traveling to Africa, going to vet school.”
“I’m still her,” I refuted, defensive anger boiling under my skin.
“Are you?
“Are you?” I slapped back. “We all change and grow up, Mina. Life doesn’t always turn out how we plan. I love Theo and being with him comes with sacrifices. I still love animals and will do all I can, but I don’t think that makes me less of a person.”
“No.” She blew out. “But it makes you less of the Spencer I thought I knew.”
My mouth dropped, tears sizzling the back of my lids.
“Look, I need to get to class. I am happy for you, and I will always want the best for you. I just don’t know if I can be okay with being a sometime friend. I think I need to take a step back for a moment.”
“Mina…”
“Between losing you and Landen, I just can’t right now.”
“Landen? What do you mean by losing?”
“You don’t know?”
“Know what?” I growled.
“Your uncle sent him off early to military school. He’s been there four weeks now.”
I stared at a bit of frost melting under my feet, shock stilling me. I had just seen my uncle, and he had said nothing. Neither did my mother or dad.
“Landen tried to call you over and over to tell you.”
I locked down my jaw, trying to hold back the rush of grief. He needed me, and I wasn’t there.
“He’s in training, and I guess can’t talk right now, but he said he’d be back for Christmas.”
I couldn’t speak, my words bunching up in my throat.
“I’ve gotta go.” Mina’s voice went soft, sounding like my friend. “I’m sorry, Spence. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Okay,” I croaked.
“Bye.” Mina hung up before I could respond.
Tears of anger, guilt, and stress curved my spine as emotion slid down my face. Everything weighed down on my shoulders. I had lost my best friend, my family, my house, my dreams, my independence.
Loving Theo came with a huge price tag. At one time, I thought no matter what it would be worth the cost, but now I was wondering how much I’d have to lose before I completely lost myself.
Wiping the tears, I gathered myself together, shoving back my emotions. It terrified me how quickly I regained my composure, a little voice asking how long it would be until I turned into Catherine or the dowager queen, Anne. When I would become so good at hiding me, I actually never felt anything anymore.
Patting my hair down and straightening my sweater, I started to stroll for the door, my feet stumbling at the sight of a figure leaning on a tree nearby, holding a mug in his hand.
Oh, hell no.
I was in no way ready to deal with him.
“Go away, Lennox.” I gritted my teeth, continuing to walk. Thoughts of him and Hazel together dug my nails into my palms, filling my belly with bile. “You are not needed right now.”
“Even if I provide coffee?” He lifted his eyebrow, stretching out his arm with the cup. Dressed in his fitted suit, his hair damp from a shower, my chest fluttered, my eyes curving over the area I knew a tattoo was hidden underneath. Flashes of his taut rear licked at my mind, heating every inch of my skin.
“Thought you might need it after last night.”
“Don’t you need the extra caffeine this morning?” My tongue lashed out. Stepping up to him, his clean and warm scent washed over me. “I would think you’d be exhausted.”
He straightened off the tree, peering down at me, his jaw setting.
“I mean… pursuing us all night. Must have been strenuous.” I couldn’t seem to stop, my tone bitter, implying, and condescending. “Though it seems Hazel got the most benefit.” I tilted my head, my chest almost brushing his torso. “Sleep well?”
His gaze went back and forth between mine. “I did. But I do after vigorous nights… of work.” A hint of ire brushed over him. “Did you, Duchess? I hope you weren’t kept awake by loud noises.”
Fuck him. Shoving past him, fury ignited in my gut, spreading like wildfire.
“You’re welcome, by the way,” he shot after me, spinning me around.
“What the hell do I have to thank you for?”
“You girls were so high you missed that the press had found you out as well. Guess your identities, even in that place, couldn’t go unnoticed. You would have woken up to your photos smeared across the papers and social media. And you do not hide drunk and high well.” He ambled up