Page 39 of Royally Rivalled

She chuckled. “The students. You’re tough, but they respect you.”

“The students are wonderful,” I said. “They are one of my favourite parts of being at Shalebrook. I am proud of them.”

She smiled. “Okay, that’s cute. You’re being adorable and can stop now. I’m still cross about what you said on the train.”

I groaned. “I know. I shouldn’t have said it. You’re inexperienced and green but also excellent. It needs work. I could have said that in a nicer, more constructive way.”

She folded her hands on the table, seeming satisfied. “Thank you for saying that.”

“It’s part of my new attempt to… be more open and less critical. I can come across that way, I gather?”

Astrid snicked. “Um… you think?”

“If you saw me from the outset—not knowing me—what would you think?”

“I thought you were a knob. Do you want more of a critique?”

“Honesty is good.”

“You cannot handle the truth.”

“My oldest sister says I dress ‘academic chic’.”

Astrid giggled. I had an urge to kiss her once more.

Voice slightly squeaky, I played it off as a joke. “She once mortified me by getting drunk at a party and announcing something mortifying to everyone. I didn’t speak to her all summer over it.”

“That’s dreadful!”

“Well, she was going through a lot—grieving the loss of our father. I can laugh about it now.”

“Can I ask what it was?”

“Sure,” I agreed. “It’s stupid. She declared that I was a twenty-seven-year-old virgin, and would anyone kindly put me out of my misery?”

Astrid’s mouth dropped.

“God, no! I’m not, I’m not!” I insisted, surprised I had admitted this to her and annoyed she was angry about it.

I scrambled to think what to say as a flustered student appeared at the table.

Face ashen, he said, “Oh, thank God! You're here!”

“What is going on, Louis?” Astrid asked.

“Mark got into a fight with Paul! They're going wild in the bar in the lobby!”

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Astrid said.

Every swear the woman uttered surprised me.

“We gotta go,” I slammed some money down to cover our meals.

Time to go save the day—like it or not!

twenty-six

ASTRID

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