Darcy shook his head. “Really, Adrian. I kept you in the dark. There was nothing you could add to the situation, so there was no need to have you drop everything to be here. It was what it was.”
“Speaking of dropping everything and being here,” Adrian said. “Perhaps you noticed a certain redhead we smuggled along with us. I hope you’re okay that we took it upon ourselves to include her in our invitation.”
“God, I thought I saw her here, but honestly, I’m in such a fog, I didn’t know what to think.”
“She came back to help Emma with the wedding. And the house. And I think to provide her an ally in this strange new world. And maybe to figure you out. Though I’m just guessing on that last bit, so don’t quote me on it.”
Darcy glanced toward the grand staircase where he noticed Caroline facing Gareth, hands locked together, laughing. “Clearly she’s not holding out for me. Looks like she’s landed a new man.” Darcy scowled.
Adrian looked in the direction of his gaze, then laughed. “You mean Gareth?”
“That’s Gareth?”
“Can’t you tell?”
“Not really. He’s got his back to me. Gareth? What’s he doing with her? The man’s gay! Not that I care one way or another. But he can’t have it both ways. Then again, maybe he could. I suppose some do, don’t they?”
“You’re asking the wrong person. But I think so.”
“But that’s not fair to Caroline.”
“Not any more fair than your ditching her.”
“I didn’t ditch her. I simply can’t focus on anything but the here and now. Relationships are like a garden you have to tend. And right now I can’t deal with having to have a green thumb on top of everything else being demanded of me. I’ve got enough land I have to nurture without adding any more acreage.”
“Yet you’re the one who planted the seed and watered it a bit, and now you’ve decided to let it just die on the vine?”
“But I have no choice. Duty before pleasure. Even if that pleasure was particularly pleasurable.”
“So who says you can’t have both? A little duty, a little pleasure, and the next thing you know—”
“—you’re planning a damned wedding on the heels of a funeral, and it doesn’t feel very decorous, for one thing. I think it’s important to allow time for everyone to heal.”
“Just think how much it would cheer everyone up to have something happy to celebrate.”
“That’s why you’re getting married.”
“What, to cheer the likes of you up?” Adrian chucked him in the arm.
“I just mean I’ll leave it to you to make everyone happy with your wedding gala blowout event of the century.” He took a final swig of his wine.
“I think you’re overestimating things a bit. But disregarding my situation, isn’t it even better if you have the woman you love by your side to help you to heal?”
“Love?” Darcy said, grabbing a drink off a waiter’s passing tray. “Who said anything about love?”
“Well, maybe not love, but you sure do seem a bit lovesick at the very least. Maybe you were working your way toward love. But now you’ve just left yourself—and Caroline, I might add—in the lurch. Besides, it’s not so bad being committed. I recommend you try it some time.”
“Right. Just as soon as I get my entire life’s overhaul taken care of, I’ll give it a go.”
“So how about just go for the second half of that ‘duty before pleasure’ thing?” Adrian said. “Just pursue the fling. If nothing else, it would be a bit of a stress reliever. And I can tell just looking at your hangdog face that you are in dire need of that right about now.”
“You’re not kidding,” Darcy said. “I had no idea how hard it was to be a real grown-up. I certainly don’t recommend it.”
“I hear you,” Adrian said. “But I can assure you it helps to have someone by your side. It doesn’t take away the burden, but it makes it more palatable.”
“I’ll put that on my to-do list, thanks. Right after I finish figuring out how to be my father.”
Darcy hadn’t noticed Adrian ever so discreetly shifting during their conversation to steer them closer to Emma and Caroline till finally they were within earshot and could hear Caroline laughing loudly with Gareth.
“Oh, Gareth, you’ve made me feel so at home here. I can’t thank you enough,” Caroline said.
Which only served to irritate Darcy even more.
“At home? As in decorating? Because what else interest does he have in her? Why is he pushing himself on her like that?”
Adrian caught Emma’s eye and beckoned for them to join the conversation.
“I have a sneaking suspicion, my friend, that’s he’s just being a nice person. Why don’t you consider him a bit of a placeholder for you while you were otherwise occupied?”
“Darcy, I’m so very sorry.” Emma came up and gave him a heartfelt hug. “I wish I’d known. I could have spelled you at the hospital or brought by food or flowers or something.”
“Truly, it’s quite all right. No worries.”
“Oh, silly me,” Emma said, banging her forehead with the heel of her hand. “You remember Caroline?”
Caroline turned bright red, one of those curses of her coloring that didn’t enhance her appearance and only made her feel like a human tomato. If only that damned netting was still covering her face, at least it would have been more subtle.
Darcy nodded his head in her direction. “Caroline. Yes. Uh. Yes. Good to, uh, see you.” He gave her the most imperceptible and impersonal of two-cheek kisses, then brushed his hands together as if dusting off dirt.
Caroline squinted. She wanted to give him a big hug. Make that a big hug and a bigger kiss. And then with any luck see where that could lead them. But the vibe he was giving off was a smidge off-putting, to say the least, so instead she nodded her head and reached out her hand for a polite handshake. “I’m so very sorry for your loss.”
Darcy squinted back at her as if trying to figure out what she was all about.
For a few seconds the two of them squinted at one another like they were in a competition to read the bottom line of letters at the eye doctor or something.
Finally Emma intervened. “And you remember Gareth, Darcy? He’s the palace’s chief of protocol,” she said. “Without Gareth, I’d be lost around here.”
Caroline nodded with excessive enthusiasm, unable to keep her mouth shut and play coy. “Talk about a savior,” she said. “He’s been amazing and helped me in a hundred ways. And what better company to keep at dinner? And such a great dancer!”
Darcy just nodded.
“We’re so grateful for your help, Gareth,” Adrian said.
“Help?” a voice nearby said. “Darling?”
“Mum!” Darcy said.
“Lady Charlotte, we’re so very sorry for your loss,” Adrian said, adding his condolences from his mother and father, who were out of the country on an official royal visit. “And please, allow me to introduce my fiancée, Emma.”
“This is Emma from America then?” Lady Charlotte said.
“One and the same, ma’am,” she said, apparently at a loss for words.
“Lovely.” Lady Charlotte reached over for a traditional two-cheek kiss. “Darcy said she was quite the catch, and I must say I agree. You’re one lucky young man, Adrian. I approve.”
They all smiled but for Caroline, who was having a huge imaginary argument with Darcy that she was afraid she’d never get to have in real life. She was mentally socking it to him, and if he only knew what she was saying to him inside her head, well, he’d change his tune. Whatever tune that was.
“And I’m sure you’ve met Gareth,” Adrian continued while he and Lady Charlotte exchanged a few words.
“And you are?” Lady Charlotte asked, lifting a brow to Caroline, who looked as if she’d been caught with her pants down.
The only other person who looked just as mortified was Darcy, who likely wasn’t keen on touting
that this was the American woman with whom he’d had a great hookup back at Christmastime.
Luckily Emma saved him. “Please forgive my bad manners. This is my dearest friend, Caroline, who, along with your kind son, helped to reunite Adrian and me. Without their intervention, I’d still be crying on my porch stoop back home.”
Darcy was looking at Caroline, clearly uncomfortable, but Caroline refused to make eye contact with him altogether.
“So you and my son are friends as well?” Lady Charlotte asked.
Emma looked at Adrian for guidance. Caroline looked at Emma for input. Gareth looked confused. And Darcy found a speck on the floor that seemed particularly interesting.
“It’s a complicated story,” Emma said, rescuing her friend with no time to spare. “And boring too. But she’s back here now helping me to prepare for the wedding. And then she ran into Darcy and has offered up her services as he tries to organize things around here. Isn’t that right, Caroline?”
“Services?” she said, having not a clue what Emma was up to.
“Yes, you’re so good at so many things, and Darcy was just saying he’s so overwhelmed with everything, and you thought you could help him just maybe get a grip on the situation.”
Caroline opened her mouth to speak but the only thing she could say was, “Grip.”
Darcy opened his mouth to speak but could only stammer a few words. “I... I think I’m fine. Really, I do.”
But it was too late.
“What a thoughtful gesture,” Lady Charlotte said. “I’ve been so worried about Darcy. I know the stress of this has been quite burdensome. And we all know what an overachiever he’s always been.” She looked at Adrian, who nodded in agreement.
“In that case, Caroline will be just what Darcy needs,” Emma said. “If nothing else, she’s an amazing stress-reliever, I can assure you.”
Caroline’s eyes practically bugged out of her head.
“Darcy and I were just talking about how much he could use some stress relief,” Adrian said.
Now it was Darcy’s turn to cringe at the running commentary.
“So then it’s settled,” Lady Charlotte said, clasping Caroline’s hands in hers. “It makes me happy to know you can help Darcy while he’s working all this out. The sooner the better!”
Caroline blanched. “Yes, ma’am. The sooner the better.”
“We’ll arrange for a car to bring her round tomorrow first thing. O’dark thirty, if you’d like,” Adrian said.
O’dark bloody damned thirty, Caroline thought. And here I thought these people were my friends.
Chapter Thirteen
CAROLINE was bursting with embarrassment after that disastrous encounter.
“I can’t believe you all threw me under the bus like that!” she said to Emma.
“I didn’t throw you under the bus. I like to think I bought you a first-class ticket for the express train.”
“Ha-ha. Funny,” she said, emphasizing the word. “No! There I was, just minding my business, and bam, you and Adrian volunteer me up to be his stress relief? What am I supposed to do, be some sort of concubine for him while he’s in mourning?”
“Concubine?” Emma laughed. “Where do you get these words from?”
“You know what I mean. Adrian said he and Darcy were just talking about how much Darcy was in need of stress relief. That’s guy talk for ‘he needs to get his rocks off.’ And yours truly has been volunteered for the job. Darcy can’t be bothered staying in touch with me, but conveniently I can be there under the table?”
“Sweetie, I think you’ll see this in a clearer light come morning. You’re not going to be under the table giving Darcy a blow job, if that’s what you think.”
“Who said anything about blow jobs?”
“You did! Under the table. Isn’t that what you meant?”
“I meant hand jobs!”
“Oh, my God. I can’t believe we are having this conversation, whether it’s hand or mouth. Or foot for that matter! Caro, the man just lost his father. He’s probably feeling lost and lonely. I think Adrian just wanted to give you a little shove in his direction, knowing his friend as he does. I’m sure he realizes Darcy’s a hot mess right now and maybe you could be a calm, guiding force of good for him.”
“You mean you weren’t offering me up like some kind of hooker?”
Emma rolled her eyes. “You know, maybe that writing career you talked about is still a possibility. Clearly your imagination is rampant enough to fuel your storytelling.”
“Speaking of failed careers,” Caroline said. “What about you?”
“My failed career?”
“No! My new job here is to help you. What about the decorating? And the wedding prep? And all that stuff? How can I embark on my new career in Monaforte if I’m helping out Darcy with God knows what?”
Emma put her arm around her friend’s shoulder and walked her to her bedroom door. “Not to worry, my friend. It will all work out. Just trust me on that.”
~*~
O’dark thirty comes early in Europe, Caroline grumbled when her phone alarm woke her while she was in the middle of a lovely dream involving a giant stack of files, a banana, and someone who looked distinctly like Darcy. Now she’d never know how the dream ended.
She devoted extra time applying her makeup before her ride came so at least she would look her best while Darcy ignored her some more or, better yet, sent her to the barns to muck stalls. That would just about make her visit if she got dumped with the dung.
Sunrise in Monaforte, while beautiful, was a little too early for Caro, who immediately fell back asleep once spread across the back of the Rolls, quickly becoming her favorite mode of transportation, next to first-class—make that private—jet service. It was one comfortable way to ride. So comfortable, in fact, that she failed to awaken upon her arrival at Weltenham, Darcy’s family’s estate.
Even when the driver opened the back door for her, Caroline snored away. It wasn’t until Darcy’s sister Clementine poked her head in and spoke that Caroline woke up.
“Rough night last night?” Clementine said loudly with a smile.
Caro sat up with a start. “Who the hell are you?”
Clementine, her long, wavy blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, just laughed. “That’s not the nicest way to greet a lady of the manor, now is it?”
“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry.” Caroline rubbed her eyes. “I must’ve fallen back asleep. Where am I?”
“I should keep you in suspense and make you guess just to see how you react,” Clementine said. “But in deference to my big brother, I’ll cut you some slack. Welcome to our humble abode. Though I hear you were already here yesterday. I’m Clementine, Darcy’s favorite sister.” She was wearing running shorts and a cami top with a sports bra under it. At least someone amongst them prioritized exercise, which somehow went from Caroline’s escape from reality to something from which she’d completely escaped, lounging around the palace as she’d been doing instead.
“Aren’t you Darcy’s only sister?”
She laughed. “You got me.”
“Clementine. What a great name. And love the fruit.”
“Yep. Heard that one before,” Clementine said, smiling. “So my mum tells me you’re friends with my brother.”
Caroline shook her head. “Not really. I mean, yes, but not now. Well, I was, but then I don’t know.”
“Gotcha. Well, now that we’ve cleared that all up, let’s get you inside. My brother’s still asleep.”
“Asleep?” Caroline asked. “Then why am I here already? I thought I had to be here at o’dark thirty?”
Clem looked at her with confusion in her eyes. “I’m not sure what that means. Although I expected my brother would be up by now, but I think he might have had one too many drinks last night and is sleeping it off.”
Caroline nodded, squinting a little. “I’m so sorry for your loss. Must be horrible for you.”
“You can’t imagine.�
�� She sighed. “Just nothing I expected to happen for years and years. I suppose I’m still in shock. It might explain why I’m up so early and have already gone for a run. Keeping me sane.” She looked around the back of the car. “I suppose we could just hang out here and chat, but why don’t we actually go into the house? There’s more room in there. And tea.”
She reached a hand out for Caroline and helped her out of the car.
~*~
The two women sat in a cozy dining alcove in the bright kitchen, next to the warming AGA stove, sipping tea and becoming acquainted.
“So you and my brother tried to intervene with Adrian and Emma’s getaway plan?” she asked. “Leave it to Darcy to stick his nose where it doesn’t belong.”
Caroline shook her head. “No, it wasn’t like that. Well, let me think. I had no plans to get involved. But then Darcy insisted we go down to the beach and figure out what was going on. He didn’t trust Emma, which is ridiculous. That’s like not trusting a kitten. But to give him the benefit of the doubt, he didn’t know her. And I suppose he was only trying to protect his friend. Which was actually his job.”
“You sure are cutting Darcy a lot of slack.”
“Maybe because Darcy deserves to have some slack cut,” a deep voice said from behind them.
They turned to see Darcy’s brother Edouardo approach. The man was a Darcy Mini-Me, only taller, so make that a Maxi-Me, and his blond hair was grown out more, practically a mane when contrasted with Darcy’s close-cropped hair. But both had the same expressive, earthen eyes. And Caroline was a sucker for those things on his brother.
Clem waved her hand dismissively. “Oh please. As if Darcy deserves that?” Her blue eyes twinkled as she cocked her head toward her brother.
“Ungrateful wretch,” he said, pulling on her ponytail. He reached out his hand to Caroline. “I’m Edouardo. And you are?”
“This is Darcy’s ‘friend,’” Clementine said, heavy emphasis on the word friend, diplomatically avoiding drawing air quotes so as not to embarrass Caroline too much. “From America. She’s come to help Emma. And Darcy, it seems.”
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