Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 142976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 477(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 477(@300wpm)
The interaction between Nox and Fern had been left behind in the wake of the excited chatter among the other three siblings as they raced to catch up on so many months apart. Only Fern and Cade still stood at that waypoint, staring at it each other wordlessly.
“I wouldn’t have,” she told him beneath her breath, and his brows lowered as he bent his head toward her in an attempt to hear what she’d said. She stood on her toes and she repeated her words.
He didn’t lift his head, merely tilted his jaw toward, bringing his mouth perilously close to touching the sensitive skin below her ear as he asked, “Wouldn’t have what?”
“Married Nox.”
He put some distance between them as he sought her eyes, his gaze narrowed on hers and his lips curled a little cynically at whatever he saw there before he leaned toward her again.
“Why not? One brother is pretty much the same as the other. Nox or me, it wouldn’t have mattered. We’d still have Lambecrete and you’d still have our protection for the next few years.”
Fern hated that his words wounded her, hated that she flinched in response to them… hated that it probably reflected in her face and sounded in the soft, startled inhalation of breath.
This time she was the one who drew back to look at him, but once again his face was schooled into that hateful, unreadable mask.
“Would you have preferred if it was him?” she asked, knowing she shouldn’t. Not when she wasn’t emotionally prepared to hear his reply.
He shrugged, the unconcern in the gesture staggering in its utter dismissal of Fern as anybody of significance in his life.
“You and I don’t suit, Nox would likely have made you a better husband. It would’ve been easier.”
“Easier for you?”
“Yes.”
This was a purely transactional, business relationship. Feelings had no place here. And yet, Fern’s eyes stung, her throat felt swollen, and her nose burned as she fought back the incipient tears. She ducked her head, refusing to let him see the humiliating truth in her eyes. Not wanting to make things awkward for any of the rest of them either. She felt like an unwanted obligation, easily and eagerly foisted off onto the next person. And the fact that he would’ve been happy to simply see her parceled off to his brother instead, hurt more than it should’ve.
His hand came up to her chin and he tilted her head upward, forcing her to meet his gaze.
“Why does that upset you?” he asked, voice gruff, eyes confused and concerned. “This is just business, Fern.”
Which was exactly what she’d just been thinking. Fern jerked her head back, forcing him to release her.
“It doesn’t hurt me. Not at all. Just pregnancy hormones and all that. I got caught up in the intense emotion of your family reunion and all that.” She strove for carelessness and failed miserably. He looked unconvinced. Of course, he did, she hadn’t even been the slightest bit convincing.
“Anyway, let me uh— get to know your brother then… my almost-husband. Maybe we can organize a straight swap if you guys are so interchangeable. Would that suit you better?”
His gaze transformed into a glare and his jaw tightened.
“I’m afraid we’re stuck with each other for the duration,” he said between gritted teeth and she gave him a tight smile.
“Too bad, Nox looks like a good time.”
His nostrils flared, and she tossed her loosely braided hair, before determinedly stepping away from him and toward the patio doors through which the others had disappeared.
The rest of the group had retreated to the small, open plan kitchen, crowding the space, everybody still talking at the same time. Gideon was precariously balancing several plastic containers, which appeared to contain different cuts of meat, in his arms, Beth and Kenny were amicably arguing about the best topping for pizza bread, while Nox was loudly and vociferously lamenting the lack of beer options.
“Still quite the outrageous snob, aren’t you, Nox?” Beth inserted dryly, as she shoved a couple of garlic laden focaccia loaves into the oven. “Wherever you’ve been hiding out hasn’t humbled you in the slightest.” Her head swung toward Gideon, who was trying to add one more container to the lot he already had stacked in his arms. “I think t-two trips would be prudent, Gideon—you already have… already have them sta-stacked too high.”
“Aah, and you’re still as bossy as I remember, Elizabeth Finch,” Nox countered good-naturedly, shoveling up a fistful of pretzels in his huge hand and stuffing a couple into his mouth. A few wayward crumbs dusted his out of control, lumberjack beard. He was nowhere near as urbane as his older brother, which was not at all what Fern had expected.
“It’s Elizabeth Finch-Hawthorne,” Beth corrected tartly. “Although I can understand how you’d forget that fact, since you couldn’t arse yourself to come to our wedding.”