Page 10 of Owen

“No.” I clear up what he means. “I kind of, well, sort of…” I can’t get my words out.

“He left his wife-to-be at the altar. He did the decent thing and told her he couldn’t go through with it.” Gregor snitches on me, and I get an overwhelming urge to slap him upside the head.

Jade’s mouth falls open.

“I was being forced to marry her.”

Jade’s voice rises a couple of octaves. “What? Is that even a thing?”

“It’s a long story,” I mutter, embarrassed.

“Welcome to our messed-up family, Jade.” Gregor hands Poppy back to Jade before pushing his way through the front door. “I need a shower. See you later, gorgeous.” He waves at Poppy.

“You’re right. You stink, and keep your archaic family traditions away from my daughter.” Jade tries to sound serious, but her mouth twitches at the edges, giving her away.

“Oh, our families don’t talk. Again, another long story. Your daughter is safe.” He sounds as annoyed about that as I am.

Poppy straddles her legs around her mother’s waist as if she’s a baby orangutan. Jade rubs her hand up and down her little back, giving me the answer I was looking for earlier; no engagement ring or wedding band on her finger means she’s not married.

Jade turns to leave. “I need to go. My mom is waiting for me.The other guys should be here in half an hour to pick up their keys.”

“I’ll pop round later to make sure your villa has everything you need,” Gregor calls back over his shoulder.

“Thanks, Gregor.” Jade turns on her heels, not giving me a second glance. “I hope an angry stab-happy jilted bride doesn’t turn up on our doorstep,” she mutters to herself.

“That’s never going to happen. It’s more likely to be my stab-happy mother.” I shudder. “It’s just as well we’re in a secure compound.”

Jade shouts back over her shoulder, “Hide the knives.”

Poppy grants me a gigantic gummy smile, showing me her two bottom front teeth, and I can’t help but smile back and wave at her.

As she walks away, the knee-length hem of Jade’s apple-green summer dress flutters in the breeze. She pivots on the balls of her gold gladiator-style sandal-covered feet to face me again. “See you soon, Owen.”

I hope so.

She turns and continues in the direction she was headed in, her hair bouncing as she walks, shining like spun copper in the sunshine before she disappears out of sight.

Well, the next few weeks just got a lot more interesting.

3

JADE

“I should stay in.” I bite my lip nervously, looking down into Poppy’s crib, where she’s fast asleep.

“Stop being silly, Jade.” My mother pats my hand that’s resting on the side of the white wooden crib. “She won’t even know you’ve gone.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay? We’re in a strange country and it’s our first night here. I wasn’t planning on going out this evening and…”

My mom chuckles. “Will you stop rambling? This is what I signed up for; being the babysitter and live-in nanny is simply wonderful, Jade. I’m here for her, and you. Traveling around the world with my two favorite girls. I wouldn’t have offered to do this if I didn’t want to, and you know that.”

I do.

When Mom saw how uneasy I was about hiring an au pair, she suggested making my life easier andshebecame Poppy’s au pair of sorts.

She made the choice simple for me and it was a solid yes.

So, for the next two years, which is the time I have left with the aerobatic display team, my wonderful mom, alongside Poppy, will travel with me to as many tour dates as they can.

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