27. The Most Eligible British Bachelor #2
“It makes sense. I’m so happy for you.” She sits on the bed beside me. “If only my fairy godmother would appear and present me with my own Prince Charming.”
“Maybe you’ll meet him at your new job.”
“Maybe.” She plays with one of her tight curls. “Or maybe I don’t want a guy in the traditional sense, smothering me and taking away all my fun.”
“Or that.” Noah’s always been a free bird. I want her to be happy in whatever way she prefers. “If it weren’t for you and your mom, I never would have lasted as long as I did. You know that, right?”
“Of course I do.”
“You’re the only family I have left.”
“That’s not true.” A fond smile breaks across her face. She lifts my hand and searches my fingers. “Where’s the ring?”
“I’ve been wondering that same thing. I don’t think he was serious.” While I’ve said this to myself a lot, it’s the first time I’ve said it out loud. I pull my hand back and tuck it under the other one on my lap.
“No way. That man declared you as his fiancée to all of us.”
“We haven’t talked about it since. I think it was one of those feels-right-in-the-moment things.”
“Uh-uh.” She shakes her head. “He walked in here with you in his arms like you were his bride.”
“No ring says caught-up-in-the-moment to me.”
“You don’t make a statement that grand and not mean it.” She stands. “He’s probably planning it here, and you’ll wake up one day to find a wedding is about to take place.”
“Oh shit.” The room gets warm. “I hope not. I don’t even know his family or friends.”
“You know the Lords.”
“I partied with them and served them. It’s different. Oh god. Just thinking about being around his friends is making me sweat.” I fan my face.
“You’d better figure out a way to get over it. I’m sure he’ll want you to meet them all.”
I spring to my feet.
Noah shoots me a look that says sit down.
“Listen.” She hangs more clothes in the box.
“You may have grown up to be a housekeeper, but you weren’t born one.
You were born rich. You have blue blood.
It was passed down from assholes, but it’s still yours.
And if your dad had been a better person, you would have lived a privileged life.
The life you’re now going to live with Wes and all his nobility and wealth.
Just remember, chin up, and don’t let that crown fall. ”
I run over and hug her before she can protest.
She gasps at my sudden attack, then squeezes me back. “I’m so mad at you for running right now.”
Someone knocks on the bedroom door.
We pull apart and blink at each other with glittering eyes.
“Come in,” Noah calls out.
Ashlyn walks in, her light brown hair in a messy bun atop her head. She raises her brows in question. “Everything good here?”
“Of course,” Noah says.
“I’m packed and ready to go.” She’s leaving with Noah. I don’t blame her. Serving at a cool club will be more fun than working here. Her gaze lands on me, and her gray eyes narrow.
“What?”
“You look different.”
“My hair is down.” I pull the length of it over my shoulder. “I hardly ever wore it down before.”
“No. It’s your energy. You used to look tense, like you were waiting for someone to jump out and scare you. Now you look… lighter.”
“Lighter is good,” Noah says.
My phone chimes with a text.
Wes: I land in twenty. I’ll text when I’m on my way home.
My sister can meet us in two weeks. Your cast will be off by then.
I can’t wait to show you London and my loft after we visit Dorset.
Lachlan and Emery want to join us on the jet.
They want to get to know you better, especially Emery. What do you think?
Cleaning a public toilet in the subway wearing only a thong would be less awkward, that’s what I think.
“And the tension is back,” Ashlyn says.
I raise horrified eyes to Noah.
“What?” she asks, voice tense.
“Wes wants me to be friends with my former boss and his wife. They’re joining us on the long flight to the UK now when we go to his manor.”
“Oh, thank God.” Noah lays a hand over her heart and lets out a huge breath. “I thought it was something serious.”
“This is serious.” I touch my temples, stressing so hard I can’t even see clearly.
“I was their maid. I saw them make out a lot—in their bedroom, even. And by make out, I mean kissing passionately, but still... One time, his shirt was unbuttoned, and he was kissing her while she kneeled on their bed like they were about to do it! That’s stuff you take to the grave. ”
“Okay. Breathe.” Ashlyn ushers me to sit on the bed.
“How were his abs?” Noah asks and joins us, the two of them sandwiching me.
I blink at her. “Are you serious?”
“No, but I needed you to think about something else.”
“Good one,” Ashlyn chimes in. “Can I just say, when I saw Wes’s face unmasked, I almost died.
My heart stopped for like ten seconds. He’s gorgeous!
And you get to have sex with him. That’s crazy.
I bet he has sexy as fuck abs. I wouldn’t know where to look if he were naked. His face, his abs, his ass.”
Noah and I gape at her.
“This is her man you’re talking about,” Noah says.
“Her fiancé. But she is right. I had no idea he was hiding that under his mask. Those eyes are sinful. I can’t imagine the body below.
And what about the other Lords? Are they that gorgeous too?
What about the one I got naked with? Is he just as pretty? ”
Odd change of topic, but my panic button is no longer blaring like a fire alarm. “I forgot none of you had seen his face before or any of the Lords’ faces.”
Ashlyn touches my arm. “Do you know what the other Lords look like too?”
“No.”
“Darn.” She lets out a disappointing sigh.
Noah pats her shoulder. “Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty of guys for you to date in Boston. “Now, let’s get Jace to bring these boxes to the truck before I start crying.” Noah jumps up.
“Truck?” I stand and get Bear from between the pillows. He yawns and lets me hold him like a baby. Cutest cat ever!
Ashlyn pops to her feet. “We’re driving a U-Haul. I’m so excited. I love doing normal things.”
“Normal things?” My features scrunch with confusion.
Noah gasps. “That’s right. We never told you.”
“Told me what?” I wait for Noah to explain, but she’s texting on her phone, always the multitasker.
“Well, it never came up.” Ashlyn stares at her sneakers, looking nervous for the first time since I’ve known her.
“I’m kind of a blue blood too. Or I was.
I’m not anymore. I left it all, and I’m never going back.
My family aren’t good people.” She frowns, then lifts her head and pushes her shoulders back.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m in control of my life.
They don’t even know my name. I changed it. Back,” she adds under her breath.
Holy shit. “You’re telling me this now when you’re leaving? I have so many questions.”
“My family didn’t circle with yours, or your dad’s side, if that’s what you’re wondering.
They’re from Rhode Island. Still there, trying to marry off my sister, Blair, to the dickhead they chose for her, but it’s taking too long so they decided I should marry Dickhead’s brother.
I’m not getting married. I’m not even old enough to get into a club—legally. ”
I almost drop Bear. “How old are you?”
“I’ll be twenty-one in two weeks.” A Cheshire grin eases across her face. “Then I can really have fun.”
My eyes widen. “Is it even legal for you to work here?” With how Wes is about rules, I doubt he’d let someone underage serve alcohol.
“Noah stops texting on her phone to blurt, “Hellfire isn’t a nightclub. More like a party BnB.”
“I’ve been here for two months,” Ashlyn says. “Before this, I worked at a seafood bar not far from here. That’s where I heard about Hellfire—one of the servers told me. I took a chance.” She shrugs. “Camila liked my references and hired me.”
“Right.” I nod, remembering you only have to be eighteen to serve alcohol in restaurants and bars. Duh. “I have even more questions for you now.”
“They’ll have to wait.” Noah tucks her phone in her pocket. “Jace is coming, and we have to hit the road. But you can always invite us back for a sleepover.”
“Oh my gosh! That would be so fun. I’ll plan it for when Wes is out of town.” The idea of living here doesn’t seem so overwhelming, knowing I can have my friends visit.
“You can always visit our loft in Boston too.” Noah smirks. “You can do whatever you want now. Don’t forget it.”
She’s right. I can, but I keep forgetting because I couldn’t do anything before.