Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 126850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
God, this was a nightmare.
What was I doing? Why had I said yes? Why had I suggested a fake relationship when William himself had suggested we just be friends?
Oh, because I thought I was doing a good thing, saving him from the Grandpa Matchmaking Service.
I was.
I was doing a good thing, but it was backfiring like hell on me.
Now I had this little ball of panicked terror bumbling about my stomach, and I didn’t know what I was going to do about it.
“Grace, do sit down,” Katie said, motioning to the sofa. “Forgive me if I was a little surprised outside. I was under the impression you and William were friends.”
Great.
He could have led with that upstairs in his little flat-slash-wing-slash rooms thing.
“We’ve kept it somewhat quiet,” I replied slowly. “I have to be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure how he’d introduce me.”
That was a dreadful reply. Was she going to buy it?
Ugh, she was so not buying that.
I shifted slightly. Hopefully she didn’t notice.
“Oh, of course. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything.”
Like what?
That we weren’t really dating?
No, I could understand how that assumption would be problematic.
“I didn’t think you were at all,” I reassured her.
We shared an awkward smile before we both looked away. I scanned the room with my gaze. It was a gorgeous cottage—although cottage was somewhat of a stretch. It wasn’t the cosy two-up, two-down one usually thought of, but more a regular sized house.
So, what the upper class referred to as a cottage.
Boy, were we out of touch with the rest of society.
The fireplace was a gorgeous natural stone, and the open hearth was boxed in by an iron fire guard and framed with a coal bucket and an ornate wood store full of chopped logs. The ceilings were all beamed, and the rich wood tones added an air of warmth to the living room, a warmth that directly contrasted the chill of the wood floors.
At least there were rugs.
Whoever decorated this place had taste. It was cosy and comfortable, yet the furniture seemed to fit it perfectly, hovering somewhere between modern and traditional in a way most people could never dream of mastering.
“So, Grace, what do you—”
“May I use your bathroom, please?”
We both spoke at the same time, then momentarily froze.
Katie broke the second of tension with a gentle laugh. “Of course. If you go out the door and down the hall, it’s the only open door.”
I shuffled to the edge of the sofa cushion and gripped the arm of the sofa. “Thank you,” I said, perhaps a little too eagerly.
I pushed up and forced myself to walk at a normal pace down the hallway. I passed a closed door and the staircase before I located the open door. With a gentle push of the door, I peeked inside, breathing out a sigh of relief at the sight of the toilet.
Never had I been so thankful to see a toilet.
Actually, there was that one time after I’d eaten some—never mind. That wasn’t a story anyone needed to know except me.
I darted inside the room and locked the door behind me, then fumbled in my coat pocket for my phone to text Amber.
ME: MAYDAY MAYDAY
I put the toilet seat down and sat on it.
ME: I AM IN HUGE TROUBLE
ME: AND I ONLY HAVE THE LENGTH OF TIME IT TAKES TO PEE FOR HELP
I tapped my thumbs at the screen while waiting for her response.
AMBER: What did you do
ME: I KNOW WILLIAM’S MUM
ME: AND I THINK SHE RECOGNISED ME
ME: WELL, I DON’T KNOW HER BUT I RECOGNISED HER AND I DON’T KNOW WHERE FROM
AMBER: Hahahahahahahahahaha
ME: OMG can you be helpful for one minute????
AMBER: I told you it was a bad idea like forty times. You’re gonna have to deal with it.
ME: What do I do?
AMBER: Where are you now?
ME: Pretending to pee. In the cottage his parents are staying at.
AMBER: Oh wow, you weren’t joking.
AMBER: Why are they in a cottage and you’re in a castle?
ME: Explain later. What do I do?
AMBER: For now? Go along with it, smile, be polite, and if she brings it up say you don’t recognise her in the hope she’ll be specific.
ME: What if she doesn’t?
AMBER: Then you’ve gotten away with it for today, Satan.
ME: OMG. K. You are not helpful.
AMBER: Call me later.
ME: I’ll try.
I tucked my phone back in my pocket and got up, doubling back to flush the toilet. I doubted this place had state-of-the-art plumbing, and I knew from experience that old plumbing could be on the janky side of things at the best of times.
I rinsed my hands under the tap for good measure, patted them dry with the towel, and let myself out of the bathroom.
William was sitting in the living room when I walked in adjusting my scarf. “Are you cold? You’re still wearing your coat. I can start the fire.”