She grinned up at him, her daughter’s resemblance to her uncanny. Then she turned to us. “That’s what he said the first time we had sex.”
“Mum!” Callie squealed in outrage.
Sloane pointed at her daughter. “You torture your dad, I’m going to torture you right back.”
“I think what I actually said was something along the lines of ‘Get upstairs and I’m in charge,’” Walker commented like they were talking about the weather.
His wife gaped at him in sincere wonder. “You remember?”
“Ahh!” Callie slapped her hands over her ears. “I didn’t hear that! I didn’t hear that!” She whimpered comically as she turned to her boyfriend. “I’m scarred for life.”
Jared looked down at me, thoroughly amused. “Can we just stay here all night?”
“It is entertaining, isn’t it?”
“For you, maybe.” Callie grabbed Lewis’s hand. “Some of us have just been traumatized.” She huffed, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Have a nice night!”
“See you.” Lewis waved to us before Callie dragged him out of the house.
Sloane and Walker high-fived.
Three weeks.
Jared and I had enjoyed three weeks of peace and quiet. Jim had Jared’s father interviewed again and he admitted to killing the sheep and chickens. He was arrested and out on bail. The case against him probably wouldn’t go to trial, and it was just a waiting game to see how much time he got. It might not be a lot. What really mattered to us was that he was out of our lives. Jaredhad scared the shit out of Hamish, and apparently, my wealth and family name intimidated the asshole too. So I was optimistic we wouldn’t hear from Hamish McCulloch again anytime soon.
We’d also bought six new chickens and a rooster to get us started on the henhouse, and despite my lingering sadness, I named them all. I’d named the chattiest hen, Cathy, and she, like Ginger, was the first to run to greet me in the mornings.
Our life was bliss.
That sounded overblown and insincere, but for me, it was bliss.
After years of trying to fit into a life that never quite fit, I found Scotland. Then miracle upon miracle, I found Jared. While he split his time between working the farm and managing the ongoing work on the glamping pods, I painted in this new style I’d discovered within myself. I’d also reached out to an estate agent to see if there were any buildings available to rent in Ardnoch for opening my gallery.
At night, I’d cook if Jared was running late, or if he got home early enough, we’d cook together. We’d listen to music on low and chat about our days as we made dinner and ate. Usually, we’d curl up on the couch after and watch some TV. Then, alone in our room, we always seemed to be in absolute sync. The sex was either adventurous and passionate or it was sweet and sexy and slow.
Either way, it was the best sex of my life. More intimate than anything I’d ever experienced.
And as much as I loved our sex life … I think I might have loved waking up next to Jared even more.
Sometimes I couldn’t believe how lucky I’d gotten. How we’d signed up to a fake marriage only for it to turn into a relationship I’d never dreamed I’d one day have. I’d always been envious of Aria and North, of Sloane and Walker. Of Sarah and Theo. Of all the Adairs and their partners. It was incredible to find so manytruly happy couples in one place. No way could I be that lucky, right? They’d used it all up.
But they hadn’t.
I’d found some luck just for me.
I was thinking all this as Jared and I strolled into Ardnoch Castle with Walker and Sloane. Usually Walker would work at an Ardnoch event, but Aria had wanted him and Sloane to attend as guests, and for once, they’d agreed. Sloane had confessed she hadn’t gotten the chance to dress up in a while and fancied getting out of the house. As gruff as Walker was, he’d pretty much do anything to make his wife happy, so he’d agreed to escort her to the party, and Monroe and Brodan, who had decided not to attend, were babysitting Harry.
Feeling Jared stiffen a little beneath my hand, I looked up at him. His face was set in a neutral expression, but there was a hardness along his jaw that suggested more tension.
The great hall was packed with guests in summery cocktail and evening wear. A band was set up on a small stage in the corner, and the pop singer Koda belted out her latest number one single. It didn’t surprise me that my sister had managed to snag a megastar to perform at an Ardnoch party. There was a very good reason Lachlan Adair had left the running of the estate to Aria. My sister was excellent at her job.
However, as staff in tailcoats and white gloves moved around the guests, offering glasses of champagne and hors d’oeuvres, I realized how this must all look to Jared.
Like it was another world.
One he didn’t feel comfortable in.
The truth was neither did I, but at least I was used to it. “You okay?”
