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Sofia bowed her head. “It’s been quite a while, Aria. How have you been?”
Aria shrugged. “Worse and better, but what’s he-” She nodded her head at Ben, “-doing still asleep? He was usually up before me.”
“And I still would be were it not for these tight bandages.”
Even Lady Sofia jumped at the voice from the bed. Ben was a little hoarse, but the words were loud and clear.
I rushed over to the bed and Sofia was kind enough to step aside so I could glomp onto Ben. He let out a soft ‘oomph’ as I crashed into his body and wrapped my arms around him. A chuckle reverberated through me as he embraced me in a hug.
I drew far enough away to see his face and found him smiling up at me. “I don’t believe I ever had such a welcome good morning.”
My good humor faltered as I looked him over. “How are you-”
He leaned forward and captured my lips in a passionate kiss. My breath was almost taken away, but Aria cleared her throat. Ben reluctantly drew us apart and looked past me at our guest. “A good morning to you, as well, Aria. I’m sorry I’m not properly attired, but I had quite the drive last night.”
Sofia crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at him. “So I heard.”
Ben gave her a sheepish grin. “It was merely a single indulgence, and the race would have gone perfectly had I not been interrupted.”
The corners of her mouth twitched upward. “I am sure you would have placed quite well, but we find you have been placed in a bed rather than the winner’s circle.”
“With a most comfortable pillow to soothe my aches,” Ben insisted as he drew me closer to him.
“You look like a wreck.” The comment came from Aria as she looked him over.
Ben smiled back at her. “So do you.”
She marched over to the side of the bed and crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s what happens when I stay up all night getting your order done only to learn that my client tried to get himself killed.”
Ben used both hands to gesture down at himself. “You can see that I’m quite well now.”
“As well as a washed-up fish,” she quipped as she looked him over. “What the hell happened, anyway? Those three idiots downstairs told me you were caught in a wet sandstorm.”
I tried not to wince as Ben chuckled. “That is a most apt description. I believe someone sabotaged the race in order to fulfill their betting roster.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “That’s a lot of trouble to do that.”
“A great deal of money makes one desperate,” Ben countered as he slipped his legs out from under the sheets and set his feet on the floor. “But I’m guessing this wasn’t a kind visit to inquire about my health that brought you here at such an early hour.”
Aria jerked her head over her shoulder in the direction of the door. “I brought the flyers. They’re downstairs with Serena.”
“Did she help out a lot?” I asked her.
Aria nodded. “She was getting the hang of it by the time the last hour rolled by, and then we packed them up and flew down here as fast as the carriage would go.”
At that moment, Mouse peeked his head inside and rapped his knuckle on the door frame. “Can we come in?”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX
“We?”I repeated as I leaned back to catch a glimpse of the hallway.
Mouse, Chase, and Grant entered the room, and Aria stepped to one side to make room for them in the increasingly crowded space. My heart sank as I noticed the dour looks on their faces. “What’s wrong?”
Mouse bowed his head as Grant and Chase pursed their lips. It was Grant who answered my question. “We can’t get her going.”
I felt Ben stiffened beneath me. “Boastful?”
“Yep,” Mouse confirmed as he folded his arms one on top of the other. “She won’t go. There’s too much sand in her to get her cleaned before the race at noon.”
