He looked at the tower, with its semi-circular walls and oversized windows. “Really?”
“Remember how I told you that we all lived in guest rooms at the castle when we first got here? That was mine.”
“Very Rapunzel of you,” he said, reaching around playfully to tug at her hair.
“It did have sort of a fairytale princess vibe,” she told him. “And the views were amazing. But I like living here in the guest house a lot more. That room felt like a fun vacation, but this feels like home.”
“I can see that.”
“Time to get ready for dinner.” She leaned in to press a kiss against his cheek.
“Are you feeling up for it?” He’d heard her cough a few times since they landed in Virginia, and he couldn’t shake the feeling she needed sleep more than she needed to socialize with her friends tonight.
“I’m exhausted, so we won’t stay too long, but I’m also starving. Besides, if we go back to sleep now, we’ll be awake in the middle of the night, ready to start the day.”
“That’s true.” The best way to acclimate to jetlag was to go to bed at the right time in your new time zone. He followed her to the bedroom to get dressed. Ruby put on snug-fitting jeans and a flowy orange top, and he couldn’t resist pulling her in for a lengthy kiss before they started their walk up to the castle. “I love that color on you.”
“Thank you.” She slid her hand into his and squeezed.
Outside, it was cool and crisp, refreshing against his gritty, tired eyes. “So much quieter than London.”
“The only thing you hear outside at night are the bugs singing. I love it. It’s so different here from where I grew up. Feels so good to breathe in all that fresh air.” She sucked in a long, audible breath, coughing on the exhale.
“Should I worry about that cough?” he asked cautiously.
She shook her head. “I’ll be coughing off and on for weeks after a bout of pneumonia like that, but the dry air on the airplane probably aggravated it a bit.”
“That makes sense.” They walked up the stone steps to the castle’s front door, and he pulled it open, stepping back to motion her inside. “After you, my lady.”
“Why thank you.” She gave him a devilish grin.
They followed the sound of voices toward the kitchen, where Elle, Theo, Megan, and Jake were gathered with glasses of wine, talking and laughing. Ruby tugged Flynn’s fingers, her excitement palpable as she led him toward her friends. There was more hugging, and back slaps for Flynn from both Theo and Jake. An older woman with graying hair pulled Ruby into a tight embrace, exclaiming how worried she’d been.
“Thanks, Beatrice,” Ruby told her with an affectionate smile. “This is Flynn Bowen. He and Theo went to school together.”
“Oh, I’ve heard all about your adventures with Flynn these past few weeks,” Beatrice said, turning to Flynn with arms extended. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’ve cooked for the Langdons for over thirty years.”
“A pleasure,” he told her as she enveloped him in a warm hug, catching him slightly off guard. Obviously, things were more casual here in America than they were in Great Britain. He wasn’t sure he’d ever hugged his own cook, but he couldn’t help but be taken by the warm, family-like atmosphere in Theo’s kitchen.
More wine was poured, and they migrated into the dining room for salads and bread before their meal, while Elle and Megan peppered Ruby for details about her time in Paris.
“Not quite the adventure I had planned,” she said, darting a glance over at Flynn. “I’ll admit, it was intimidating getting sick in a foreign country where I didn’t speak the language while I was traveling alone.”
“Wouldn’t have known it by the way you tried to keep me from coming to stay with you,” he said, nudging her elbow with his.
“I’m known to be a bit stubborn,” she said with a shrug and a smile.
“She’s a lot stubborn,” Megan confirmed. “I would have been on the next flight to Paris if you hadn’t convinced her to let you stay.”
“I had a feeling that might be the case.” He’d gotten a glimpse at the strength of their friendship that morning they’d had breakfast together in London. “But it made more sense for it to be me. I was so much closer and able to work remotely.”
“Oh, I think it turned out perfectly,” Megan said with a sly smile.
“Megan!” Ruby shot her an embarrassed look.
He squeezed her knee beneath the table. “I was glad I could help.”
“So were we,” Elle said diplomatically. “It gave us all peace of mind knowing you were there with her. Otherwise, I would have spent my whole honeymoon worrying.”
