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)
Alex colored with pleasure.
Rix tossed an arm around the back of her chair and beamed.
“And congratulations to you both. I hope you don’t mind…”
Marlo placed her hand on Ned’s, who turned it immediately so they could link fingers.
Oh, aye.
Dair was happy for the man.
“Ned told me your happy news,” Marlo finished.
“It’s out there,” Rix said.
“He’s been wanting to hire a sky writer since I showed him the stick,” Alex shared.
Marlo laughed. “I can see why. It’s news worthy of skywriting.” She subtly drew her shoulders back before she said, “But I’m very sorry you two lost your mom.”
“I’m sure Dad’s told you about her as well,” Blake replied, digging into her mushroom wellington.
“We’ve spoken about Helena,” Ned remarked.
“So I guess you know it’s all been not only sudden, but confusing,” Alex said.
“I’m sorry about that for you girls,” Marlo murmured.
“How about this not be about Mum?” Blake suggested. “May she rest in peace.” She lifted her glass of wine. “But here’s to happy futures for those of us who remain.”
Any concern about the awkwardness of the dinner drained away from Marlo and her smile was fantastic.
Ned’s smile could light an auditorium.
They all lifted their glasses, clinked, there were some “hear hears” and “to the futures” before they drank.
“Now, we have to lay ground rules,” Blake declared after she put her wineglass down and went after her meal again. “For me, it’s that you can only be visibly annoyed the third time I ask you for tickets to a fashion show and you’re put on the spot to have to refuse me.”
More laughter from Marlo while Ned gazed at his daughter with open pride and adoration.
“I think I can probably get my hands on some tickets for you for whatever show you want,” Marlo said. “I know we’ve agreed not to mention Helena, but you are the new Lady Norton, and I can imagine the designers will be happy to court you.”
Blake swallowed the bite she took and replied, “Oh, I intend to throw my new title around profusely to get my way. Just you wait.”
And more laughter from the table.
Now everyone was relaxed.
Including Dair.
He draped his arm around his woman’s chair as well.
“My ground rules are,” Alex piped up, “you can’t be upset that I don’t ask for tickets to fashion shows.”
Marlo turned a smile on her, but Blake said, “Oh my God. Think of Chloe. She’ll kill you if she knew you said that.”
“Chloe can get her own tickets. She’s got some connections,” Alex retorted.
“So true,” Blake said and placed more puff pastry, mushrooms and tarragon sauce in her mouth.
“Are you coming with us to the match?” Alex asked Marlo.
Marlo glanced at Dair. “I’d love to, if you don’t mind.”
“I can get another ticket,” Dair told her. “Rugby fan?”
“Ned stop listening,” Marlo ordered.
“It is not lost on me you enjoy watching fit men tackling each other any way you can find them,” Ned teased.
“Okay then, yes,” Marlo said to Dair. “I’m a rugby fan. Sports on the whole. My favorite is tennis, because, you know, those male tennis players’ legs.”
More laughter erupted from their table.
“But rugby is a close second,” Marlo finished. “But only partly because of their legs.”
And still more laughter.
“Perfect for you, Dad,” Blake noted, then told Marlo something she probably already knew. “He’ll watch anything that keeps score.”
“Yes,” Ned said quietly, sharing a private look publicly with Marlo. “Perfect.”
This led to Blake and Alex sharing a private look publicly, and it might not be the same.
But it was just as happy.
“Oh my God!” Blake said on a twirl when they hit the bedroom that night. “She’s perfect.” She came up to Dair and slapped her hands on his chest, shining a bright happy smile up at him. “Absolutely perfect for Dad.”
“She is, aye, lass,” he agreed, grinning down at her.
“He seems happy. Do you think he seems happy?”
“More than happy, darling.”
And he loved that she was more than happy for her father too.
She twirled away, saying, “I’m so glad she’s coming to the match tomorrow.”
“Same,” he replied, shrugging off his blazer.
She sat on the side of the bed and reached down to take off her shoe.
He tossed his jacket aside, moved to her and snapped his fingers.
She looked up at him before that look he adored came into her eyes and she lifted her foot to put it in his waiting hand.
“I thought I was going to blow it in the beginning,” Blake remarked. “I just couldn’t think of what to say. She’s so…together.”
“You’re together too, love.”
She smiled. “Thank you for thinking that.”
“Need to get your eyes and ears examined if ye dinnae agree.”
He tossed her shoe to the floor, offered his hand again, and she changed feet.
“You need to get those shoes off fast, honey,” she demanded. “So I can jump your bones and not sprain an ankle.”