Page 94 of Owen

She looks miserable. As does her son, my nephew, Sean, who I barely know. He’s never left her side, and I think he uses his mother as a wall of defense from his father and grandfather.

The noise of fine bone china meeting fine bone china sounds to the right of me, breaking me from my anger-fueled thoughts as Jade settles her teacup down on its saucer that’s rested on the table.

With only a couple dozen people left at the wake, I feelmyself slowly relaxing. My suit no longer feels like it is strangling me, as it did when I first put it on this morning.

“How are you holding up?” Jade slips her hand into mine.

I look down and give her an easy smile. “Walk with me.” I squeeze her hand.

I lead Jade out through the cavernous kitchen of my childhood home and out into the gardens.

“This house goes on forever.” She gasps in awe, stepping out onto the lawn.

Looking back up at the giant castle behind us, we both take in the enormity of the building.

I always thought the twelve-bedroom sixteenth-century monstrosity was completely unnecessary for a family of four people. It’s not as if my father had a choice, though. Along with being heir to the business, he also fell heir to the Brodie Mansion; a fucking castle.

After all, what is a king without one?

“Do you like it?” I squint, casting my eyes over the monster I have hated my entire life.

“It’s… different.”

“It’s fucking hideous.” I make her laugh at my unexpected outburst.

“You don’t like it?”

“I hate this house. It was a prison, and those walls contain the ridicules and echoes of my mother’s voice.”

“Not a fan then?” she questions, knowing I would rather stick needles in my eyes than spend a night in this time vault.

I shake my head as Jade tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. I should have had it cut for the funeral, but fuck it, this is me.

“I loved the beach house you picked out for us.” We satoutside admiring the beautiful house that I dreamed of buying as a home for us. That’s the way it will stay; a dream.

“It was perfect.” I test the waters with her. “Would you ever consider moving here?”

“I’ve fallen in love with Castleview Cove. The people, the beaches, the fresh air; it’s beautiful. It’s picture-perfect dreamy. The schools are good, the houses are stunning. There is an airport an hour away. I could maybe train to become a commercial pilot and get a job here.”

She’s done her research, which seems like a positive sign. “Do you think you would miss the tricks and the speed if you became a commercial pilot?”

“No, actually. Yeah, it’s fun, but I would be happy being a commercial pilot, or if I could wave a magic wand, I would set up a flying school to give more people the opportunity to learn how to fly. Can you imagine flying over the panoramic views of Castleview Cove every day? It would be amazing.” Her excitement makes me wish I could make that dream come true for her.

“So moving to Castleview Cove in the future might be an option?”

“It’s most definitely an option.”

“But we wouldn’t be moving into something like this house.” I jerk my head in the house’s direction.

“I like traditional houses, but this is too old. Maybe something less”—she side-eyes my family home—“stone, and iron and tapestry.”

“Less everything. It’s too much.” The one I wanted for us on the beachfront was perfect for us. I drove past it again by myself and wished everything was different. White picket fence and shutters, wild multicolored flowers, and forest-green front door.

I stare at the building by my side and frown. “Do you thinkmy great, great, great-grandfather had a small dick, and that’s why he bought this place?”

Jade bursts out laughing. “I’m glad you didn’t inherit that.”

I wrap my arms around her and we stand chest to chest, listening to the tweeting of the birds and the buzzing of the summer bees.

---