together.
“Wow!” Lauren said. “You look lovely.”
“Oh, thanks.” I shrugged. I hoped she didn’t put two and two together and realize why I had dressed up.
I started to worry that I’d made too much effort. Was I too obvious? My hands went to the comb in my hair, ready to take it down.
“Do you think it’s too much?” I asked.
“No, you look fantastic, leave it. In fact, I think I’ll put on a dress, too.”
Lauren quickly changed. That was one of the great things about her. She was so minimalist — definitely not a girly girl. She was happiest when she was elbow deep in mud working in the garden. So I guess that said it all.
I asked how her day had gone and she chatted a little about the garden and how she was getting on, telling me her plans and things about the gardens she wanted to change. As we started to walk down the stairs, she asked me how Jack had been today, and immediately I blushed. Seriously, my body was such a traitor.
“We had a good day,” I said, keeping my voice light. “He’s going to join us for dinner.”
“Oh, really?” Lauren’s face broke out in a huge, knowing grin. “So that’s why you’ve dressed up.”
I gave her a nudge in the ribs with my elbow. I did not want Jack or Alexander to hear that!
“Shut up! That has nothing to do with it. I just felt like making an effort tonight. Anyway are you implying I normally look bad?” I joked, trying to lighten the mood and distract her from asking any more questions.
She laughed as we entered the dining room.
“That’s such a lovely sound,” Alexander said. “It’s been a while since we have had much laughter around here.”
And this time it was Lauren’s turn to blush.
Jack was already seated at the table, opposite his brother, and my heart did a little flip in my chest.
He looked so good. He was dressed in plain black trousers and a white shirt. The top button on his shirt was open, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of his tanned skin, reminding me of the first time I’d seen him bare-chested during his physio session with Brian. I remembered his perfect body, his toned abs…
I could feel myself starting to glaze over, so I forced myself to snap out of it and took my seat. Alexander stood up as we sat down. He was so old-fashioned, but it was charming.
Dinner was surprisingly pleasant. Normally, I couldn’t help feeling tense during dinner with Alexander. He was just so very proper. I was always worried I was going to use the wrong fork or do something dumb to embarrass myself, but Jack’s presence made me feel relaxed. Even Alexander seemed to enjoy his brother’s company, and the tension practically flowed out of him as we all laughed over a story Jack told us about a fellow racing driver, involving a missing car part and a tattoo of a pink rabbit.
After the main course was out of the way, I was completely relaxed when Alexander said to me, “Well, Kristina, I’d like to know what you’ve done to my brother.”
I panicked.
My heart leapt in my chest as the blood drained from my cheeks. “I’m sorry?”
“Well, look at him,” Alexander said, nodding towards Jack. “I haven’t seen him look so happy in months. Whatever you did today, keep doing it.”
Jack grinned and smirked into his glass, and I flushed beet red.
It had to be really obvious that we’d been up to something, but Alexander didn’t look angry at all.
Judging by the small smile on his face he actually looked pleased.
I swallowed. For some reason that made me a little uncomfortable.
Did he know about the wine this afternoon? Why didn’t he look angry?
Luckily, before I could do something stupid like confess I’d let Jack get drunk this afternoon, Alexander was distracted by something Lauren said about the gardens.
I sat back in my chair, unable to relax now. I could sense Jack staring at me, but I refused to meet his gaze. I felt completely out of
“Wow!” Lauren said. “You look lovely.”
“Oh, thanks.” I shrugged. I hoped she didn’t put two and two together and realize why I had dressed up.
I started to worry that I’d made too much effort. Was I too obvious? My hands went to the comb in my hair, ready to take it down.
“Do you think it’s too much?” I asked.
“No, you look fantastic, leave it. In fact, I think I’ll put on a dress, too.”
Lauren quickly changed. That was one of the great things about her. She was so minimalist — definitely not a girly girl. She was happiest when she was elbow deep in mud working in the garden. So I guess that said it all.
I asked how her day had gone and she chatted a little about the garden and how she was getting on, telling me her plans and things about the gardens she wanted to change. As we started to walk down the stairs, she asked me how Jack had been today, and immediately I blushed. Seriously, my body was such a traitor.
“We had a good day,” I said, keeping my voice light. “He’s going to join us for dinner.”
“Oh, really?” Lauren’s face broke out in a huge, knowing grin. “So that’s why you’ve dressed up.”
I gave her a nudge in the ribs with my elbow. I did not want Jack or Alexander to hear that!
“Shut up! That has nothing to do with it. I just felt like making an effort tonight. Anyway are you implying I normally look bad?” I joked, trying to lighten the mood and distract her from asking any more questions.
She laughed as we entered the dining room.
“That’s such a lovely sound,” Alexander said. “It’s been a while since we have had much laughter around here.”
And this time it was Lauren’s turn to blush.
Jack was already seated at the table, opposite his brother, and my heart did a little flip in my chest.
He looked so good. He was dressed in plain black trousers and a white shirt. The top button on his shirt was open, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of his tanned skin, reminding me of the first time I’d seen him bare-chested during his physio session with Brian. I remembered his perfect body, his toned abs…
I could feel myself starting to glaze over, so I forced myself to snap out of it and took my seat. Alexander stood up as we sat down. He was so old-fashioned, but it was charming.
Dinner was surprisingly pleasant. Normally, I couldn’t help feeling tense during dinner with Alexander. He was just so very proper. I was always worried I was going to use the wrong fork or do something dumb to embarrass myself, but Jack’s presence made me feel relaxed. Even Alexander seemed to enjoy his brother’s company, and the tension practically flowed out of him as we all laughed over a story Jack told us about a fellow racing driver, involving a missing car part and a tattoo of a pink rabbit.
After the main course was out of the way, I was completely relaxed when Alexander said to me, “Well, Kristina, I’d like to know what you’ve done to my brother.”
I panicked.
My heart leapt in my chest as the blood drained from my cheeks. “I’m sorry?”
“Well, look at him,” Alexander said, nodding towards Jack. “I haven’t seen him look so happy in months. Whatever you did today, keep doing it.”
Jack grinned and smirked into his glass, and I flushed beet red.
It had to be really obvious that we’d been up to something, but Alexander didn’t look angry at all.
Judging by the small smile on his face he actually looked pleased.
I swallowed. For some reason that made me a little uncomfortable.
Did he know about the wine this afternoon? Why didn’t he look angry?
Luckily, before I could do something stupid like confess I’d let Jack get drunk this afternoon, Alexander was distracted by something Lauren said about the gardens.
I sat back in my chair, unable to relax now. I could sense Jack staring at me, but I refused to meet his gaze. I felt completely out of
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