8. London
Iswear my lips still tingled from Murray’s gentle kisses as we drove off the ferry into Leth Sholas.
Even though I was pretty sure he kissed me like that because he thought I needed to be handled with care, I still enjoyed it.
His touch had set my heart racing. There was an answering tingle and tightening in my breasts that I hadn’t experienced in such a long time and had worried I wouldn’t ever feel again.
Unfortunately for me, my new husband had kept an obvious physical distance from me since we’d left the registrar.
“The B and B first?” Murray asked, hitting his turn signal to go up to the Victorian guest house.
I nodded. I’d texted Nee while on the ferry asking her to meet me there.
“Damn it,” Murray muttered as we approached the parking lot.
It was empty except for Nee’s bright Suzuki and Ramsay’s old Defender. “I didn’t know he would be here. I’d thought he was across the island working on that development.”
“Apparently not.” Murray turned off the engine. “Och, well, I’d have to face him sometime.” His eyes twinkled with wary amusement. “Will you protect me if he comes for me?”
I chuckled, relieved by his first show of lightheartedness since we’d left Oban. “I’ll do my best.”
A few seconds later, we stood outside the entrance to the guest house.
Cammie was Nee’s interior designer and she’d found these beautiful, vintage stained glass doors that had been salvaged from a Victorian guest house in Inverness.
Ramsay had helped restore them to their former glory.
Now Murray pushed one of those doors open and it hit the old-fashioned bell above, the sound tinkling out as he gestured for me to go in first.
“Nee!” I called out as we stepped inside.
The floors were a black and white checkerboard tile reminiscent of the Victorian era and brought that charm back to the large house with a timeless modernity.
Nee had the tiler inlay a square of custom tiling that spelled out LETH SHOLAS GUEST HOUSE with a little thistle beneath.
We were flanked on either side by two rooms. To the left was a library and to the right was a large sitting room.
Ahead of us on the right was a grand staircase, refinished with a stylish carpet runner and brass rod detailing.
By the staircase was a cute reception desk, and a doorway beyond it that led to a very small office.
To the left of the desk was the hallway to the back of the house—kitchen and dining room.
“Spoon?” Nee’s voice echoed down that hallway. “We’re in the kitchen!”
I glanced up at Murray who no longer smiled. In fact, he wore a deep frown of concern that pulled harshly at his brows.
Looking down at his hand, I tentatively reached for it. But when my fingers brushed the back of his palm, he jolted. I yanked my hand back, dejection slumping my shoulders. It would be interesting living with a guy who couldn’t even stand my touch. “I just … united front and all. Never mind.”
I’d barely taken a step forward when I felt his warm, calloused hand wrap tightly around mine. It was my turn to jerk with surprise.
“I’m a little on edge,” he explained, expression apologetic. “I didn’t mean to …” Murray squeezed my hand in reassurance. “United front.”
Relieved, I offered him a shaky smile. “Let’s do this.”
“I’ve only ever been in here once,” Murray murmured as we walked down the hallway.
I was trying to concentrate on his words and not on my hyperawareness of him.
It was difficult because my thoughts kept blaring like a fifth grader with a crush, I’m holding Murray Shaw’s hand, I’m holding Murray Shaw’s hand!
“I forgot what a beautiful job they all did pulling this together.”
Focus, London, I internally scolded myself.
By “all,” I knew Murray meant Nee, Ramsay, Quinn, and Cammie. “Yeah, it’s a nice place to work.”
“And the kitchen is your domain?”
“It is.”
“There’s so much we don’t know about each other,” Murray muttered just before we entered the kitchen.
“Regretting it already?” I was trying for a teasing tone, but even I heard the bitterness that seeped out.
Call it years of being rejected by the people who were supposed to love me. It didn’t take a psychologist to tell me I had serious self-esteem and abandonment issues. Usually I was very good at masking them.
In answer, Murray tightened his grip on my hand and grunted out a defensive no as we stepped into the kitchen.
Nee and Ramsay were sitting at the island, their knees touching as they sat turned toward each other, sipping coffee out of matching mugs.
“You shouldn’t be drinking coffee, Nee!” I blurted without thought.
Nee’s eyes flared ever so slightly in warning. “It’s peppermint tea.”
“Oh.” I grimaced sheepishly. “Sorry.”
“You’re pregnant?” Murray asked.
Ramsay cut me a dark look that made me grimace even harder.
Nee huffed. “Why are people guessing so easily? Do I look bloated?”
“Jill had to stop drinking coffee when she was pregnant with Kelly. Her caffeine withdrawal was worse than the pregnancy hormones,” Murray explained. “So, you’re pregnant?”
“We’re not telling anyone. This stays between us.” Nee gestured to us all.
Murray released my hand to step forward and embrace Nee. “Congratulations.”
She beamed over his shoulder at me as she said thanks.
My new husband then stuck out his hand to Ramsay to congratulate him.
Ramsay glowered at his hand. Then at Murray’s left hand. Then at me before directing his words at Murray. “First, do you want to explain why you walked in here holding London’s hand and why you’re both wearing wedding bands?”
“What?” my best friend squawked.
Murray returned to my side, bending to whisper in my ear, “Observant bastard.”
A nervous laugh rattled out of me as Murray took my hand again. I practically cut off his circulation I gripped him so tightly.
“I heard that.” Ramsay helped Nee off her stool, even though she batted him away impatiently.
“I can get off a stool by myself.” She stood, crossing her arms over her chest, glaring at me. “Please tell me you didn’t.”
“Nee …” I really needed my best friend to understand. “We got married and it was the right thing to do. The only thing to do.”
“Really? Because I think it’s insane. Mostly because it’s illegal!”
Ramsay slid his arm around her waist, pulling her into his side as if to comfort her.
“Nee … it’s nobody’s business but mine and Murray’s. And as far as the rest of this town goes, we married for love and nothing else.” I narrowed my eyes. “No one is going to contradict that. Right?”
“Ramsay was taking care of the Nick situation. You didn’t have to do this!”
Murray’s grip on me tightened, and I pulsed his hand in reassurance. “Do you know how sick and tired I am of having people rescue me?”
“And Murray isn’t rescuing you?” Hurt flared through me and Nee winced. “I didn’t mean—”
“No, I’m not,” Murray objected. “We’re helping each other. London more so than me.”
“Whose idea was it?” Ramsay demanded.
I shrugged. “It was mine.”
Nee huffed. “Yours? London, have you lost your mind?”
“No. Look, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I wouldn’t be here without you and Ramsay. But it’s hard to live with that, knowing it wasn’t me who got me away from Nick, it was you.”
“You got yourself out of that situation too.” Ramsay’s voice was softer than I’d ever heard it. “We couldn’t have helped if you didn’t want to help yourself.”
I nodded reluctantly. “That’s true too but …
It wouldn’t have happened without you. And I don’t want you always solving my problems. Not because I don’t appreciate or love you both …
but because I need to help myself. I needed to take control of my life because too many times things haven’t been in my control.
” I bit back tears. “Murray is a good man who needs Jill out of his life and his daughter back. We talked this over, we know what we’re getting into, and this is our business. No one else’s.”
At my friends’ silence, my dismay grew.
I’d known they wouldn’t approve, but being at odds with Tierney always made me feel sick. It hadn’t happened much over our twenty-year friendship, but when it did, it sucked.
“London wanted you both to know the truth,” Murray spoke. “I’m sure the guys will guess it too, but this is the only time we’ll speak of it. Everyone must believe this is for real. There’s too much at stake if the truth were revealed to the wrong people.”
“What about your daughter?” Ramsay asked incredulously. “You’re going to lie to Kelly?”
“She’s the first person I told.” Murray scowled, indignant. “She understands why I had to do this, and she won’t jeopardize anything that gets her out of her mother’s house and into mine. And I’m warning you now, Ramsay, I won’t let anyone else jeopardize it either.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I agreed to speak with you and Tierney for London’s sake, but I’m beginning to regret it. Who are you to stand there and judge us? Have you lived a perfect life made up of perfect choices?”
While I hated the idea of being at odds with my friends, I couldn’t help but appreciate Murray’s composure in that moment.
He was annoyed, but he was always cool and collected.
Not hot tempered and aggressive. It was a nice change.
I seemed to have always ended up with guys who yelled when they were frustrated or mad.
Nick was just the first one to throw a punch.
Ramsay heaved out a sigh. “No, I haven’t. I’m just worried for you both.”
“You don’t have to be.” I directed this at Nee. “I shouldn’t have dragged you into the truth, making you keep this secret. I’m sorry.”
“Spoon, I would have known the truth even if you’d lied to my face.
I much prefer you being honest with us. Especially since you’re going to have to lie to a whole lot of people.
” She shrugged, her eyes suddenly bright.
“Look, I’m hyperemotional right now so I’m going to try to say this without crying.
I will always have your back. If you’d walked in here and told me you needed help with burying a body, I’d go get a shovel.
So, I’m not judging you. Either of you. I’m just … I’m worried.”
I released Murray’s hand to bridge the distance between me and my friend.
Ramsay let her go too so I could pull Nee into a tight embrace.
“All you need to worry about is growing my little niece or nephew, okay?” I kissed her cheek and pulled back so she could see my sincerity.
“For the first time in two years, I feel almost like myself again. I promise you, I’m good. I’m better than good.”
Nee gripped my arms. “I trust you. But you and I are scheduling a little girl talk in the very near future.”
My lips twitched. “Okay. It’s a date.”
Suddenly a phone rang, piercing the tense atmosphere in the kitchen.
Nee let go of me with a huff and reached back for the cell that was vibrating on the island.
“It’s Cammie … Yullo?” she answered. I heard the faint sound of Cammie talking.
Tierney’s eyes widened as they flew to Murray.
“Murray bought two wedding bands from Mrs. Gilchrist yesterday?”
Murray smirked. “Told you it wouldn’t be long.”
“You mean that was deliberate?” Ramsay asked.
Murray shrugged. “Just planting the seeds.”
“Watching them grow.” I snorted, and he chuckled.
“Glad you both find this amusing.” Ramsay crossed his arms over his chest. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
I rolled my eyes and gestured to Nee to give me the phone.
Nee widened her eyes but said, “Cammie, London wants to talk to you. I’m handing the phone over.”
As soon as I took it, I said, “Hey, Cammie.”
“London, I was just telling Tierney the gossip—”
“Murray bought the rings for me and him. We’re married.”
Murray’s choked amusement made me smile, as did the way Tierney rested her forehead against Ramsay’s arm with a long groan like she thought I was an idiot.
At Cammie’s answering screech, I had to pull the phone from my ear. “I think she’s surprised.”
Murray let out a bark of laughter.
It was the first time I’d ever heard him laugh like that.
It was a good sound.
And it heated me in places it had no right giving me the hot tingles.
Okay.
So maybe our friends had a right to be a little concerned …