22. Isla
ISLA
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
“Do you remember what sleeping in until eleven was like, Q?” Elle asked Quinn with a wink as Isla settled on the couch with a mug of fresh coffee.
Quinn looked up from the floor, where their eighteen-month-old Tara sat on his lap looking at a board book. He shook his head. “No.”
“You’re selling this whole ‘getting married and having kids’ thing so well,” Isla said with a grin as she sipped her coffee. “Is Aiden still asleep?”
From across the living room, Mason lifted his head from where he’d had it buried in his laptop. “No, he got the three hours he requires as a robot and went out for a run.”
The fact that Mason had also been here had been a surprise to both Aiden and Isla when they’d pulled in a little after six in the morning.
If Isla didn’t know any better, Aiden had appeared annoyed to see Mason—but that also might have been because he’d driven through the night and was clearly exhausted.
Isla had slept on and off, uncomfortably, but it had helped lessen her fatigue.
“I still don’t know what Aiden was thinking driving through the night like that,” Quinn said with a shake of his head. “I know he puts us all to shame with his work hours, but he’s going to collapse if he keeps going with so little sleep.”
“Remember that time he tried to see how many days in a row he could go without sleeping?” Mason said with a chuckle, raising a brow at Quinn.
Quinn palmed his face with a laugh. “Bloody moron.”
Elle set down the watering can she’d been using for some of her houseplants and crossed toward Isla, then sat beside her. “Oh good, we’ve already reached the part of the Camden brothers’ reunions where they sit and reminisce about times long since passed while making fun of each other nonstop.”
“Oh, believe me, I know. It’s even worse when Callum and Logan join the mix.” Even though her brother wasn’t one of the brothers, they’d always treated him like one.
Elle gave her a sympathetic look. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like as the only girl among these guys.”
Isla sipped her coffee. “Oh, they weren’t so bad.
It helped that I was every bit as eager to join them, even if Quinn was constantly scolding the others for not taking it easy enough on me.
The summers I got to escape to England, especially as a teenager, were my favorite.
” Partially because her grandparents, whom she’d loved dearly, had still been alive.
God, I miss them so much.
“Choo,” Tara babbled happily, pointing one chubby finger at the picture of a train in her book.
“Oh, we should get a video for my mum,” Quinn said, pulling out his phone. “She was so disappointed Tara didn’t say any words during the last FaceTime call.”
“Wait,” Elle said, popping up from the sofa. “Let me change her outfit first. She’s got some drool on her neckline.”
“God, you two are such stereotypical firstborn, first-time parents,” Mason said with a snicker.
“Oh, shut it,” Elle said as she grabbed an outfit from a nearby basket and sat beside Quinn. “Mark my words, you’ll be the next one of the Camden brothers to marry and settle down with children.”
Quinn helped Elle with the buttons on the back of Tara’s little dress. “Well, that’s a bit obvious. Logan’s too young, and Aiden’s not likely to ever marry.”
Mason’s eyes darted to Isla.
Isla’s throat went dry.
Does Mason know?
Then Mason’s gaze flicked away, and he shrugged. “So sue me for being more domestic. Doesn’t mean I still can’t make fun of you.”
Her heart squeezed, and she focused her attention on the caramel-colored brew in her mug.
Would Aiden really have been so foolish to tell Mason about their Vegas marriage?
He trusted Mason, obviously, but that was explosive information.
Recovering, she said, “Quinn’s not wrong, Mas.
Make fun of them all you want, but you’re definitely going to be as big of a sucker with your kids as they are. ”
“You never know,” Mason said, eyes boring into her. “Aiden could surprise everyone and find someone to elope with.”
Oh, he definitely knows.
But this felt like a challenge.
One that made her pulse speed.
Surely, he didn’t want her to admit the Vegas situation in front of Elle and Quinn?
So Isla threw her head back and laughed. “Well, we all know that’s never going to happen.”
Something in Mason’s eyes glittered, but before he could speak, one of the French doors to the expansive back patio opened, and Aiden slipped inside.
The sight of him, coated in sweat, athletic shirt stuck against the hard muscles of his torso made her core twist, and she fought to keep a smile from her lips.
How she’d wanted to continue what she’d started in the car— feeling how hard he was for me was thrilling.
She was like a schoolgirl with a crush, and dammit, she had it bad.
But the frankness of their conversation in the car the night before had only increased her desire, if she was honest. She couldn’t get his words out of her head.
“What do you want me to admit? That I want to pull this car over, bend you over the bonnet, and fuck you until we’re both senseless?”
Yes. That. That was what she’d wanted him to admit. Because she wanted it, too.
Aiden didn’t look her way, though, clearly wiser than she was. “Morning,” he said, then flashed a smile at Tara. “How’s my favorite niece?”
“They’re changing her to make a video for Mum,” Mason said as Elle dragged the onesie off the baby’s head. Then Mason stood. “Can we have a word?”
Aiden raised a brow. “Right now? I was heading toward the shower.”
“Preferably now, yes.” Mason’s face was serious. He didn’t wait for Aiden, then walked past him and went back out to the patio.
“What has his knickers in a twist?” Aiden asked Quinn, who shrugged. With a sigh, Aiden followed, shutting the patio door behind him.
A nervous feeling fluttered through Isla, and she stood, taking slow steps toward the patio, acting like she just wanted to look out at the gorgeously landscaped backyard. “When do you all open the pool for the season?”
“In a few weeks. If I’d known Aiden and Mason were going to drop in at the same time as you, I would have pushed Q to open it early.
It’s heated, so we could have had it ready for you all.
” Elle tied her long blond hair into a messy bun, then returned to a squirming Tara, who was trying to run away in nothing but a diaper, giggling.
“It is funny how we all ended up here at the same time,” Isla said, glancing over her shoulder at Elle with a hesitation. “I hope we’re not putting you out too much.”
“Are you kidding? She lives to host.” Quinn smiled. “Besides, my brothers are the ones who came uninvited. We knew you were coming.”
“Why is Mason here, by the way? I didn’t expect to see him here,” Isla said with a curious look.
“Yes, well, none of us expected Aiden to be involved in the project you’re working on,” Quinn said as he stood from the floor, gathering the books he’d been reading to Tara and setting them on the coffee table as Elle changed her diaper on a changing pad.
“Apparently, I need to call my brothers more.”
“To answer your question,” Elle said with a roll of her eyes, “Mason has been in New York working on some big acquisition deal with Aiden. Apparently, the talks took a break last night, so he decided to take a red-eye flight and spend a few days here, rather than go back to London. He’s got to be back in New York in a few days anyway, and he figured this was a shorter trip. At least, that’s how he explained it.”
Isla set her lips on the rim of the mug, scanning the backyard for Mason and Aiden. They were several feet from the door, near an arbor that marked the entrance to the flower garden.
And they appeared to be arguing.
She shouldn’t intrude. They worked together, and they were brothers, and she really had no business intruding.
But, somehow, she couldn’t help feeling like this involved her. Mason had been testing her with those comments. And he didn’t seem happy with her responses, either.
She didn’t want to be so obvious by heading out there in front of Elle and Quinn. On the other hand, she was staying in the guesthouse on the other side of the pool. “I think I’m going to go get dressed and ready for the day. We still planning on going to lunch?”
Tara zoomed past Isla unsteadily, fleeing from her mother, laughing with a big, toothy grin, blue eyes sparkling.
“Yeah, I have this cute little place I thought we could go,” Elle said with an exasperated look. “Get back here, you crazy child. Don’t just sit there, Q. Help me out here.”
Isla left them chasing Tara and slipped out onto the patio. She sneaked a glance back toward them, but they were obviously occupied with Tara.
Then she marched up toward Aiden and Mason. “What in the hell is going on?” Isla demanded to Mason.
“I don’t know. What is going on?” Mason shot back, eyes narrowing slightly.
“Were you trying to announce to Elle and Quinn about that mistake in Vegas? Because you weren’t exactly subtle.” Isla crossed her arms.
Aiden tossed his hands into the air. “Thank you,” he said in a clipped tone to Isla and shifted his body back toward Mason. “You see? I told her. She knows. Now, will you kindly stop trying to shove your nose into our business?”
Mason’s face flushed, his mouth parting as he looked from Isla to Aiden. “Oh. Um...”
The situation became instantly clearer. Mason had been testing her to find out if Aiden had told her about the marriage license. He hadn’t been trying to get a rise out of her, but instead, he was trying to make certain Aiden did the right thing.
Of course.
Mason was like a mini-Quinn. Responsible. More serious.
“How did you find out?” She didn’t imagine Aiden had told him willingly.
“He happened to be there when I received the license at the office. Practically stole it out of my hands trying to read it,” Aiden said with annoyance. “Then he demanded I tell you and Callum immediately, which is why we were arguing out here. He’s still threatening to call your brother.”
What?
Isla’s eyes widened. “Oh no, no, no,” she gasped, gripping Mason’s arm. “No, Mason, you cannot tell Callum anything. ”
“He’s my friend—Aiden’s friend. He’s going to find out about this, and then we’ll all look like a bunch of liars,” Mason argued, tugging at the collar of his polo shirt.
“He might not find out if you don’t say anything,” Isla argued, edging closer to Aiden.
“But if he does? I’m not comfortable lying to him. And I work closely with Liddy. That could make things exceptionally uncomfortable.”
“God, you’re a fucking prude, Mason,” Aiden seethed through his teeth.
“Like I said in London, it’s your obligation to tell Callum. I won’t have to resort to saying anything if you just do the right thing and tell him yourself,” Mason said, the flush in his face deepening.
She cringed. Mason had a good heart and was a loyal friend, but she wanted to smack him.
“Mason, I say this with all the kindness in my heart, but this really doesn’t involve you.
Or Callum. It’s no one’s business but Aiden’s and mine.
We’re getting an annulment, and then the whole thing will cease to be an issue.
Callum won’t know that you knew because we won’t tell him—either about the marriage or you knowing.
And that will be it. Life will carry on as normal. ”
Mason tensed, looking from Aiden to Isla, then back to Aiden. “I?—”
“Don’t you think Isla should have the final say in all this? It’s her family, mate. You’re threatening her privacy with her own brother,” Aiden said, crossing his arms.
A few more tense beats of silence as the three of them squared off, Mason twisting with discomfort.
Then a French door opened, and Quinn popped his head out. “Everything all right?” he gave them a curious look.
“Brilliant,” Aiden breathed under his breath, then offered Quinn a disarming smile. “Yes, why wouldn’t it be?”
“You all look like you’re having a serious discussion, that’s all.” Quinn held a dirty diaper in one hand and leaned against the door handle with the other. “Not to mention you’re all out here.”
“Oh, they just distracted me on the way back to the guesthouse,” Isla said, taking a few steps away. “I’ll be over there in a few.”
Quinn nodded, then glanced at the diaper. “I should throw this out,” he said, then slipped back inside.
“We’ll talk about this later,” Isla said to Mason with a sharp look. “But I’m warning you, Mason. Don’t you dare think of telling Callum anything. If anyone is going to talk to him, it’s going to be me, understood?”
Mason raised both brows as though startled by this side of her. Then he nodded. “Fair enough.”
She didn’t give Aiden another glance as she stalked away. She couldn’t afford to. Mason already knew too much. If he caught even the slightest hint of flirtation between them, it would only make things exponentially worse.
But as she slipped into the guesthouse and closed the door behind her, she caught the tremble of her fingers against the doorknob.
Mason wasn’t entirely wrong. Too many people knew enough about her and Aiden—Callum could find out.
And somehow, that still didn’t make her want Aiden any less.
But she needed to figure out a way to break this to Callum—if there was a way. How could she tell Callum that she no longer saw one of his best friends, someone they’d both known since childhood, as a platonic friend? That she’d crossed that line and wanted to keep crossing it ... over and over?
She closed her eyes, the sizzle of hot lust curling through her as she thought of Aiden’s kiss the night before. Her thighs clenched, her jaw squeezing tight.
Maybe it was a crush.
Maybe one taste, one night , would be enough to satisfy whatever attraction kept pulling them together.
But one thing was for certain: staying away from Aiden wasn’t an option.