‘Oh my God, if you could see your face right now.’
I coughed, willing my eyes to stop streaming. ‘Why is it so fiery?’
‘You need a strong whisky in this weather,’ Owen grinned.
‘You get used to it,’ Claire added.
Owen bent to kiss the top of her head, their easy relationship making my chest knot unexpectedly. I hadn’t been a lot of happy relationships. They seemed so comfortable with one another. And the soft way Owen looked at Claire practically melted me.
Claire gave a sly smile.
‘Tell me, since your soul momentarily left your body, did a certain strapping gardener feature in the flashbacks?’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ My cheeks flamed, and I hoped I could blame it on the alcohol.
‘Mmm-hm. I don’t suppose you’ve noticed the curly-haired Adonis loitering around the manor at all. You know, the one you were pressed up against in the pub…’ Owen gave Claire a nudge and told her to behave.
Morag and Jean appeared like guardian angels and swept me away from the whisky stall.
Morag looped her arm through mine as though we were old friends and not almost-strangers. And I had to admit, it didn’t feel totally terrible.
‘There you are,’ Morag said warmly. ‘And look how much you’re glowing.’
‘I am not glowing,’ I protested.
‘You are,’ Jean said, matter-of-factly. ‘And we all know why.’
‘It’s just the whisky.’
Morag snorted. ‘It’s okay to have noticed our Henry, you know. He’s a good boy.’
I hoped not.
‘He’s just a colleague. I barely know him.’ The two older women exchanged a look. ‘It’s only been a few days.’
‘A few days can be plenty,’ Jean said with a knowing nod.
‘When it’s right, it doesn’t take long at all,’ Morag added. ‘My Alistair knew within a day.’
‘This is very kind, but I think you’ve gotten the wrong end of the stick.’ Because I hadn’t even got the end of his stick yet. And they were both talking like I’d met my husband.
Without meaning to, I found Henry in the crowd. He crouched beside a little girl who held a rankly gargantuan wreath and was fixing a pink ribbon to the front while she bounced with excitement. There was a softness to him around children and animals that contrasted sharply with the side of him that he’d given me glimpses of.
As if he could feel my gaze, he looked over.
The faintest smile tipped his mouth, and I remembered his time on his knees earlier in the day.
Nope.
Do not go there.
Morag followed my gaze and patted my arm.
‘Sometimes… that’s all it takes,’ she murmured.
And the biggest problem was that she might be right.
I’d lost my mind and started fantasising over a man I’d only be around for a few days.
