Remington laughed with his grandmother’s observations on Lord Paston until the door opened. Knowing who it was, he stood and watched Cassidy stumble in. She lacked grace at times but he blamed the hair she let fall in her face. Her nearness calmed something that raged inside him.

Before college, where she’d gotten a master’s degree in computer science, she’d smiled more and worn ponytails that showed clear skin and bright brown eyes. There was no reason to hide like she did now. He motioned for her to join them and held out a seat. “Cassidy, please sit here.”

She came forward and kissed his Grannie’s cheeks. “Gigi, it’s good to see you.”

Again, that hair of hers was getting in the way—he’d had enough. Cassidy was intelligent and easy to be around, but she needed some grooming—not that he would tell her so. Upstairs had been awkward enough. He stood, impatient. “I don’t know how you see like that. Be right back.”

He rushed out the door, across the hall to the bathroom. Lucinda had left behind some hair supplies when she’d stormed out of his house last month and he’d shoved them in the closet. He could hear Grannie ask Cassidy, “Do you like your room upstairs? I’ve always been fond of sea foam, but you can change whatever you want.”

“It’s twice the size of mine and well-staged with the view of garden. I won’t have to do anything to make it beautiful.”

“Good, but then we’ve always had similar tastes.”

Grannie made him smile. She’d looked after Cassidy all their lives and claimed at first she’d done it because her best friend had been Cassidy’s grandma who had died helping them escape. His grandmother had sworn to watch out for Cassidy and Chelsea though Chelsea had chosen to stay close to her parents. Either way Cassidy had always been at their house in California, on every childhood vacation, and in all his classes until college. At college graduation, his grandmother took them both out to celebrate. Now that she was here, it felt like his family was complete again.

He found the clips and marched into Grannie’s room. Without asking he went behind Cassidy and pulled her hair up, pinning it so it stayed out of her face.

Cassidy reached up to stop him, but he gently swatted her hands away. “Remy, what are you doing?”

Once he was done, he knelt in front of her. Clear brown eyes behind the turquoise frames, smooth skin, right now, an angry smile. The same girl he remembered. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’m fine.” She left the clips alone.

Better. He took his seat opposite her and Grannie. A servant brought in trays of savory dishes Grannie had ordered and set it around them, as if his grandmother’s bed was a dinner table. He ignored the commotion and met Cassidy’s bristling gaze. “You almost look like my old friend again. Now you just need to ditch those glasses you’re hiding behind.”

She whipped them off and stared at him. “I’m not hiding.”

Very sharp, very clear, very focused brown eyes held him captive.

Strange.

He decided to ignore the thought and instead smiled once the servants left them alone. “There, isn’t that better, Grannie? I’ve never understood why you wear your hair so wild, Cassidy.”

His grandmother gave him a warning look.

Cassidy picked up her spoon and stirred her bowl of lamb stew and mushrooms. “You didn’t ask.”

“I’m asking now.” He didn’t turn away as she took a huge bite in an attempt to ignore him.

Grannie sipped her lamb broth, and looked from Cassidy to him. She placed her spoon carefully on her tray and quietly said, “Cassidy, it’s okay to tell Remy. He’s to be your husband.”

Cassidy swallowed, her long graceful neck visible to him with her hair up, and stared at Grannie.

Clearly, they had a secret they shared between them.

He leaned closer to Cassidy, getting a hint of lavender. “Tell me what?”

Her cheeks turned crimson but she met his gaze. “Remember Adam?”

Her college romance. She’d started growing her hair by graduation and when he’d commented Cassidy simply claimed to no longer want bangs. Now his heart thumped and he held his breath. “Your old boyfriend?”

Her nose wrinkled and her hands went into fists. “He was never my boyfriend.”

As he recalled, Adam had been one of the smartest guys in their class and always around Cassidy, who was always the smartest woman he’d ever met. He scratched his head. “But I thought-”

Her grunt interrupted him and he watched as Cassidy deliberately relaxed her hands. “He assaulted me. Then tried to touch me again—I was scared and fought him off. I called Gigi that night and she had me call the campus police.”

His entire body went cold and his muscles tensed. He’d kill Adam right now if he saw him. Instead he stared into Cassidy’s clear brown eyes. “You never told me. I’d have killed him.”

She rolled them, like she usually did when she was annoyed with him. “You were too busy with Tammy, then Florencia, and then Gianna who loved to mention she could be a Gigi too.”

Gianna had been the biggest mistake out of that group but that wasn’t a good reason not to tell him. He’d have protected Cassidy. His skin prickled with the need to do something, but for now he sat back and hid the fact he was rattled. “If we’re going to name all my college girlfriends, please don’t forget Mona.”

She laughed and her face returned to its normal pink tones. “I almost forgot about Mona. She was the nice one.”

He leaned forward to make a point. “You still should have told me. As my wife, I expect to be informed if anyone even swats a fly in front of you.” No one would ever get near her again, not without killing him first. But Grannie’s face paled and Cassidy looked at her stew. Right. He smiled, for them all to relax, and picked up his spoon. “Let’s get back to your hair and how long it is. I love the color.”

She tugged on a piece but didn’t take out the clips. “After that, I grew it out and honestly when I started working I had no time for styling it. Unlike your previous girlfriends, I’ve never had much interest in fashion and my day is easier if I just wash and go.”

He could understand that. “Manicures, massages, haircuts—all of those spa essentials will be scheduled, but you aren’t running an estate on your own anymore. I have managers who work for me, and I’ll need my wife to be seen without hiding her pretty face.”

She bit her lower lip. “I’ll handle it.”

Right. Well, he felt small but he needed to finish this conversation. He sipped his wine. “Okay, and the glasses? When did that start? You had laser sharp vision whenever I did anything you didn’t approve of.”

She picked up her glasses that she’d left beside her bowl. “I’m a programmer, Remy. I stare at the computer screen all day and to be on equal footing with my peers, casual attire and glasses are the standard uniform.”

Yet everyone else he knew with glasses all looked lost and glazed over when they took their glasses off, but Cassidy stared at him like she saw straight through him, as she usually did. He tugged at his white collar and wished he’d changed out of his suit. “I guess.”

The three turned their attention toward finishing their meal without further conversation. Once he was done, he wiped his lips with his napkin, sat back in his chair, and lifted his wine glass. “Will you admit to being happy to leave your family home?”

She tugged her ear and then picked up her wine. “It’s still my responsibility.”

He leaned closer again. “Our responsibility.”

“No, my.” She shook her head. “You don’t need-”

Did she really expect him not to be concerned? She lived next to his estate. “You’re to be my wife and that estate will pass to you and then one day to our child which means our child will have as much land as the throne. I’d like to start the reforms my grandmother and I did for our villages within your estate as soon as possible.”

“Your towns and villages are flourishing,” she conceded and sipped from her glass. “I don’t know. My father isn’t the most responsible.”

True. Her father was a gambler, but Cassidy wasn’t like him at all. He met her gaze and repeated Grannie’s lessons. “It’s not about him. It’s about building prosperity for the villages and towns under our peerage. One of my villages now boasts multi-million dollar townhomes and is one of the most desired parts of Avce to be in. We need to start with the people who depend on your family.”

She nodded, looking from Grannie back to him. “How?”

He patted Grannie’s hand. “We’ll do what Gigi and I did right after Prince Antonio secured the throne by marrying Princess Kristin. We gave money to every business that had been closed under the Russian occupation with the expectation that the owners either reopen their business or start a new one.”

She slid her glasses back on, her demeanor intent. “So you gave out loans?”

Economics under his grandmother’s tutelage had always interested him and he’d double majored in accounting and finance. His job was to ensure prosperity for others and he took it seriously. “It wasn’t a loan. No one had to repay me anything, but we receive more long-term than the lion’s share when any business prospers through taxes.” She nodded with approval. “You’ll enjoy yourself, Lady Cassidy.”

“Why do you care if I enjoy myself at all?”

Cassidy and Grannie seemed so at ease with each other which brought peace to his home. Lucinda had been on his last nerve, always complaining about his Grannie’s opinion. This evening had been interesting when he’d been bored for a long time. “You accepted Grannie’s wish to be my wife.” And dare he admit that he was excited by the prospect?

“I heard Lucinda said no to your proposal because of the prenuptial agreement you gave her. Will I be signing something draconian?”

Cassidy Bright was actually wife material where Lucinda had been an act of desperation. “There is a huge difference between you and her.”

She snorted as if making a joke. “She was drop dead gorgeous to start?” In the same breath, she ducked her face, an act that normally would tumble her hair, but this time revealed the vulnerable tremble of her chin. Lucinda was predatory in nature while Cassidy was an open book.

He put his glass down and turned toward Grannie, who appeared to have dozed off, and returned his attention to Cassidy. She deserved the truth. “I trust you and despite what you think, you’re a true lady. If you can keep your hair out of your face though, you’ll make me happy.”

She put her glass down without taking a drink. Instead she nodded her acceptance. “Remy, I trust you too. Thank you.”

“Let’s go.” He stood. “Let’s let Grannie rest. I’ll walk you to your room.”

She did the same. “Tonight was nice, Remy. It was good to catch up.”

“Indeed.” He closed the door once they left Grannie’s room. They returned to the grand room and walked up the flight of stairs without words. Cassidy fit in here and his quest for a bride was done.