Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 116759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“Aye, it’s … been a while,” I repeated stupidly, my smile tight as I refused to say I missed him back.
I needed my boundaries, after all.
Especially if he was going to be coming out of his bedroom with gorgeous blonds. Or redheads. Or whatever strawberry blond was categorized as. It didn’t matter. All females in Sebastian’s bedroom made me want to pour my beer over the top of his perfectly formed head.
Sebastian frowned, searching my face. Then he stared fixedly at my cleavage again. I scowled until I realized he wasn’t ogling me.
He was looking for something.
The necklace.
I stiffened.
He was looking for the lily necklace he gave me.
It was tucked away in the back of a drawer. I’d worn the locket January got me for Christmas instead. It was gold and shaped like a book. It opened to reveal an engraved quote from one of my favorite childhood novels. “‘Why, sir. I think—I don’t know—but I think I could be brave enough.’” It was from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. And it made me cry because January always had a way of telling a person something meaningful without actually saying it out loud.
I didn’t know if she was right.
My fingertips grazed the locket. “It was a gift from Jan.”
Sebastian gave me a strained smile. “It’s nice.”
I shifted awkwardly. “How are your parents?”
“Talking. So at least that’s something.”
“Good.”
“Thanks for that, by the way.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“It was your idea to force Gemma to tell the truth.”
“I’m glad it worked. How’s Juno?”
Sebastian shrugged, his mouth tilting upward in one corner. “In love with Leona. So strange. The love part, not the Leona part. She’s cool. I get the attraction. They were supposed to be here tonight, but Leona surprised Juno with tickets to New York. Can’t really compete with New Year in Times Square.”
“I dunno. I’m a wee bit biased, but a Scottish Hogmanay is a special thing.”
“Is that because it lasts longer?” he teased.
“We Scots do like to draw things out, don’t we?”
“Sebastian!”
We turned to find the strawberry blond leaning casually against the entrance of the flat. Her eyes flickered over me, dismissing me, before warming on Sebastian. “Do you know what you did with that prosecco I brought?” Her accent was as crisp and classy as Sebastian’s.
“Uh, sure. Candice, this is my friend Lily. Lily, this is Candice. She moved to Edinburgh for a job and is a friend of my grandmother.”
A friend of Princess Mary?
Wow.
Okay, then. So she was gorgeous and ran in the same circles as Sebastian.
“Nice to meet you,” I said politely.
She gave me a small smile. “You too. Love your dress.”
“You too.”
“Prosecco, Bas?”
Bas?
She was calling him Bas like she was one of his close buddies?
“Sure.” He gestured for me to go inside first, and Candice stepped aside to let me pass. When I glanced over my shoulder, the newcomer slid her arm around Sebastian’s waist. I quickly turned away.
I wanted to go home.
I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing how much it hurt.
However, I’d leave before midnight.
I doubt he’d even notice.
Candice and Sebastian ended up on the other side of the flat talking with a bunch of people. It was a blessing because she was fawning all over him, touching him, and he was allowing it to happen. His behavior was uncharacteristically cruel considering what happened between us before Christmas.
I saw Harry at one point before he joined Sebastian’s wee group.
Zac and Jan seemed to take it upon themselves to recover my night and apparently that meant getting me drunk.
I downed a pint of water in between each beer they set in front of me and I ate the party food. It was catered and delicious and I needed it to soak up the alcohol. Between the crowded room, the drink, and my indignant fury, I grew uncomfortably hot.
“Are you okay?” Zac asked suddenly, his brow furrowed.
I probably looked like a bronzed tomato. “I need some air.”
“Oh, come this way.” He took my hand before I could agree, and I found myself being led into his bedroom. Zac closed the door, dropped my hand, and crossed the room to open the large window near his bed. His room was slightly smaller than Sebastian’s and way less cozy. There was hardly anything in it and his furniture choices were on the severe sterile side of modern. The only item that looked somewhat comfortable was his bed.
As if he read my mind, he smirked. “I grew up with a mother who hates clutter and loves clean lines. Her tastes rubbed off on me.”
Nodding, I moved to the window and sighed in relief as the wintry air seeping in through it fluttered over my skin in a cooling caress. “Thanks for this.”
“No problem.” He leaned against the wall.
Feeling his penetrating stare, I turned from the window. “What?”