Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“It’s our turn to host this year’s Carnival Week,” Willem informed us. “I expect everyone to be available for the entire week.”
Fleur opened her mouth to protest.
“Understood?” Willem said very pleasantly.
Fleur snapped her mouth shut.
“Carnival Week?” Marcus echoed curiously. “It sounds interesting.”
I nodded eagerly. “Oh yes. Our carnival’s like no other.” I knew I sounded more than a little proud, but I couldn’t help it. “Everything still comes with a bookish twist. We have bespectacled swan boats, and if you take a ride on the Ferris wheel, you’ll see that each cabin is stocked with a mini library. Then there’s the—-”
“Whoa.” Marcus was grinning. “Maybe it’s better if I experience these things firsthand?”
“Oh yes.” I nodded vigorously even though I knew I was beginning to sound like a broken record. But I couldn’t help it either. Bruin Hemel was a vastly underappreciated town in my opinion, and nothing made me feel giddier than having an opportunity to get other people to see the place the way I did.
“What time does the festival start?”
“Nine-ish?”
“That sounds good,” Marcus murmured. “How about you take me to town tomorrow?”
“Oh ye – what?” I blinked, uncertain if I had heard him right. But then I saw everyone – including Willem – turning to look at me.
A penny could be heard dropping at the silence that swept over the dining room, telling me I hadn’t misheard Marcus Ravelli.
Oh.
Jaak started to smirk, and he was looking at Marcus and me like we were about to embark on a live vaudeville skit. Nic was frowning, as if trying to understand how our houseguest could be so stupid.
“This should be fun,” Fleur whispered slyly to me, and I kicked her under the table again.
This was not fun. This was downright embarrassing and awkward, more so when I saw Willem’s icy blue gaze settle on Marcus as he asked in a too-pleasant voice, “Is that your way of asking my sister out on a date?”
Okay, that officially made this the most awkward and embarrassing moment of my life.
Marcus’ dark gaze met my brother’s. “Not at all.” His voice was completely unruffled. “Anneke and I are just friends.”
Perfect answer, I cheered silently inside my mind. You go, Marcus—-
“But if I do choose to ask her out on a date, it should be a private matter between your sister and me—-” Marcus’ gaze captured mine. “—-don’t you think?”
No! You no go, Marcus!
I stared at him in dismay. What the heck was wrong with him? Both of us knew he didn’t want to date me. Friendship was the only thing he insisted upon, so why was he saying things like he was baiting my brother?
“I see,” I heard Willem murmur.
Oh no.
Oh crap, oh no.
Willem never said anything he didn’t mean, so when he said those dreaded words, then there was something he did see.
The question was – what was he seeing?
My heart stopped moving when Willem reached for his knife, and I saw my other brothers tense.
But then all Willem did was cut himself a slice of steak. “I hope you enjoy the carnival.” And then he fed himself the piece of meat and began to chew, elegantly, of course.
Jaak and Nic’s incredulous gazes mirrored each other.
“That’s it?” Fleur blurted out.
Yeah, I thought, equally bemused. Was that really it?
“He has stated very clearly that he only sees Anneke as a friend, and as Marcus is also our friend, it would be the height of discourteousness to doubt his words.” Willem’s gaze turned to me. “Besides, there’s nothing wrong about just being friends.” The pause that followed was deliberate. “Is there, Anneke?”
Six
I had just gotten back inside my bedroom when my mobile phone vibrated with a text message from Marcus.
Marcus: I’m sorry.
I lay down on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. I could probably pretend I didn’t know what he meant. That would save us both from embarrassment, wouldn’t it?
Anneke: There’s nothing for you to apologize for.
And there wasn’t.
It wasn’t Marcus’ fault that Willem saw through me, and it wasn’t his fault either that my oldest brother thought it was best to warn me against falling for Marcus Ravelli in front of everyone. Sure, Willem hadn’t said it outright, but then that was never my brother’s style. I knew how to read between the lines. Willem himself had taught me, and so I knew what he was telling me without so many words.
There’s nothing wrong about just being friends. Is there, Anneke?
I flipped to my side and covered my head with a pillow, but the words just kept echoing inside my mind.
I knew Willem had only said that because he was worried about me. I knew that. But I also couldn’t help feeling resentful, and I hated it. I had never felt resentful in my life. Never.
And yet—-
There’s nothing wrong about just being friends. Is there, Anneke?