Page 107 of Hunters and Hydrangeas

I bite the corner of my lip and let my gaze drop to his washboard abs. “Maybe we can work with that. How long does it take to get there from here?”

“About thirty minutes.”

I growl like an angry cat. “Fine, I’ll hurry.”

Noah showers while I’m getting dressed. My mind runs wild, thinking over Cassian’s absurd idea. I’m not a spy. I’m a flower farmer.

They’re both out of their minds.

But…I do have my hair pins. And I did stab that hanging pig back at Cassian’s estate during our first training session.

Maybe…

As soon as Noah steps out of the bathroom, I ask, “Have you ever been to Romania?”

“No.”

“What about Europe?”

He begins throwing things into his suitcase. “Nope.”

I turn to him. “Have you ever been out of the country?”

“My family and I went to Mexico once, but that was on a cruise.”

“Great.” I zip up my suitcase and roll it to the door. “At least we both have no clue what we’re doing.”

Noah gives the room a quick once-over, making sure we didn’t leave anything, and then he ushers me into the hall.

“Is it cold over there right now?” I ask. “I packed for Florida, not Vampire Land.”

“I have no idea, but Cassian said he has a friend who can help us with clothing. You’ll need a ballgown for the gala, and I’ll need a tux.”

I stop in the middle of the hall. “A ballgown?”

“That’s what Cassian said.”

“This vampire nomination thing is a big deal, isn’t it?”

“It’s a pretty big deal,” he says wryly.

“We can’t tell them Cassian is sick. What excuse are we supposed to use to explain his absence?”

Noah scowls as he nudges me toward the elevators. “He told me to be creative.”

“Are you serious?”

“You know I am.”

“I swear if this flu doesn’t kill him, I will,” I mutter.

“You can’t do that.”

I step into the elevator, fighting with one of the wheels on my suitcase. “Why not?”

Noah lifts an eyebrow. “Because if you kill off Cassian,Imight end up as the next archduke.”

Oh, heck no.

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