Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 66387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“Whenever we want,” Christian replies. “I think Jenna’s still sleeping.”
“Jenna went to get donuts,” she announces as she walks through the door. “I saw you guys out here having a heart to heart and didn’t want to intrude. So, I ran out for sweets.”
She sets the box of baked goods on the table, opens it, and sinks her teeth into a glazed.
“We’re all up now,” Nina says, leaning over for a donut of her own. “And after I’ve eaten all of these, we can go.”
“You’re quite bossy, darling.”
She grins. “I know.”
Chapter Nineteen
Nina
“WE DON’T HAVE enough space for everyone,” I say frantically as I bustle about the kitchen, putting together a charcuterie board full of cheese, veggies and meats, crackers, fruit. Snacks.
I need to have plenty of snacks on hand.
“Only Ellie and Callum are coming,” Sebastian says and steals a green olive.
“No, not only Ellie and Callum. They bring a whole hoard of security with them, remember? Where is everyone going to sleep? I don’t have enough groceries. I don’t know—”
“Whoa, calm down, love. Security will work things out with Liam. I told him to use your old place for overflow.”
“Oh, right. Good thinking.”
“Jenna said she’d stock the fridge over there, and here, so there’s plenty for everyone to snack on. You won’t tell me what’s happening tomorrow night, so I assume you have that under control.”
“Under control,” I agree with a nod, not telling him anything else. He knows that his siblings are coming for his birthday, but I want some of it to be a surprise.
“You’re worrying for nothing.” He swipes a piece of cheddar cheese. “This is delicious, darling. And pretty. How did you come up with it?”
I stop and stare up at him. “Are you kidding?”
“No, why?”
“It’s a charcuterie board.”
“A whosy what?”
I laugh and replace the cheese and olive he just took. “It’s a meat and cheese tray on steroids. How do you not know this? Surely, they have this sort of thing in England.”
“I don’t really pay attention,” he admits.
“Well, this is all the rage in the States,” I tell him. “I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to it. That’s how I discovered putting these pretty little peppers on it.”
“What’s a Pinterest?”
“It’s a place to find things.”
He shakes his head. “If you say so.”
“You’re playing with me. You know what all of this is.”
“It’s fun to tease you, darling.” He glances over at Liam. “When do they arrive?”
“They should be pulling into the driveway in two minutes.”
“I haven’t made the boozy strawberry lemonade.”
“I think it’s okay if the drink isn’t mixed yet when they arrive.”
“I’m trying to make a good impression.” I stare up at him. “I’m a woman. This is my home. This is what we do when we have guests.”
“Fascinating.” He yanks me to him and kisses me silly. Kisses me until I can’t remember my own name, much less how to pronounce charcuterie.
“Are you trying to distract me?”
“Absolutely.”
He grins down at me. “It might have worked.”
“Good.”
Liam nods at Sebastian. “They’re here.”
“They’re here!”
I turn and run past Liam and Nick, past everyone so I can yank the door open in excitement.
“Ma’am, you can’t—” Liam begins, but I cut him off.
“Oh, yes I can.” I pull the door open and squeal. “You’re here!”
“Oh my God, I just love it here,” Ellie says as she launches herself into my arms and gives me the biggest hug ever. I know, I don’t love to hug, but I love seeing my sister-in-law. “The view from the air is just spectacular. Those mountains!”
“I know,” I say as she moves past me to greet her brother, and I turn to Callum, who’s grinning at me with the same smile as Sebastian’s. “I’m so happy to see you.”
“Come here.” He snatches me up in a hard hug. “How are you, lovely?”
“Never better.”
And it’s true. I feel great. I’m in love. I have amazing homes in both Cunningham Falls and London.
Life’s damn good.
“Harrison.” I give the handsome friend of Sebastian’s a kiss on the cheek. “I’m so glad you came.”
“Me, too. I’m excited to see the town that Sebastian’s been talking about for so long.”
We follow the others into the kitchen where Ellie’s already attacked the charcuterie board.
“This is gorgeous,” she gushes. “And so delicious. I’m peckish after that flight.”
“Now, this view is something,” Callum says as he walks to the windows to look at the lake. “I’d like to take your boat out while I’m here, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all,” I assure him. “We have two now. Sebastian bought a little speedboat last week. Mine is a bigger ski boat.”
“I’ll play with them both,” he says with a wink.
“I want to go out on the lake, too,” Ellie chimes in.
“You don’t swim well,” Sebastian reminds her.
“Twenty-four,” she reminds him. “And old enough to make my own decisions. But thanks, big brother.”