Page 21 of The Grump I Got Stuck With

“Don’t talk to me,” I shouted back, scowling into the sky as Princess hopped out of the duffle to lick snowflakes from my cheeks.

“I’ll get one of those fires going, shall I?”

I hated that asshole. I also hated snow. I didn’t want to see another goddamn snowflake for as long as I lived!

7

MADISON

After dragging myself back inside past a smirking Alistair, I marched up to the guest room, damp and shivering. He turned up a moment later to light the fireplace, but I was too cold and mortified to do anything but mutter, “Thanks.” He disappeared with a knowing look, and that irritated me even more. Not only had he been right about walking into town, but now he’d swooped in to rub salt in the wound with a billowing blaze. I scowled at Princess as she settled on the carpet in front of the fireplace. “Traitor.”

She yipped at me, tilting her head toward the fire.

“Puh-lease, girl. One semi-nice thing doesn’t make up for his horrible attitude.” She rolled onto her back, paws batting the air. “Don’t forget the part where he was doubled over laughing at us.”

She yipped again.

“Okay, laughing at me.” I swapped my clothes, then plopped down in the wingback chair next to the fire, begrudgingly enjoying the warmth and the cozy atmosphere it created. When my stomach growled, I knew I’d avoided him as long as I could. “Shall we venture down and scavenge for dinner?”

Princess popped up as I dug one of her meals from my duffle bag, trotting at my heels all the way downstairs. Alistair and Kenna were already in the kitchen.

“Daddy,” Kenna said, lips pursed. “You said we were having a fancy Christmas dinner.”

“That was when we were going to be at Uncle Weston’s, sweetheart.” He opened and closed empty cupboards in a mildly concerning fashion. “We can’t go there because of the snow, remember?”

Kenna’s disappointment shifted as soon as Princess bounded over to her stool.

“Fancy some boxed cheese pasta for dinner?” Alistair said, spotting me.

“Works for me,” I said with a shrug. “But I don’t understand how a place like this is running low on food.” I crossed the kitchen, stopping at his elbow, staring up at the meager supplies. “Why didn’t you have your housekeeper stock up before the storm?”

“I didn’t think it would be a big deal,” he admitted. “So I didn’t ask Florence to do any extra shopping.”

“You’re utilizing this big medieval fortress in all the wrong ways,” I told him. “You’re supposed to have a larder stocked with things like glazed ham and stuffed pheasant.”

“I suppose I’m to have raised the sow and shot the pheasant myself?”

“Well, if you want to get technical,” I said. The corner of his mouth twitched. For a beat, it almost felt like we were sharing a moment. Then I remembered his unhelpful asides and laughter earlier, getting annoyed all over. I whirled around to open the fridge. “Guess we’re going to have to get creative.”

Between the french toast breakfast and grilled cheese lunch, we’d absolutely decimated the bread, though I wasn’t above eating peanut butter out of a jar. Did he even have that? Doubtful. Of course I’d snuck into the one castle without snacks.

“I want what Princess is having,” Kenna said as I plopped her food into a small dish.

I threw my head back and laughed. “You definitely do not.”

“We’re not that bad off yet,” Alistair said.

Hoooonnnnkkkkk!

“What’s that?” Kenna asked. Princess darted out of the kitchen to the front door. Kenna climbed off her stool, rushing off in hot pursuit.

“Is that from outside?” I asked, turning after them.

Alistair fell in step next to me. “It sounds awfully close. Is it Lyle?”

“He hasn’t messaged to say anything about coming out today. He did agree to give me a ride into town when he came to tow my van, but I assumed it would be tomorrow at the earliest.”

We made our way down the hall. Kenna was already pulling the door open as we arrived. “Uncle Locke!” she bellowed, launching herself at a man in a thick navy coat. His tousled hair fell across his forehead in waves. He had a close-cut beard, eyes that looked gray in the light, and a bright smile that he flashed in Kenna’s direction.