A long pause stretched between us when he obviously didn’t know what to say.
I glanced at him, hoping my words didn’t hurt him. They were harsh, but I couldn’t keep bottling my feelings.
‘Maybe I’m just shit at explaining what you mean to me,’ he said after a while.
‘I—‘
‘Ava, I'm not saying it to guilt you into anything.’ A shy smile twisted his mouth. ‘I know our arrangement. Platonic, right?’
I could hear my heart beating.
‘Right,’ I murmured, slowly taking my hand away. ‘This is so… how do I even look him in the eye after what he’s done?’
‘He’s yourfather, even if he’s an idiot who makes me want to strangle him.’
I laughed. ‘Relatable.’
‘Did you talk to him about it?’ River’s tone eased. ‘I think it’s important you talk it out.’
‘I've been avoiding him recently,’ I said, a little ashamed. ‘I know we need to have this conversation, but it’s hard.’
He nodded. ‘Take your time. I’m sure it will all be fine. We just need time.’
Whether the Lord of the Isles had ever realised his actions were wrong was the question we should have been asking. Could he ever? Tension built in my forehead the longer I thought about it.
Out of nowhere, River chuckled. ‘I mean… If you ever decide to forgive me, the wedding might be a little awkward, but at least it won’t be boring.’
The idea made me laugh too. ‘Imagine. My father against yours. Alec against you. Willow against… everyone.’
A sly grin twisted his face. ‘You think she’d show?’
‘She wouldn’t miss it. She would probably wear white too,’ I said disapprovingly.
‘Emily would probably trip over her with a canter of wine,’ River laughed, and so did I when I envisioned it.
It would end up in the history books, the passionate culmination of centuries-long war. Water and Fire united at last. It was nice to dream. ‘It would probably turn into a bloodbath.’
He smiled. ‘Meh, just a regular fire wedding. By the way, I have something for you,’ he said proudly. ‘It’s nothing compared to what you’ve done for us, but I hope you like it.’
A gift? ‘What is it?’
‘It’s only a short drive; let me show you,’ he said, grabbing the wheel once more and leaving the garage.
Just before we reached the gate where we had once exited the castle grounds, River turned onto a dirtroad I never paid attention to before. It was bumpy and unruly and stretched through the forest. Wild and unkept whilst remaining safe within the castle grounds. A perfect place for driving lessons if I ever decided to learn.
After turning left, we drove for a few minutes before arriving at a medium-sized chalet with a wraparound porch. The mix of dark wood and stone reminded me of our estate on the Isles.
‘It’s beautiful; do you come here to relax?’ I asked him, as we both took in the sight of modernity coexisting with nature.
Birds chirped in the tall trees surrounding the house, and a short distance away I spotted a fox with several cubs. They fed on wild berries, undisturbed by our presence.
‘No, I only restored it recently. It’s been unoccupied for a long time. Come on, let me show you what I’ve done,’ he encouraged, and his cheerful tone made me excited.
We walked to the front door, stopping just before it as he kneeled, and knocked on the floorboards. ‘Had to replace all of these because they caved in.’
‘Caved in?’ I asked, subconsciously stomping harder to check if it was sturdy enough.
‘Well… It’s over two hundred years old, and it’s been in a state of disrepair ever since I was a kid,’ he shared. ‘But it’s completely redone and fully functional now. Come.’
