Page 37 of The Himbo and the Lord

I really should forget about him, as I’ve told myself a million times.

He lives in the States.

I'm never going to see him again.

I barely even know his last name.

I could ask Chase, but I don’t have any contact with him, so it would seem odd to ask about one of his guests in particular. Especially as I left barely thirty minutes after arriving. He hasn’t mentioned that to my father. If he had, I would definitely have known and received some sign of his disapproval. I’m grateful he’s kept it quiet, but it might just be because he’s forgotten about it. Contacting him might make him remember, and I don’t want to risk that happening.

Another cushion bounces off my skull, reminding me that I’ve drifted off again.

“You know your problem, don’t you?” Jenna asks, rising and walking across the room to an ornate wooden dresser holding a tray with decanters of several spirits. She pours a couple of drinks, not bothering to add water, soda, or ice, and brings them back to the couch.

“Enlighten me,” I groan, as I’ve been subjected to Jenna’s wisdom on many occasions.

She hands me a glass—whisky from the look of it. I’m sure it’s too early to be drinking hard liquor, but I take it anyway.

“You need to get laid,” she pronounces, and folds herself back down onto the couch beside me. “I mean it. The only way you’re going to get this guy out of your system is to find another one just as good, maybe even better.”

“Yeah, right.” I give her my most withering look, because chances of finding anyone even half as good as Nate are slim to none. Even if he was an arsehole.

“I mean it, Ru.” She clinks her glass with mine and takes a drink. I take a sip, grimacing at the burn of the liquid.

“Says the voice of someone who’s getting it regularly, like it’s some sort of a cure all,” I say.

She gives a sly smile and I groan, as I don’t want to hear about her sex life.

Ever.

Iampleased she’s found someone, though. I’ve met Alice a few times, and she seems as much into Jenna as Jenna is into her, but I know it’s still complicated for Jenna and she’s keeping her relationship a secret from her father. Which is the real reason why I’m here this afternoon.

Alice is an artist—a very talented one. She has the opening of her latest work at a gallery this evening, and Jenna has asked me to be her date because she doesn’t want to go alone. She fears that if she does, she’ll try to monopolise Alice, which isn’t fair as she’ll be in demand, and she also doesn’t want to draw media attention to their relationship.

Alice is already out, so Jenna is playing it cautiously. Whether or not that causes tension between them, she hasn’t said, but she knows I’ll be here for her if she needs me.

Despite my usual protestations at being paired with Jenna, which to be fair is only when our parents suggest it, I’m looking forward to going to the gallery with her tonight. I do need to get out, not looking to get laid as Jenna suggests, but because I do need distracting from my constant thoughts of Nate.

We’re in Jenna’s parents’ town house, with them thankfully being back in Oxfordshire right now, as are mine. Though they’re all expected to be back in London next week.

I think I’ll make an excuse then and go back there instead.

Anything to stay away from my father. I have my own flats in London and Oxfordshire, but if he’s close, then he’ll be constantly summoning me, though he’s spending more and more time in the country and less in town at the moment.

I know when he’s in town he’s been visiting a doctor at Harley Street, but every time I ask him about it he dismisses it and says it’s nothing. Even my mother won’t tell me anything. There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with him, and he certainly seems well enough to keep a close eye on me. I’ve wondered if sending me to Australia was more to do with a health issue than wanting to give me more responsibility. He’ll never say, but the time I spent there was good for business relations, and now some clients are asking for me personally, so at least I no longer feel like I’m in my father’s shadow.

* * *

I can’t really complainabout arriving at any function with Jenna on my arm since she always looks stunning. As the car pulls up at the gallery and we get out at the entrance, I want to ignore the press and the cameras, but Jenna with her hand tucked into my arm pulls me to a stop.

I know we’ll end up in the pages of some society magazine next week, and she’s doing it to throw everyone off the scent of her being with anyone else, but I can’t help growling slightly.

She gives my arm a little squeeze, and I know it’s in appreciation, but I hate all the lies, and it’s that which makes me scowl, not Jenna wanting protection.

For her sake, I plaster on my most impressive society smile and escort her inside. I feel her buzz with excitement when she catches sight of Alice. It must be wonderful to be so in love that you can spot your lover instantly in a crowded room and feel like there’s no one else there.

She takes a deep breath and grips my arm tighter, anchoring herself to my side as if she’s in danger of floating away.

I scan the room and one of the first people I see is Chase.

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