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Gavin’s laugh echoed around the office. “Dude, that isn’t anywhere near the biggest. That just might be the gray area. Did Declan say anything to you this morning or something?”
“Or something.” I glanced down, unable to meet his gaze. How could I tell him he’d caught us making out with her in the open on our first day?
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
“What did Declan say?” Gavin asked.
“He said for us to be careful.” I lifted my shoulder.
“Well, he didn’t say no. And trust me, if he was completely against it, either he or Thomas wouldn’t hesitate to say it. I say give it a shot.”
“But we are way out of our league with her.” I ran a hand down my face. I wanted to try, but a nagging feeling in my gut told me I wasn’t enough. Thatwewouldn’t be enough for her. She was used to this lifestyle. We were just figuring it out.
“Listen, bro, Tori knows what she wants. She knows what she can handle. Remember, she was born into this. If anything, learn from her. I don’t know much about why she’s here, but she rarely stays long, so that’s probably Declan’s warning. I don’t want to see either of you guys getting hurt either.”
“I know.” I scrubbed a hand at the back of my neck. “Can we drop this and get to work?”
Gavin’s penetrating gaze always seemed to see more than I wanted to show him. For a moment, I was afraid he wasn’t going to let me change the subject, but he took another long look at me and seemed to accept it.
I laid papers out on his desk and leaned forward. “Here’s what I drew up for a layout on the office. The existing part of the office can be kept as the medicine room while we expand the main part.”
We dove into the plans for the next hour, making calls and getting quotes. When I finally finished, I went in search of my twin. We needed to talk before we met Tori for dinner.
VICTORIA
“Why didn’t you tell me who he was?” I was sitting at the kitchen island in the dining hall. After running around all day with Grace, I still had a bone to pick with Jessie.
“Because, sweet Tori, it’s time for you to have some fun. If anyone deserves it, it’s you.” Jessie pointed her finger from across the kitchen. She was getting dinner prepped for tonight. A shepherd’s pie with brown bread.
“I’m not sure if I should take offense or not. I’m doing fine.” I put my hand on my chest. Yes, my situation wasn’t the greatest, but I was making the most of it.It’s not as though I’d had a love match with Thomas and Declan. We were far better as friends. Yet, since we’d officially broken off our engagement, I was lost. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I was hoping my time on the ranch would help me figure it out.
When Thomas and Declan declared their intentions with Alex, my mother went out and searched for another match for me. I cringed just thinking about my newest group of intended husbands. They were the sons of an old business partner of one of my fathers. The four of them were nothing like I’d dreamed my husbands would be. They didn’t have a charming bone in their body. The few times I’d met them, they gave me the creeps, insulted me more than once, and had a backward view on how our relationship was supposed to go. I was not going to be their maid and pop out babies for them. I didn’t get my MBA in International Marketing from Aberystwyth University in Wales for nothing. I had plans, and they were not part of them.
“Tori, honey. Don’t take this the wrong way, but when was the last time you got laid?”
“Um.” I had to think really hard about that for a minute. I hadn’t had a lot of free time with school and graduating. It was also hard to get involved with someone when everyone either thought you were engaged or were scared of you because you had a title.
“And no, a battery boyfriend does not count,” Jessie added.
I slumped forward, resting my head on my forearms. Jessie’s hand lightly rubbed my shoulder.
“I really don’t want to think of Caleb and Andrew this way but, if those boys are half as good as their brother, then you’re in for a wild ride.” Blake had followed Grace and me into the dining hall when we had all finished of our work.
I groaned. Nothing like having all the girls get involved in my sex life.
Jessie snatched her hand away like she’d touched something gross. “Ugh, I don’t want to think of any of them that way. They are like my brothers.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Jessie had grown up with a lot of the guys here. I sat up and smiled to myself. “Well, if the way they kiss is any indication, then I can’t wait to get them in bed.” Their heads whipped around so fast I thought they’d pop off.
“When did you have time to kiss Andrew?” Blake asked.
“No, she saidthey. When did you meet Caleb?” Jessie looked at her watch. “It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since you met Andrew.”
I giggled, thinking about how I’d met Caleb. There was no way I could keep it from them and spilled everything. I fanned myself when I finished. “Those two sure know how to melt my butter.”
Grace choked on her water, and they all stared at me, wide eyed. “What? Isn’t that what you guys say? I tried to study up on country culture before I got here.”
“Maybe our grandmother’s generation. What were you studying?” Blake asked while we all doubled over laughing.
