She took some care brushing her hair and spraying perfume, but there was nothing to be done about her puffy lips and sleepy eyes. Pippa grinned as she examined herself in the mirror. There was no disguising it; she looked exactly like someone who’d spent much of the day having the best sex of her life. Pippa headed downstairs, her breath quickening at the thought of seeing Wolfie again. She’d just spent the afternoon naked with the man yet was wracked with anticipation. What would she say to him? The anxiety couldn’t mask the joy, however, and soon she was smiling to herself like an idiot. As she rounded the bottom of the stairs, her phone pinged with a call from Frankie.
“Hi!” he cooed. “We’re outside.”
“We?” Pippa repeated.
“Yeah, me and Theo,” Frankie said. “I’m dropping off my car for you to use for the fair organisation this week, remember? You asked?”
Pippa groaned. “Duh. Yeah. Thanks for that.”
“Can’t believe you forgot after all the nagging,” Frankie mused.
“Um. Maybe I’ve had a lot on my mind,” Pippa said, as casually as she could manage.
“Right. Anyway, Theo’s in his car behind me.” He paused and Pippa could sense the huge grin on his face. “We’re off to dinner with his friends shortly.”
“Oh, we’re at the dining with friends stage, are we?” Pippa teased. “Should I buy a hat?”
“You don’t have the head for hats,” Frankie shot back. “We discussed this after the trilby fiasco of 2017. Anyway, seeing as we’re here, I wondered if Theo could get that quick tour of the house you promised.”
“Well…” Pippa thought for a moment. She wasn’t sure how she felt about her cousin potentially encountering Wolfie when things between them were so new. So new she couldn’t put a name to it and right now, didn’t want to.
“Pllllleeeeaaaase,” Frankie wheedled. “I really want to impress Theo. He’s, like, so curious about Squires.”
Pippa considered. Wolfie had said he had a work call. From previous experience she knew he could potentially be locked away in the library for hours, so if they stayed quiet, what harm could it do? “Fine,” she huffed. “But tell him to keep the gasps of awe to a minimum please – Wolfie’s working.”
Moments later, Frankie and Theo were in the entrance hall, Theo’s handsome face lost in wonder as he drank in the interior of the house. Pippa could hardly contain her glee at the sight of her cousin gazing dreamily at his new boyfriend, his eyes glazed with happiness.
“What do you think?” she asked Theo.
“Stunning example of early Victorian architecture,” he breathed. “The parquet flooring...” He gestured down. “Worn by foot traffic but I bet it buffs up a treat.”
“I thought you worked in ecology?” Pippa said.
“Yep.” Theo nodded. “But I consult for a lot of trusts and stately homes. I’m something of a nerd when it comes to old buildings.” His lips thinned. “This house must have been glorious once upon a time. I can tell it’s suffered serious neglect.”
“It has,” Pippa said. She didn’t bother to add that the neglect was due to Carmichael Squires being a colossal waster who spent money destined for the house’s upkeep on his own private vices.
“Please may I wander?” Theo asked.
“Of course,” Pippa said. “If you could avoid the library though because Wolfie’s working in there.”
Theo threw his head back. “A library! This house.” He stroked Frankie’s arm. “You coming?”
“I’ve had the tour,” Frankie said. “You go ahead.” The men exchanged sweet smiles and Theo ambled off, his face aglow with curious excitement.
“Okay, I have to admit it,” Pippa said, once Theo was out of earshot in the living room. “He’s perfect.”
“Isn’t he? Here are the car keys, by the way.” Frankie dropped them on a small side table. “Sometimes, we’re hanging out and I look at him wondering what the hell a god like that is doing with a mere mortal like me.”
“Hey.” Pippa nudged him. “Don’t talk about my cousin like that.”
“You know what I mean.” Frankie blushed. “I keep thinking, this must have been how you felt when you got with Alex, right? Exciting and new but meant-to-be all at once.”
Pippa shrugged. She’d been a teenager when Alex had become her boyfriend.Everythingwas heady and dramatic back then. “That was a long time ago,” she said. “A lot has changed since then.”
Frankie’s face twisted in sympathy. “It must have been a real head fuck to see him again.”
“It was unreal,” she said.
