Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 129951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
“See?” Tempie asked.
“Yes. See. If you’re all groovy with me giving them a tour,” I answered.
Battle entered the conversation. “I believe that would be necessary for them to navigate it and find the parlor for drinks, Vivienne.”
“Oh, they won’t stay here,” I said breezily.
And got one set of surprised (Prue), one set of amused (Tempie) and one set of annoyed (Battle) eyes aimed at me.
“What?” I asked.
“We’re not having this discussion again,” Battle said.
And I got it.
“Battle, I don’t think they’ll be comfortable with staying here.”
“Then you best be very convincing, darling,” he purred.
“You and I are very new,” I pointed out. “That’s a lot to ask for all involved.”
“You and I are very solid,” he returned. “It would be insulting if they stayed elsewhere. You know we have more than enough space.”
Since I wasn’t going to bicker about this in front of his sisters, I said, “Okay, I can float the idea by them. But if they’re not into it, you have to be okay with them getting a BnB or something.”
“That would be the you-convincing-them part,” Battle retorted smoothly.
Changing my mind about bickering, I was about to open my mouth to say something when the vibe in the room tilted on its axis.
Battle felt it and we both looked between Tempie and Prue.
Prue was staring at the door with her mouth agape.
Tempie was following her sister’s gaze to the door, and when it got there, I didn’t think she could get paler than her naturally paler than pale, but she did when her gaze hit whatever was at the door.
Then her face got red, and she took her well-shod feet.
I looked over my shoulder at the door to see Chassie in her pretty pink sundress.
And with her was a brute of a man, probably six two, built like a pro wrestler, with a mess of very dark-red hair and an equal mess of a big russet beard. He had sky-blue eyes that practically shone out of his face. And I was glad I was sitting, or I would have swooned again.
Battle stood.
I chanced it and stood too.
I sensed Prue standing with us.
I saw Chassie’s fingers fiddling with the skirt on her dress and she was also carrying a massive bouquet of flowers in her other arm.
“Hamish, mate,” Battle broke the silence, and he did it tentatively. “This is a surprise.”
Hamish?
The Hamish?
This handsome bear of a man was Tempie’s boyfriend?
Oh, God.
I loved this.
“I asked a friend in London who we both know,” Chassie said to Tempie on a rush. “She got me Hamish’s phone number, and I called to see if he would be up to surprise you at The Downs.” An excruciatingly awkward pause and then a lame, “Surprise!”
“That was not your call to make Chastity Louisa Talyn,” Tempie snapped.
Hamish’s face closed down.
Then it got ticked.
No!
I shot Battle a Do something! look.
Before he could do something, Hamish spoke.
“If I’m not wanted,” he said (or I think he said—yeah, the burr was strong).
“Hamish—” Battle started.
“It’s me who should invite you to my home first,” Tempie snapped.
“Aye, love, and I’m hearing your message loud and clear,” Hamish fired back (I think).
Tempie tried to look cool, but I could sense her panic.
“I’ll just go,” Hamish declared. He looked down at Chassie. “Appreciate the effort, lass. Enjoy your flowers.”
Battle shot me a look I sadly couldn’t read then walked around the chairs, saying to Hamish, “Let’s go talk in my study while the women chat.”
“Thanks, Battle, but a man knows when he’s not wanted and that’s been communicated clearly. I just didn’t want to hear it,” Hamish replied.
My attention shot to Tempie.
“Tempie—” I started.
“You’re not leaving,” Chassie said over me, this aimed at Hamish.
His face got soft (but I could tell he was still pissed…and hurt). “You’re sweet, lassie, but—”
“You’re not leaving!” she shrieked in his face.
All the air left the room, taking with it our ability to breathe.
Chassie stepped further into the room and kept screeching.
“I got raped!” She threw the beautiful bouquet to the floor and pounded her chest. “Me!”
I vaguely noted the extremes of Hamish’s flinch right before his gaze raced to Tempie.
“What, Temperance?” Chassie demanded. “What?” she screamed. “You’re going to put your life on hold forever just to be sure I’m okay?”
“Dearest,” Tempie whispered.
Chassie shot forward at the waist and shouted, “I won’t have it!”
“Lovely, let’s go somewhere and talk,” Prue urged Chastity.
“No!” Chassie yelled. “Chelsea was right. I’m a weight. A weight both of you”—she jabbed fingers at Tempie and Battle—“have been carrying for too long.”
“What the fuck?” Battle growled low.
I gave him a Later! look.
“Not anymore!” Chassie was still yelling. “Vivi comes to this house, and she’s sweet, and she’s funny, and she doesn’t take Battie’s shit, or your shit, Tempie,” she aimed that at her sister. “Then, one day, she’s flirting and playing cards, and she says, ‘Oh yes, my mom died a year ago.’ And you could tell by the ache in her voice it kills her that her mum is gone, but she keeps going. I saw it. I felt it. I understood what I’d done. So now you, all three of you”—she jabbed her finger again, this time including Prue—“are off duty.”