Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 120838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
“The upstairs hallway,” I forced out. “Against the wall. We were all in the country at Treverton, and your mum, Davina and Alex were off tramping around some National Trust property. They thought I’d gone too, but I bowed out at the last minute.”
“How old were ye?”
“I don’t actually remember. But no more than ten.”
Dair turned his attention to his whisky glass. “Not exactly stealth, those two.”
“No,” I said miserably.
I wanted to ask him if he thought his mother knew, but I didn’t want to make this harder on him.
I didn’t have to ask, though, because he told me.
“She was their Camilla, your mum.”
God, that was so awful.
I sidled closer to him and asked, “So…she knew.”
He lifted his glass, took a sip, put it down and nodded to the glass. “She knew. Never told me. But I knew she knew. Put on a brave face. Probably kept hoping he’d end it and come back to her fully.” The last he said quieter. “Not sure why she decided tonight to stop pretending.”
I wasn’t sure either.
“Sometimes, we can’t pick our time,” I informed him. “Sometimes, we can’t stop our emotions from guiding us.”
He turned to me and was going to say something, but Davina came up, scorched me with a look that wasn’t all that fun, before she directed it at her brother.
“Do ye wanna tell me why Ned was putting Mum in one of the anti-drink driving cars he’s got lined up for people who are getting rat-arsed and why ye were escorting Dad and her Mum to the car park?” she demanded.
Dair pushed to standing properly and turned to her. “Davi—”
She didn’t let him finish.
She looked to me. “Let me guess, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other, even at her lass’s wedding.”
Seemed Davina knew too.
Rix came up then and he only had eyes for me.
Fantastic.
“Can I talk to you for a second?” he requested.
“No need!” I cried breezily. “I’ll go get the bouquet so you two can make your getaway.”
“I don’t give a fuck about the bouquet. I give a fuck about why you and your dad, him,” he tipped his head to Dair, “his mom and dad and your mom were all creeping around behind a building.”
I was okay with Rix being totally in love with my sister.
I was not okay with Rix being so damned observant.
At least, not right now.
“It’s nothing,” I completely lied.
“Alex doesn’t like surprises,” he stated.
Oh.
He was worried we had some big scheme planned that Alex would hate.
“It was just kind of…a family meeting,” I said.
Davina snorted.
Rix aimed thinned eyes to her, though not long before they came to me.
“You Sharp sisters and your binders,” Rix said. “I thought you had it all in hand. She’s had a great day. Whatever you have planned—”
“Relax, Rix,” Davina said angrily. “She was just back there stopping my dad from humping her mum behind a shed.”
Rix’s head reared back, and he looked like he might get sick.
My head dropped.
Great.
“Worst kept secret in Coddington/Wallace history,” Davina decreed then said to the bartender. “I’ll have one of those,” and pointed at Dair’s Scotch.
“Is she serious?” Rix asked me.
“Don’t worry about it,” I told him. “I’ll go get the bouquet and get your driver in position.”
“Is she serious?” Rix repeated.
“It’s taken care of, mate,” Dair said.
Rix looked at Dair.
I looked at Dair.
He looked pissed. He looked upset.
All in all, he looked wrecked.
My heart squeezed.
“We sorted it,” he said to Rix. “Alex doesn’t have to know.”
Rix turned to me.
“He’s right. She never has to know,” I reiterated.
Rix didn’t take his eyes from me.
This went on so long, I was having trouble not squirming.
Finally, he spoke, “Broke your back makin’ this a good day for her. Then you had to put up with that shit?”
“It’s over and done, Rix.” Well, not for Kenna, sadly. “Put it out of your head. The best part of this whole wedding thing is about five minutes away for you.”
At this juncture, my espresso martini splashed all over my hand because, after I quit speaking, Rix’s hand darted out and caught me at the back of my head. He pulled me to him and kissed the top of my hair.
“Appreciate you and all your hard work,” he said there.
And seriously.
Would everyone stop trying to make me cry?
“She does too,” he finished.
Gah!
He let me go but looked down at me. “Get the bouquet, babe.”
I sniffed hard and nodded.
Rix smiled, but his smile didn’t last long before he asked, “You okay with that mess?”
I wasn’t going to tell him it wasn’t news to me.
“I’m fine,” I answered.
“Probably helped that the lassie got a good wallop in on the old tart,” Dair muttered into his whisky.
“What?” Davina asked, her voice breathy.
“What?” Rix grunted, his voice stunned.
“Well, uh…” I didn’t quite begin.
“Smacked the ever-lovin’ piss outta her,” Dair shared.
An astonished splutter of mirth emitted from Davina.