Isla wasn’t wrong. And maybe that worked to our advantage. Honestly, I wasn’t all that worried about anyone here taking Narissa’s ranting seriously. Lena and I hadn’t given them any reason to doubt the strength of our relationship, and if anything, we’d only grown closer since being in town.
But it was still bloody annoying that Narissa couldn’t let this go. The woman needed to stop stalking me on socials and move on already.
“I’m going to delete her comments, obviously,” Isla said. “And block her. I just thought you two should know what she’s saying.”
“Thank you,” Lena said. “We appreciate that.”
Isla lifted her shoulder. “For what it’s worth, I think you two suit each other perfectly.” Someone called her name, and she headed back off into the crowd.
I gave a sharp exhale. “Has to ruin everything, doesn’t she?”
“I’ll get PR on it,” Lena said, her tone telling me she was in fix-it mode as her fingers started flying across the keyboard of her own phone.
A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth as I wrapped my arm around her waist. “I know you’ll get it under control.”
“Why don’t you go get us a drink and I’ll finish reaching out to Cynthia?”
I looked up, spotting Tam at the refreshment table. “Sending me into the lion’s den, eh?”
“Well, I’m dealing with Narissa,” she countered. “So who’s really in the lion’s den?”
“Fair play,” I said. I headed across the room, getting caught up in a debate over the lineup for the judging panel for the haggis competition. We’d already had this conversation several times. By the time I’d escaped, the coffee in my cup had gone cold. I abandoned it back on the table, turning around to find Lena standing there, holding out a bag from Hamish’s bakery.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Thought you could use a little treat for the way home,” she said.
Her words warmed my chest, chasing away the irritation that still lingered from Narissa’s constant efforts to upend my life. For the most part, her attempts were an inconvenience, and we’d been able to explain it away, but eventually, the wrong person might pay more attention, and bywrong, I meant the board and any investors.
I took the bag and peered inside to find my favorite millionaire’s shortbread.
I smiled, fondness swelling inside me, knowing I could always trust her to know exactly what I needed.
Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with the desire to be exactly whatsheneeded as well. I took her hand, entwining our fingers. “You ready to go?” I asked, eager to get her home and have her all to myself.
“Yeah,” she said. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Milo!” I shouted, climbing out of the car after we’d parked in front of the house. The dog went shooting off through the gardens after Bonnie. There was a jangling noise from Bonnie, thanks to her new halter. “Damn pony.”
Lena chuckled, stepping out behind me. “I think her ability to infiltrate the property should be studied. Armies could learn a thing or two from her.”
“Oi, Milo heel!” The dog froze in place, turning to look at me, tongue lolling, tail wagging. “Stop being a menace.” I released him with another command, but Bonnie returned, running circles around him, and Milo darted off through the hedges in pursuit. “I’m concerned about this partnership.”
“Better that she’s bothering Milo instead of me,” Lena said.
“She’s teaching him bad habits,” I grumbled. I’d bought her the halter to make it easier to grab hold of her when she turned up on the property, but what it really did was drive home that all along, she’d beeneverywhere. The damn thing tinkled like Santa’s sleigh.
“Hold this, please,” I requested of Lena, handing her my bakery bag as I rolled up my sleeves.
Lena hummed appreciatively. “Showing off for me?”
I flexed my forearms, backing toward the pony. “Is this what gets you going?”
“Why don’t you roll those sleeves a little higher and I’ll let you know,” she called.
I did, indulging her, liking the way she eyed me up, catching her lip between her teeth. Then I turned and set my sights on Bonnie. I surged after her, catching her by the halter just as she darted through a hedge.
“I’m trying to get shagged, you wee monster,” I muttered, holding firm. “Stop being a nuisance.”
