“A viscount?” Anna asked.

“His only heir.”

“I… I don’t know what a viscount is.”

“He’s royalty,” she replied. “I admit, I had to look it up myself. A viscount is above a baron and below an earl.”

“What the hell?” said Cooper. “All this time and he didn’t tell us.”

“No,” said Linnea.

“It sure explains a lot,” Anna said.

“What do you mean?” asked Linnea.

“Why Pandora has the hots for him. She wants his title!”

“She says not.”

Anna snorted. “Yeah. Sure. Come on, Lin. She’s so status-conscious. Honey, he’s got the ultimate brand. Of course she wants his title.”

“He should marry her,” Cooper said.

“What?”

“It makes sense. He’s got the title, she’s got the money. If this was the Victorian age, he wouldn’t have a choice. His family would pressure him to marry her.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Anna.

“Talk to him,” Linnea said.

“Does it make a difference?”

“His being a viscount? No,” she answered. “Surprisingly, it doesn’t. Him not being able to move here?” Linnea pursed her lips. “That’s harder for me to answer.”

Cooper crossed his legs. “Would you move there? If you do, I’m coming with you.”

She tried to laugh, but it came out more of a snort. She shook her head in mock dismay. “Love’s breaking up that old gang of mine.”

“Speaking of which…” Cooper said. “I’m giving you my notice. I’m headed up to Columbia in two weeks. Some guys found a house and asked me to move in. Senior year, baby!”

Linnea was stunned. “You mean, they’re going to open for classes? What about Covid?”

“There’ll be required masks, testing, social distancing. Some classes are offered online. It’s not great, but it’s happening. Classes start August twentieth, but I’ll need to get there early to settle into the house, get books, and, yeah, get tested for Covid. It all takes time.” He spread out his hands. “Thanks for letting me stay.”

“Of course.” She petted Luna in her lap. “I have to say, I didn’t expect this. I thought you’d take classes online and stay here.”

“Nope.” He looked at Anna.

“Uh, Linnea…” Anna said.

“What?” Linnea asked with suspicion.

Anna tried not to smile. “I’m giving my notice too.”

Linnea sat up, sending the puppy sliding from her lap. “You’re joking, right?”

Anna shook her head. “I’m moving to Columbia too.” She grinned, eyes sparkling. “I’m going back to school. I’m doing it. I’m going into politics. I want to get things done. I’m getting my master’s in political science. I got my application in just in time, and I was accepted.”

“But…”

“Tuition? Yeah, I thought that would be the big problem, but it wasn’t. I got a student loan,” she said with glee. “I can’t believe it, but, Lin, it all came together. And I have Gordon to thank for it. He put the idea in my head.”

Cooper slapped his knee. “What about me?”

Anna smiled at him. “And mostly Cooper. He really pushed me to apply to the program. You know me, I didn’t think I’d get in. Dragged my heels.”