Page 106 of Royal Icing

“Hey,” Sal said, “you are not a failure. You’ve done more for this country than any member of parliament or even your own—in aminute, Tony, can’t you see there’s a man having a crisis here?” Sal called to a man who was banging his empty glass on the bar.

Leo pushed his chair back and stood. “I should go. Do some more research, maybe. I don’t know.”

CHAPTER FORTY

EMMA

The farther away theygot from New York, the more Emma realized she had lost the damn plot. She was supposed to be preparing to start her business, sliding pieces into place. And instead, she was dipping into her painstakingly cultivated savings to board a plane to Lynoria for the second time in a month to help someone she barely knew.

It didn’t make sense. But it was for a good cause. She wouldn’t be putting her master plan on hold by spending a few days out of the country. And didn’t she deserve a break, anyway?

“How are you doing, love?” her mom asked from the train seat next to her. The dark Spanish countryside whizzed by the window.

“I’m fine.” It was mostly the truth. As anxious as she was about dipping into their savings and navigating a foreign country that might not be as wheelchair accessible as America, she was beyond relieved to be thousands of miles away from her abusive father.

“How are you?” she added.

“I’m so happy to be out of that damn apartment,” her mom said with a laugh. Ever since Emma had made the rash decision return to Lynoria, she had seen flickers of the old Lisa—theone who quietly yearned for excitement and adventure. Maybe the trip was irresponsible, but it was worth every penny to see wonder on her mother’s face again.

Cooper was in the window seat across from them, and Arizona was curled at Lisa’s feet. They had made quite the spectacle from the plane to the train.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m eternally grateful to your great-aunt Claudia for giving us the gift of rent control,” Lisa said. “We would’ve been in real trouble without it. But there’s a whole world out there, and I haven’t really seen any of it.”

Emma smiled and glanced at her watch. They would be arriving in twenty minutes. She checked her hair in the window and tossed a breath mint into her mouth.

“I really hope this protest plan works,” she said. “Leo’s going to hate it.”

“It’s for the greater good,” her mom said. “And I’m looking forward to spending more time with the man who finally stole your heart.”

Emma sputtered. “My heart? What are you talking about?”

“I’ve never seen you rearrange a date for a boy, let alone fly across the world at the drop of a hat. You love him.”

“I couldn’t love him. I barely know him.”

Lisa looked at her skeptically.

“Okay, maybe there aresomefeelings. I would be insane not to feel something. You’ve seen him.”

“Truth,” Lisa said. “It’s more than that though.”

“He’s amazing,” Emma mused, staring out at the dark trees flashing by. “He’s not even the heir, but he would do anything for his people. He’s taken on the responsibility of the whole world when he doesn’t even have to.”

“Sounds like someone else I know,” Lisa said pointedly.

Emma shook her head. “He’s on another level.”

Lisa folded her hands carefully in her lap. “Let me be the first to say I would happily relocate to Lynoria.”

Emma shot her a dirty look. There was no way she was just going to move to a foreign country, and especially not for a boy that she had met two weeks ago. The idea was insane. And besides, his family hated her. Minus Ruby, anyway.

“That’s so not even part of the equation,” she said. “Again, I’ve known him for less than a month. And besides, my dream is in New York.”

“Is it? I’m pretty sure you could bake anywhere.”

“You and I both know there’s no better market for my skillset than Manhattan. Besides, I sparked an international gingerbread scandal while I was here. And with the queen in charge, I’d never have a prayer of citizenship.”

Lisa leaned back in her seat and seemed to consider this. “That’s fair. But is this really what your heart wants? Making fancy desserts for rich assholes like the queen for the rest of your life?”