Page 34 of A Phoenix Reborn at Christmas
How can that be? How could I hate such a wonderful man? What was wrong with me?
A moment later, Lacy and the troll walked into the back area. Leo returned and sat across from him.
“That was my sister, Lacy, and her partner, Orim.” Leo took a sip of his tea. “Like I was saying, we’ll head out after breakfast and see what we can find out. I figured we could walk around and see if anything feels familiar to you. Then we can ask around. I’m sure we’ll find out something, Percy.”
Percival nodded. He looked to the back area of the bakery. Lacy watched him. When he met her gaze, she smiled and waved. He smiled and waved back.
Then Percival turned to Leo. “What did your sister mean about there being hatred between us?”
Chapter
Fifteen
Leo let out a breath. He’d hoped Percival hadn’t heard that bit. Curse Lacy and her big bloody mouth. But he couldn’t be too annoyed. Leo was as bad as she was. Or worse.
“Like I said, we didn’t really know each other before. You only started coming into the bakery recently.” Leo rubbed his finger against the side of the teacup. “You’d order pies. That’s the most interaction we had.”
Percival frowned. “But we hated each other?”
Leo pressed his lips together. “We didn’t get along.”
“Why not?”
Leo didn’t want to answer the question. The situation was difficult enough without having to deal with the fact that less than twenty-four hours ago, they’d despised each other.
“You weren’t the easiest customer,” Leo said.
At Percival’s puzzled expression, Leo sighed. “You’d be rather condescending and rude.”
“In what way?”
Leo hesitated. “You said the bakery was dirty. You were impatient. You criticised the way I served customers.”
Percival took a few seconds to think over that. “I don’t sound very nice.”
“To be fair, I was rude to you too.” Leo had done so in response to Percival’s behaviour, but it was still true.
Percival dropped his gaze to his uneaten roll. “I still sound pretty intolerable.”
Leo didn’t know what to say to that. Because it was true. In fact, it was still hard to comprehend that the man in front of him was Lord Percival Everflame. They looked exactly the same, except that this Percival was younger. But they acted completely different.
Maybe when a phoenix was reborn, it was like a clean slate personality wise. If that was the case, then maybe the old Lord Percival Everflame wouldn’t return.
Leo didn’t mind that idea. Because then this new Percival would stick around. He could be friends with this Percival.
Or maybe even more.
That morning when he’d woken beside Percival, he’d gazed down at him. Percival had still slept, mouth ajar, red hair a mess on the pillow. Strangely, there’d been a large red feather beside him on the pillow.
Leo had picked up the feather and smiled down at Percival. He’d liked the sight of Percival asleep in his bed. He’d wanted to reach out and stroke his hair before leaning forward and kissing him awake.
Instead he’d gotten out of bed, placed the feather on the bedside table, and tried to ignore the feelings Percival stirred in his chest.
Because truth was, Percival probably wouldn’t remain like this. No doubt he’d get his memories back and be insulting Leo once again. They’d return to hating each other. And the endearing man across from him would disappear.
Leo drank his tea. They finished up their breakfast in silence and left the bakery.
“You always walked in this direction when you left,” Leo said. “Does any of this feel familiar?”
