either. Torin insisted.” Andris pushed the kitchen door, and I smiled when I saw the dishes on the counter. “He refused to consider the two I liked just because one couldn’t cook and the other was intimidated by the size of the house.”
“We were interviewing for a housekeeper, not your next lover,” Torin retorted. He looked up and saw me. “Hey, you. Came to apologize?”
“We could have hired one as the cook and the other as a maid,” Andris cut in before I could respond.”
“And you’d have seduced both by the end of the week.” Torin’s eyes stayed on me. “I can tell you what to say if you’d like.”
Seriously? “I’m not apologizing. I’m not the one who acted like a douche.”
“Did I miss something? Did you two fight?” Andris asked with glee. “Your fights are so entertaining and hil—”
“Shut up, Andris,” Torin snapped, but his eyes didn’t waver from mine.
“Whipped,” Andris muttered and snatched a plate of food off the table.
We ignored him. After the seriousness of our discussion outside the kitchen, I’d concluded that Andris was a lot more complex than he let on. He adopted different personas to suit each occasion, faking shallowness when he wasn’t. No, change that. He could be shallow, rude, and childish, but he also had depth. He was amazing with electronics, and only those close to him knew he loved books.
Torin still waited, but I wasn’t playing. “You made them cook something as part of the interview?” I asked instead.
Surprise flickered across his face. I’m not sure whether it was my calmness or question that caused it. “Just a dish and they couldn’t get it right.” He dumped the contents of two plates and reached for two more.
He’d shed his jacket, and every time he reached up to put the spices back on the shelf, the shirt
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