Page 78

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

GRACE

“Twist,” I say.

David deals me another card: a jack.

“Ah. Bust, yet again.” With a sigh, I toss in my hand.

Mum, David, and I are seated around the dining table, playing pontoon with matchsticks rather than money. When the doorbell chimes, I get to my feet before either of them can.

“I’ll get it!”

I’m growing tired of the game—and I’m also losing—so I’m quite happy for a distraction.

As David is a serial online shopper, I’m expecting it to be a delivery. Instead, I open the door to find Aidan standing there, in a kilt—the same one he wore the night of the engagement party. It sways in the breeze, red with lines of green, blue, and yellow.

His cheeks flushed from the cold, he flashes me a wide, charming grin. “Hi, Grace.”

At first, I’m too startled to say anything at all. Only after a few moments do I stammer, “A-Aidan? What are you doing here?”

His surprise visit shocks and thrills me in equal measure. I hadn’t realised how much I’d missed him these last few days. And seeing him in his kilt, it strikes me what a crime it is he doesn’t wear it more often. Damn, he looks good.

“I wanted to give you these.” He passes me a bouquet of sunny yellow roses. Their sweet, citrusy scent teases my nostrils.

“You came all the way from Bannock to give me . . . flowers?”

“Aye. Well, okay, I was also hoping to chat with you. I even dressed up to impress you, in case you hadn’t noticed.” He glances down at himself. “It’s not really the weather for it, though. I’m bloody freezing.” He shifts his weight from foot to foot. A jacket keeps his top half warm, but his knees are bare.

I can’t help but giggle, and at the sound, Aidan’s smile grows even wider.

“I know you told me not to come down, but I thought maybe you’d find me so irresistible you’d have no choice but to throw your arms around me and tell me how happy you are I came. That’s not happened yet, but you’re still just getting over your initial shock, right?”

Trying to adopt a serious demeanour, I frown and put my hands on my hips. “Oh, that’s how you saw this going, is it?”

He nods. “I’ve been turning heads all over London. Either I’m the most handsome man who’s ever lived or people couldn’t believe some nutter would dress this way in winter. Personally, I like to think it was the former, but who knows? Anyway”—he stretches his arms wide—“hug?”

“Hmm . . . yeah.”

I lay the roses on a cabinet then rest myself against Aidan. He gathers me up and holds me in a strong, comforting embrace.

I breathe in deeply, savouring his familiar and enticing masculine scent. “I missed you.”

A wolf whistle marks the arrival of David, and I quickly withdraw from Aidan. My brother bounds along the hall, followed by Mum, who wears a more serious expression.

“Check you out, Aidan!” David’s gaze runs up and down him. “Looking sharp. What are you doing here? Couldn’t bear being apart from Grace?”

“Aye, pretty much.”

David claps his hands together. “That’s so romantic. I’m really missing my Scotsman. Can I ask you a favour? If you’re back up in Bannock before I am, could you give Johnny a message from me?”

“Sure.”

David beams, squeezes past me, then throws his arms around Aidan and holds him tight. “Love you, Johnny!”

I roll my eyes and grumble under my breath.

David retreats again, and Aidan chuckles nervously, running a hand through his hair.