Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 32223 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32223 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
“It’s strictly political, okay?” Cat sighs, rolling her eyes to me at the other two.
There’s a knock at the door, and the dressmaker smiles as she steps back in.
“Okay, I believe this should do it with the waist! Here, try this on.” She drapes the newly altered dress across my outstretched arms.
“I’ll be working on your sash, so just come by my sewing room when you’re done?”
“Thank you,” I smile warmly at her, taking the dress before she turns and heads back out.
“Okay, and I think we’re all quite done giving you a hard time, Iona,” Una grins at me. “Come on, let her try it on in peace. You know, for her strictly political marriage to your extremely handsome father.”
Cat groans, rolling her eyes again. “You’re the worst.”
Una laughs as she hooks her arm through Cat’s and tugs her out the door. Rhona turns as well, but then pauses, letting the other two leave before she turns back to me.
“You’re really okay with this?”
I swallow, smiling as I nod eagerly. Maybe a little too eagerly.
“Oh, yeah, of course!”
Rhona’s eyes dart over mine as she chews at her lip.
“Look,” I sigh. “Darcy is insane. You know that. And so it the rest of my family from her side—so much so that I don’t even really consider them family of mine at all.”
“Especially since you’ve had Cat and Lachlan as family all these years.”
I nod. “Exactly.”
“And yet, now you’re marrying Lachlan.”
“Rhona, it really is—”
“Politics, yeah I keep hearing that word.” She arches a brow at me. “And it’s great you’re doing this to help out, but…”
I frown. “But what?”
Rhona shakes her head. “Okay, you know my whole story with Tor.”
I nod.
“So, we can agree that I’m fairly well versed in feelings you shouldn’t be feeling? About men you shouldn’t be feeling them about?”
I frown. “Rhona, it’s nothing like—”
“Iona, it’s all over your face,” she says quietly.
Heat blooms through me, and I stutter, trying to form words, but failing horribly. I frown, dropping my eyes to the floor, and I’m still trying to collect my wits enough to say something, when Rhona steps forward and hugs me.
“Hey,” she says quietly. “Look, I’m not going to say anything to Cat. It’s not my place, and I’d never do that to you, or to her. But, I’m right, aren’t I?”
I look up, and I know even without words, my face says it all.
“How did you know?” I say meekly.
Rhona smiles. “Cat’s ignored it because it’s nothing she could ever see anyways, but I’ve noticed the way you look at him. Even when we were younger, you had that moony, silly look on your face whenever he was around.”
I groan, my shoulders slumping.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
She laughs quietly. “Well, you are marrying the man, so, I guess that’s what you’re going to do.” She smiles wryly. “Lachlan doesn’t know does—”
“He does,” I whisper.
Oh, does he know.
My friend’s brows shoot up. “Really?”
I nod.
“How, uh, how much does he know? I mean does he know just how much you—”
“Rhona,” I groan. “He knows.” I stress the last word with my brows arched high, and she suddenly grins as she blushes.
“Iona!”
“You cannot say anything!”
“Of course, I won’t, but, God, Iona! This is—”
“Scandalous,” I whisper.
She smiles again as she takes my hands in hers and gives me a reassuring squeeze.
“It’s not, Iona.”
“He’s Cat’s father!”
“And he asked you to marry him.”
“For political reasons.”
She arches a brow. “Oh, so pushing it past that was all you, then?”
I blush crimson, and she grins.
“I thought not.” She sighs. “Iona, we’re grown up. You’ve grown up. You’re nineteen, you’ve seen the world, and you’re gorgeous.”
I roll my eyes, but she laughs as she gives me a look.
“I’m just saying, Lachlan is man, and all things considered, why wouldn’t he be attracted to you?”
“Cat? Darcy? Shall I continue?”
Rhona shakes her head slowly. “Iona, you can’t always choose who you like, or who pulls on your heart. I mean, you of all people should know.”
I look down, biting at my lip.
“With Tor and I, a lot of people thought it was wrong, or a scandal, or sinful, or whatever they wanted to say to make themselves feel morally superior. And you know what? To hell with those people. Look, is whatever is going on between you just… you know?”
I blush bright red, but I manage to shake my head.
“No,” I whisper. “It’s… complicated. But I know it’s more than that.” I swallow. “I think it might be a lot more than that.”
Rhona grins. “So prove all the people who’ll say it’s bad wrong. Show them how you are together.”
I take a breath. “And Cat?”
“Cat’s your best friend in the world. She’ll understand.”
I snort. “Would you if I fell for your father?”
“If my father looked like Lachlan McDougall?”
I snort out a giggle as she sticks her tongue out at me.