I turn to him now. ‘Then why?’
He drags a hand over his face. ‘I’m not like other people. There’re things you don’t know about me.’
‘So tell me. Take a chance on me. Let me in.’
He silently opens and closes his mouth, then rests his head back against his seat. ‘I wish you could see what’s good for you. You’re smart, funny and beautiful; can’t that be enough of a reason?’
‘I guess it’ll have to be, for now.’
After two hours, two service station coffees and me feeding Gregory bite-size chunks of apparently the worst smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel he’s ever had in his life – a tad dramatic – concrete has been replaced by increasingly lush green. He pulls us off the motorway and we wind through roads flanked by hillside and evergreen trees.
‘Where are we?’ I ask, tearing myself from the unfamiliar sight of undisturbed nature.
‘Derbyshire.’
‘It’s so green. Beautiful.’
‘It is.’
‘Then why do you have that look on your face? What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing. I was thinking.’
‘Thinking about what?’
He turns to face me briefly then focusses forward again, taking us through a sharp bend. ‘If I told you, I’d be saying it rather than just thinking it. Defeats the objective, wouldn’t you say?’
A huffy sigh reveals my frustration. I really hope this weekend isn’t going to be antagonistic Gregory the entire time.
After a ten-minute silence of continuous weaving throughthe countryside, he speaks. ‘This whole thing is quite pretentious, Scarlett.’
‘Why doesn’t that surprise me?’ I say on a petulant scoff.
He ignores my childishness, despite the increased tension in his jawline and the tight sinews in his neck that look too damn sexy. ‘There are rules and customs. The only members of the hunt are male.’
‘Are you trying to tell me this will be a chauvinistic affair?’
‘Actually, yes. It can be. I’m going to be with you but just keep your wits about you. The women can be?—’
‘Cliquey? Bitchy?’
‘Both.’ He’s deadpan. ‘They like money, they don’t like new faces and they’ll absolutely hate a beautiful young woman.’
I smile inwardly but it’s my concerned look that Gregory finds. ‘You’ve brought me to the lions’ den.’
‘Yes. I always come alone so you’ll be a bit of a surprise to them too. I’m just saying… I don’t know what I’m saying. If they get too much, you can leave them. I’ll be back as soon as the hunt is done and we’ll have a nice dinner tonight.’
His back straightens and his eyes widen as if he’s had an epiphany of some sort. He hits two buttons on the dash and the music makes way for a ringtone.
‘Old boy, where are you?’ It’s Williams.
‘Almost there. Is your sister with you?’
‘She is.’
A sweet voice chimes through the speakers. ‘Hi, handsome.’
‘How are you, Charlotte?’
