“No, you didn’t. You can’t. That would make you a fickle friend, and no one likes or wants a fickle friend. And you cannot afford to lose your only friend.”
“To which friend are you referring?”
“Why, me?”
Henry paused. “You believe you’re my only friend?”
“Yes. Well, Jeremy is your brother, and siblings only count so much. Love and loyalty are required.”
His body began to shake.
Poor, Henry. She hadn’t expected he would take the news well.
She softened that reminder with a light pat. Only when her fingers skimmed his did she realize she touched him. That only reminded her of what he had done with his long, powerful ones. Her breath stopped. Her legs turned to jam and—
Henry burst out laughing. He doubled over. Tears streamed—not the sad type either.
Fleur allowed him his amusement. Truth be told, she briefly considered leaving him to the illusion, but then decided no one had ever been fully truthful with Henry. He needed someone to speak with him as simply a man.
“Henry?” she asked, after he stopped.
“Yes, Fleur?”
“Are all your friends also on your staff?”
His brows tensed into a frown. “That is neither here nor…there. I employ men I trust.”
“Did they begin as friends or as gentlemen whom you hired?”
“Hired.”
Fleur sighed. “It does not really bring me comfort pointing this out.”
“You and I are friends,” Hart said.
How swift his defenses had fallen. She hastened to reassure him. “Of course!”
“And yet, we are such good friends, I would allow you to remain while I see to my business, but you would send me away?”
She blinked rapidly, and this wasn’t her affected fluttering.
“It seems one of us is the better friend, Fleur.”
Oh, the lummox had gotten her. His Devil’s smile said he knew it too.
“Fine,” she huffed. “We may share the shop.”
She needn’t have finished her sentence. Henry had motioned to old Mr. Rundell for a second or third or fourth time—she had lost count.
“What are we shopping for?” she asked while they waited.
“We?” he asked drolly. “Are you looking to make it a joint purchase?”
“After my loss ofDon Juan, I do have my funds saved.”
“I don’t trust you would want to spend them on a betrothal ring?”
A betrothal ring.