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)
Funny how Beth zoomed in on Sebastian and not Harry.
“Which one?” I played coy.
She wrinkled her nose at me. “The tall blond who I met before the summer.”
With a huff, I replied, “We’re just friends. He’s commitment phobic and I’m not looking for anything casual.”
“Shame. He’s delicious.”
Don’t remind me.
Beth was soon pulled into conversation with Baird, and I was left to my own thoughts. I glanced around the table at my large family, at our parents who all were tight knit, close, still obnoxiously in love. Maybe it was growing up surrounded by the kind of love you only read about that made me believe I’d eventually find it too. Maybe it was reading all those romance novels. Maybe it had given me a false sense of hope and optimism.
It suddenly occurred to me that I could end up being the person in our family whose love was unrequited.
Love.
Pfft.
I waved off the thought.
I was not in love.
I’d find my person. I would! It just wasn’t going to be Sebastian Thorne.
My attention shifted to Callan and my curiosity sparked. He’d been staring at Beth earlier with longing and affection. Now his expression was completely blank. He didn’t look at anyone, instead stared into his glass. He was giving off very weird vibes. It was like he’d disappeared inside himself. I looked over at Beth to see if she’d noticed there was something wrong with her boyfriend, but Baird was monopolizing her attention.
I glanced around and noted my aunt Joss’s focus on Callan. She watched him with taut features as if she knew something I didn’t. Had something happened while I wasn’t looking? I hoped not. Beth seemed so happy. The happiest I’d ever seen her.
When Callan excused himself before dessert, I watched curiously as Aunt Joss followed him out of the room. They were both gone for a wee while and Beth left the kitchen to check on them.
“You’re Lily, right?” Baird asked once Beth had disappeared between us.
My cheeks heated. I might not be interested in the goalie, but my goodness, he was attractive. He flashed me a white-toothed, cocky smile. “I am.”
“Baird.” He gestured to himself.
“I know.”
“So, is your family part of some weird experiment?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You’re all gorgeous. If I wasn’t so good-looking myself, I might feel like a melted welly in comparison.”
Chuckling at his charming nonsense and that he’d basically called me gorgeous, I blushed inwardly. “Something in the water, I guess.”
“You’re the podcaster?”
“I am.”
“You know if you’re looking for fresh material, I am ready and willing.” He spread his arms as if to say, “Here I am, come get me.”
I almost choked on a swallow of water.
“No,” a gruff voice said from behind me.
Baird peered past me as I turned to find Uncle Cole glowering at Baird. Uncle Cole was Aunt Jo’s younger brother. He was also over six feet, covered in tattoos, and a judo champion.
Oh, and extremely overprotective.
“No?” Baird quirked an eyebrow.
“No, as in look at Lily again and I’ll end you, mate.”
“Fair enough. I respect that.” Baird was completely unfazed by the threat in Uncle Cole’s voice. In fact, he leaned past me, eyes on the sleeve of artwork on Uncle Cole’s left arm. “Like the ink. I thought mine was good, but the art … man. Where did you get it done?”
“I’m part owner of INKarnate. The tattoo studio in Leith. I’m one of the artists.”
What he didn’t say was that he’d won a ton of awards over the years for his tattoo artwork.
“No way!” Baird was so loud, I eased right back so he could talk to Cole. “I pass that place all the time. Fuck. I should have gone to you last time.”
Just like that Uncle Cole relaxed, and they started chatting over me. Men were weird.
“Why haven’t you two gone Instagram official?” The loud question came from January. It did the job of quieting Baird and Cole. Baird relaxed in his seat, giving me my personal space back.
I groaned softly when I realized January had asked this question of Beth and Callan, who had returned to the kitchen with Joss.
“Jan,” Beth huffed. “You don’t just ask people that.”
“Why not?” My sister crossed her arms over her chest. “You’ve been in the tabloids. Callan has two hundred thousand followers, and a lot of the comments are people drooling over your man, Beth. You should claim him.”
Saying preposterous things like that made Jan very popular on Seek and You Shall Find. Saying it in real life … I groaned loudly. “You read too many MC romance books.”
Beth laughed as Jan shot me a dirty look. Then my cousin turned to her partner, who seemed much more relaxed than he had before he’d left the kitchen. “Why aren’t we Instagram official?”
“I’m letting you lead the way. We can post our relationship on socials if you want. I’m quite happy to let the world know you’re mine.”