— What exactly do you mean? I ask.
I already suspect her answer, but that doesn’t stop my heart from reacting.
— I mean that maybe… maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to end this marriage. Maybe we could just see where it leads us, without a predetermined end date.
My heart stumbles hard against my ribs.
— Are you suggesting we make this marriage real? I ask, needing to clarify something that feels almost too good to be true.
— I don’t know exactly what I’m suggesting, she says, shaking her head. I just know that the idea of going back to my old life in Los Angeles, away from all this… doesn’t appeal to me the way it used to.
Away from me, I think—but she doesn’t say the words.
— And your career? Hollywood?
— Hollywood will always be there, she says with a shrug. To be honest, after the scandal, the roles I’m being offered aren’texactly what I dreamed of. Maybe taking a longer break wouldn’t be such a bad thing. I could explore British theater. Or just… live a little.
Finally, she looks straight into my eyes.
— But all of that depends on you, Callum. On what you want. I’d completely understand if you’d rather stick to the original plan.
Part of me—the part that has spent a lifetime meticulously planning every step—urges caution. But another part, one I’ve only discovered since Jane walked into my life, pushes me toward the risk.
— I think I’d like to see where this takes us too, I say at last. No expiration date.
The smile that lights up her face feels like sunlight breaking through after rain. Without thinking, I reach out and brush a strand of hair away from her cheek. That simple touch sparks something between us—a tension that’s been building for weeks, maybe even from the very beginning.
— Cal, she whispers, her voice barely audible.
— Jane, I answer, leaning closer.
Our first real kiss—outside the terms of our contract—is nothing like the ones in her films or the romance novels Keira devours. It’s awkward at first, hesitant, like two people learning each other in an entirely new way. But there’s an honesty in that awkwardness that makes it infinitely more precious than any perfectly choreographed scene.
I struggle to pull away from her. The desire I’ve been holding back since the moment we met threatens to break loose completely.
— We should head back, I say after another long kiss. Before my mother sends out a search party.
— Probably, Jane agrees. Though I’d love to see her face if she found us out here kissing on the moor like a pair of teenagers.
— Don’t tempt me, I laugh, taking her hand in mine.
On the walk back, our fingers naturally intertwined, I catch myself thinking that sometimes the best plans are the ones you never make. And that marriages of convenience can, against all expectations, turn out to fit perfectly.
CHAPTER 27
JANE
— Are you sure you want to do this? Keira asks, perched on the edge of my bed, watching me with a mix of admiration and concern. The Highland Games aren’t exactly beginner-friendly.
I’ve pulled on a workout outfit that practically screamsif I’m going to publicly embarrass myself, I’m doing it in style.
— I’ve never been more sure of anything, I say, tying my hair into a tight ponytail.
It’s a massive lie. I’ve never been more terrified in my life—not even when I had to film that scene where I was chased by a chainsaw-wielding serial killer (which turned out to be plastic, but my scream? Entirely real).
— I have to do this, Keira. After yesterday’s “Heather-the-Perfect” episode, I need to prove I’m not just some shallow American actress who doesn’t understand Scottish culture.
— You know you don’t have anything to prove, right? Keira says, holding my gaze. Callum chose you. That’s all that matters.
