Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 126589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
“Not long. About a month. We got engaged yesterday.”
Gideon blinked. At once relieved that he hadn’t—as he’d first assumed—been an afterthought, while simultaneously alarmed by the speed at which this had happened.
Kenny—like the rest of her siblings—was worth several hundred million pounds and this hasty engagement was bound to set off alarm bells with his brothers and dad as well.
“That’s a little—”
“I know what you’re going to say,” she interrupted hastily. “But it’s not what you think. Smith doesn’t need my money. Our reasons for doing this are our own.”
“Wait, you’re not in love with him?” This was some bullshit is what it was. “Kenny—”
“I don’t need to be in love with someone to recognize a good match, Gideon. Look, spare me the lectures, okay? Dad, Nox, and Niall have already tried. But the truth is, I’m quite capable of making my own decisions. None of you have any say in how I conduct my life. Now are you coming to my party or not?”
As if hell or high water would keep him from going to this damned party and possibly talking his sister out of making the biggest mistake of her life.
“Aye, I’ll be there.”
“The Jensons have rented a wine estate in Franschhoek. We were really lucky they could accommodate us at such short notice.” Gideon refrained from snorting at Kenny’s words. As if the owners of most establishments wouldn’t bend over backwards to move shit around for any member of his family. Or even Gideon—if he was being entirely honest—for that matter.
“Arrive on the Friday, leave on Sunday. The party is on the Saturday. Feel free to bring a date.” Only one name popped into his mind when she said that and he wondered how much convincing it would take to get Beth to go with him. “I’ll email you the rest of the details tomorrow.”
“Kenny, are you sure—”
“Love you, Gid,” she interrupted abruptly. “I’ve got to go. See you soon.”
“Wait! At least tell me the guy’s name,” he demanded frantically before she could hang up on him.
“Why? So that you can stalk his social media?” He heard the smile lurking in her voice.
“Damn straight,” he admitted. “It’s my prerogative as your big brother to thoroughly check this guy out.”
“You know that I have two other older brothers and a father who will be doing the same thing, right?”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t.”
She laughed, a soft, huffing sound that told him that, while she wasn’t in love with this mysterious arsehole, she definitely wasn’t miserable at the prospect of marrying him.
“Fine. His name is Smith Jenson. Do your worst. See you in a soon. Bye!”
Two last names. Jesus, this fucker sounded douchey as hell and Gideon was going to find any and all the dirt he could on the guy.
The text startled Gideon into sitting upright, his feet falling from the porch wall as he stared at the words on his screen.
His gaze flew over to the house he’d been trying not to stare at for most of the evening. It had been hard not looking, especially after her lights had gone on—earlier now that it was heading into winter—but he was getting much better with the self-restraint. He only took the occasional peek now.
But this text had his eyes riveted to her front windows. She was nowhere in sight and that alarmed him. He leaped to his feet, and while he stood there for an indecisive moment, he saw her coming from the rear of the house. She was backing away from something and her wary movements sent his heart straight to his throat.
What the fuck?
He was at her front door before he could form another coherent thought. It was only after he had loudly thumped on her door, that it occurred to him that maybe he’d need back up. The police maybe? He didn’t fucking have a clue what he was walking into.
Before he was able to fully finish that thought the door was flung open.
“Oh, thank God. Thank you so much for coming!”
Beth lunged at him and before he knew it, her small comfortable body was squeezed tightly against his. He closed his arms around her and hugged her close.
This was—without a doubt—the best welcome he’d ever received in this house. In any house—ever—actually.
He had one palm pressed into the small of her back, just above the swell of her arse, and the other hand was burrowed into the silky waves at the back of her head. She was wearing a pair of long, white fluffy pajamas with pink hearts dotted all over the fabric. The fabric felt as soft as it looked and added an extra dimension of plushness to the sweet body snuggled so close to his.
“What’s going on, baby?” he asked into her hair and she shuddered against him.
“You have to help me, Gideon.”