Page 42 of Bargains with Benefits
As I studied Vincent, any lingering anger seemed to rush from my chest like a retreating tide. We hadn’t made plans to speak again until I could uphold my side of the bargain. I wouldn’t risk him trying to back out again, and spending time together only seemed to weaken his resolve. Mine, too, if I was honest.
Now, here he was, trying to solve one of my problems that had no part in our bargain. Something prickled behind my eyes. I blinked rapidly and turned my focus to his friend. Ambrose was tall, with auburn hair pushed back from his face. It was messy, as if he consistently ran his hand through it.
“Hi, Ambrose. Thanks for coming by.” I glanced nervously at Vincent. “But I already have someone here working on the door.”
“It’s Evelyn Knowles, isn’t it?” Ambrose, as I expected, ran his fingers through his hair, waiting for my answer.
My eyes narrowed, and I folded my arms over my chest as I held the door, ready to close it. What did this stranger want with Evelyn?
As if recognizing my concern, Ambrose held out his hands. “I work with her at the Vesten Library.” He sounded regretful as he continued. “She’s the only other person in the city who could help with this if it is as Vincent describes.”
Appearing like she was summoned, Evelyn padded down the stairs to stand at my side. “What are you doing here, Ambrose?”
“I was asked to help. It sounded interesting.”
Evelyn glared at him, her hand on her hip. “It only sounded interesting because you knew whoever solved it would be better positioned for our paper.”
Ambrose folded his arms over his chest. The move showed off oddly defined biceps for an academic. My gaze hadn’t lingered for more than a moment when a familiar wind swept through my hair. I shivered, glaring at Vincent as the conversation continued.
Vincent noted my glare, smirking as if to say he and his wind had no regrets. I remembered his words from the dance floor.My wind and I are one, but sometimes it does things I lack the courage to.
“And I noticed you didn’t tell me about it at the library yesterday.” Ambrose tapped his chin. “Or maybe it slipped your mind.”
“She is one of my best friends.” Evelyn gestured to me in a way that would have been sweet if she hadn’t sounded so exhausted by the announcement. “Must you vex me even in my extracurricular activities?”
My attention left Vincent and returned to the researchers arguing at the door. I wasn’t sure I’d ever heard Evelyn speakthis way to someone. It was clear that Ambrose only wanted to be here because Evelyn was. Evelyn seemed to understand no such thing. I couldn’t help but laugh at the tension.
They both glared at me.
“Vincent asked if I could help. And this is his…” Ambrose paused, his cheeks heating. He must have realized he didn’t know the extent of my relationship with Vincent. He shot a panicked glance at Vincent, who didn’t look like he was doing all too well himself with completing the sentence.
I decided to put them both out of their misery. “How do you two know each other?” I asked, gesturing between Ambrose and Vincent. Now that I sensed a collegiate rivalry between Evelyn and Ambrose, I was beyond entertained by the coincidence.
“We met when he wrote a piece earlier this year on the Compass Points’ visit to Sandrin.” He glanced at Vincent. “That one never got published, did it?”
“No, it didn’t,” he said stiffly. “But that’s not why we’re here.” He gestured between Evelyn and Ambrose. “As they’ve both attested, they are the only two scholars capable of solving the issue with your door. I suggest we let them work. You and I can chat in the kitchen, where I smell some sugary sweetness we should discuss serving at the inn’s announcement weekend.”
I wasn’t ready to be alone with Vincent so quickly. What if he wanted to dissolve our bargain again? I knew he had his reasons, as I had mine for wanting to keep it. The comment about the piece he’d worked on with Ambrose was an easy reminder. He didn’t want to write recommendations forever, and I was his ticket away from them. All he needed to do was write one final recommendation—mine.
“The rolls have a little time before they’re ready,” I hedged. “Let’s see what these two will get up to first.”
He pursed his lips as if he might try to argue, but thenshook his head and followed us as we marched up the steps to the locked door.
“You’ve been holding out on me,” Ambrose said as he knelt before the door. He turned to glare at Evelyn.
“I had it under control.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Of course you did, but you should have said something.” Ambrose turned to me then. “Do you know anything about the magic on this door?”
“No. I didn’t even know it was magically locked until…” I glanced at Evelyn for help. “Two weeks ago?”
“What were you going to try today?” Ambrose asked Evelyn.
She glared at Ambrose but shot a worried look over her shoulder at me. “Ambrose, can we...confer?” I couldn’t imagine what I had done wrong, but I shrugged and stepped back to give them space. I didn’t realize until too late that this left me in the same position I’d attempted to avoid downstairs.
Vincent smiled at me. It was too charming, the way his thick brown hair fell over his right eye. My fingers twitched to reach for it. I straightened my spine. “I wrote to my father. I’m meeting him for a meal at the tavern tomorrow.”
The smile on Vincent’s face disappeared. “You didn’t have to do that.”
