Page 91 of Ice Darling
Brenda: Who’s Brennon?
Sasha: Let’s call him a “love accelerator,” shall we?
Brenda: Is he your daughter’s ex?
Sasha: No, but he’s a very ambitious young man. I simply dropped some hints about Cordelia possibly taking over the company, and he was very interested in going to Lucky Falls.
Brenda: Doesn’t that make him a bad guy? He doesn’t want Delia for who she is inside.
Sasha: That’s why I called him a love accelerator. Not a potential match.
Brenda: But what if he steals Cordelia away from Viking?
Sasha: Will your son ever let that happen?
Brenda: I sure hope not!
Chapter Thirty
Cordelia
I can’t sleep, but that’s nothing new. Turning on my side, I stare through the window. A black, velvet night spreads over Lucky Falls.
Even the stars have fallen asleep by this hour.
Uncomfortable, I twist so I’m lying on my back. The ceiling fan makes another loop, shaking slightly during its rotation. The creak of the gears and springs used to freak me out. I was scared the fan would crash on top of me in the night. But now thewhoop-whoopcadence of the fan blades is calming. Like white noise.
I listen for a while, but my chest still feels stuffy, so I push to my feet and head out of my bedroom.
Why do I feel extra restless tonight?
She’s not a deadbeat. Renthrow’s staunch defense of his ex-wife tiptoes through my mind. I rub my chest with my knuckles, using one of the techniques a very expensive sleep expert taught me.
It doesn’t work.
I patter to the mini-kitchen and fetch my electric kettle from the cupboards. The water sloshing into the glass container helps me breathe a little easier.
I’m grateful to her.Renthrow’s voice is back.
I wince and snap the button to power the heater on. Traveling to the faucet, I bracket my hands on either side of the sink and lower my head, breathing unevenly.
Sleep and I haven’t been friends for a while now, but tonight’s insomnia has a different face. One of quiet, rugged strength. Thick brown hair, tousled just enough to look effortlessly styled. Hazel eyes—a sharp blend of green and gold. A strong jawline, softened only by the delicious hint of a beard.
Viking Renthrow.
I wish I hadn’t been so curious about him and his ex-wife. Maybe then, I could have continued frolicking in a fantasy land of my creation.
In my upside-down world, Gordie appeared one day out of thin air, no prior relationship, loving partner, or previous marriage required.
It’s an immature take, and I hate that I can’t come to grips with everything Viking shared tonight.
Especially because he was vulnerable with me. He shared his inner thoughts. Hetrustedme. And instead of being grateful and responding in kind, I kept the truth about Gwen close to my chestandsulked all the way home.
“Serves you right,” I say to the rust spots climbing beneath the sink. “You don’t deserve a good night’s sleep.”
A click erupts behind me. Smoke billows from the electric kettle’s mouth.
The water is ready.
