Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83343 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83343 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
John scowls as if Vincent is being an idiot. “Of course I mean Kate. I’ve never met any of your other women, have I?”
Vincent freezes next to me and I can’t help but laugh. “Relax,” I whisper to him. “I’m not freaking out and neither should you.”
“Let’s take our drinks out into the garden,” Carole says. “Zach and Ellie should be here any minute. Jacob, can you get another bottle from the fridge?”
“Done,” he says. “I’ll bring two glasses. Dax and Beau aren’t coming until later.”
“Thank goodness,” John says as he takes a seat around a huge, round teak table under a gazebo full of jasmine. “Three of you are enough.”
We all sit down, Vincent one side of me, Sutton the other.
“What about Nathan and Madison?” Vincent asks.
“They’re not here until tomorrow night,” John says. “They have a human parasite of their own to deal with now.”
Carole’s sitting next to John and playfully kicks him. “That’s our granddaughter you’re talking about. We need to do something about seating. Our family is growing and I want everyone to be able to come together.”
“We need to move into a bloody mansion,” John says.
“Poor Vincent is having to stay at the Blakely Hotel. I don’t like it,” Carole says. “Not at all. He should feel there’s room enough for him. Because there is.”
I glance over at Vincent and a small smile nudges at the corner of his lips.
“That was my fault, Carole,” I say. “I do hope I’ve not offended you. The truth is, I don’t leave home very often at all, and I was a bit nervous about coming up here. I’ve not stayed a night outside of the Crompton Estate since I was at university. Vincent thought I might find it easier in a hotel.”
“Oh darling girl,” Carole says and my heart seems to bulge with the love she’s sending to me. “I’m not offended at all. Thank you for telling me and we’re very honored you decided to come and visit. This won’t be the last time, I guarantee you’ll be back.” She glances at Vincent. “I know it. And next time you can stay.”
“Where did you go to university?” John asks me.
This is followed by a groan of “Daaaaad” from Jacob, and mutterings from everyone else.
“What?” John asks, his expression affronted. “I only asked the girl where she studied.”
There’s another chorus of woman around the table and I can’t help but laugh.
“I dropped out in my first term,” I say. “But I was meant to study physics at Cambridge.”
“What?” Vincent asks. “I didn’t know that.”
I shrug. “You don’t know everything about me.”
He presses a kiss to my cheek, then whispers in my ear, “But I want to.”
My insides dissolve. I’m so pleased we’re in a hotel tonight.
“Vincent says you lived in London for years. What made you come to Norfolk?” I ask.
“Can we talk about you going to Cambridge?” Vincent asks.
I laugh. “No. There’s nothing to say.”
“Vincent’s bummed he’s not the cleverest one in the relationship,” Jacob says.
“Vincent’s never the cleverest one in the relationship. That’s why Cambridge kicked him out.”
“Cambridge kicked you out?” I ask. “I didn’t know that’s where you went.”
Vincent reaches for one of the pistachios that have been placed in bowls on the table and launches it at Jacob. “Cambridge didn’t kick me out. Just like Harvard didn’t kick out Bill Gates. Really clever people don’t need university.”
“This is how they show love,” Sutton says to me. “I don’t know if it works the same way in your family, but it took me some getting used to. Now I feel a little excluded if they don’t insult me at least twice a day.”
I smile, taking it all in. It’s nice. It’s warm and cozy and being here feels so special.
I glance at John, who’s chortling away, clearly enjoying his sons and his nephew baiting each other. It’s such a glorious, happy family. It reminds me so much of Crompton. Not the banter and the jibes, but the bond, the inextricable link you can’t see, can’t touch, but can’t deny. It’s everywhere, surrounding these people like an invisible steel ring.
TWENTY-NINE
Vincent
The stars here in Norfolk are one of my favorite things. I never get to see them in London.
“She’s great,” Jacob says.
We’re sitting around the firepit after the anniversary dinner, toasting marshmallows and drinking wine, just like we’ve done hundreds of times before. Tonight feels different. Better. I always enjoy coming to Norfolk, but having Kate here has made everything exceptional. Even the wine tastes better.
“Gorgeous,” says Dax. “Those legs.”
I shoot him a look of disapproval. Although her legs do look fantastic in her shorts.
Kate has gone inside with Sutton and Ellie to try and find some brandy. Or at least I think that’s what they said.
“You have my approval,” Zach says.
“Oh, the one thing I’ve always wanted,” I say, my tone dripping with sarcasm.