In Which Wolf Saves the Worrying

December 25, 1194

"Oh." Gennie looked up from her seat on the bench in her sister's study, surprised, but neither pleased nor disappointed. Wolf hadn't expected her to be pleased, so he'd take what he could get with the lack of disappointment. "I didn't know anyone had arrived yet."

"Most haven't. I was with my mother and your aunt, and your aunt wanted to come early, so we all did." And poor Hollie was stuck entertaining his younger sisters. Maybe he should have felt bad about leaving her to that feat. "How have you been?"

She shrugged--which, for Gennie, couldn't have been good. A gesture of apathy was not the lively, talkative princess he knew. "All right, I suppose."

All right. Probably still upset over Dalston. This may not have been a good idea.

But, he had to talk to her. Whatever she thought of him, she deserved to know that at least one man was fond of her. "Do you mind if I stay with you a minute?"

Another shrug. "Go ahead."

He sat down beside her, stride assertive but fumbling in his mind for a first word. He wasn't used to jitters. Just like Gennie couldn't have been used to shrugging. "You, uh... you look nice."

"Thank you."

"Not that you don't look nice every day."

Gennie frowned. Had that been stupid? Shit. It had been stupid. "Why would I think you meant otherwise?"

"I, uh... I don't know. I'm not very articulate today." And it might have been in his best interests to stop trying to be. Like his father, he was always better when he said what he meant. "I have feelings for you."

Gennie's spine snapped straight. Her face was still in profile, so he couldn't quite make out her mouth--but, she did blink. And maybe twitch.

But she composed herself and turned her head, hand to her chest as if to slow her heart. Or to jolt it back into beating at all. "Sorry?"

"I have feelings for you." Why was it so much harder to say the second time? The word, maybe. An interested girl didn't respond with 'Sorry'. "Maybe I should have told you earlier, but I knew you liked Dalston and I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"No, that... that was nice." Nice. God. She probably just thought of him as Dalston's stupid kid brother. "You have the right to consider what you do or don't tell people."

"I guess." Nice. Should have stayed with Hollie and his sisters. "I probably shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry."

"No, don't be. I needed the confidence boost, I think." She tried to smile--not quite succeeding, but it was still effort. "And you're far from the worst boy to attract."

Far from the worst. Wolf smirked. Maybe he'd needed the confidence boost too. "All right, then. So... did you want to maybe... I don't know. Try?"

"Try what?"

"You know." Or maybe she didn't. There went the confidence boost.

But maybe he couldn't think about that just now. He'd gone far enough now that he had to follow through. "Be sweethearts? See if it works."

Gennie stared for a couple seconds, more than enough time for Wolf to consider running out the door and pretending for the rest of his life that the past few minutes had never happened. But, just before he could stand--

"All right."

Huh. So that was it. He had a sweetheart. He had a sweetheart, and she was a princess.

And she was also in love with his brother.

But he'd maybe save worrying about that for later. "All right, then. Neat."

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