Page 197 of The Nanny and the Beefcake
“Yeah, that’s right.”
She hammered out a reply, then pressed her mobile to her chest. “I’m so excited to see Sebastian and celebrate his birthday.”
“It’s a good day to celebrate,” he answered, warmth replacing the anxiety rippling in his chest. He glanced at his hoodie’s pocket again, then put it on before helping Libby pack up the bits and bobs.
They fastened their seat belts and settled in for the landing. With Libby on his right and, hopefully, the key to their future in his left pocket, he peered out the window.
The terrain was so different from that of England. But Rickety Rock, with its engaging characters and interesting local cuisine, wasn’t all that different from the peculiar little villages scattered around the UK.
This place could be home—one of his homes.
He’d keep the flats in London. They didn’t have to be tied to one continent. It wasn’t such a stretch to imagine making a life here. Sebastian was happy. Augie lived here, and there were his bloody prick chat mates. Rowen, Mitch, and Landon truly were a bunch of wankers, but they were his wankers. A fizzy euphoria buzzed through him. He wrapped his arm around Libby’s shoulders, anchoring himself to her and taking solace in her presence.
“Even in the rain, the view never gets old,” she remarked, resting her head on his shoulder.
The jet touched down and taxied toward the terminal. They were back. The tropical respite was over. His emotions were all over the board, but he breathed easier with her in his arms.
He could do this. He could be a champion, a father, and a loving partner.
They gathered their things, thanked the pilots, and ventured into the rain. Libby’s shopping had added to the load, and he hoisted the bags over his shoulders while she accepted an umbrella from the co-pilot. They didn’t have far to go. No self-respecting Londoner would pop open a brolly for such a short stint in the rain, but he wasn’t just a Londoner anymore. Part-time Coloradan had a nice ring to it, too.
He glanced at the parking lot and didn’t see Briggs. “Let’s get out of the rain and wait inside the terminal. I’ll text Briggs and see how long it’ll be until he arrives,” he said as an airport employee held the door to the terminal open for them.
The regional airport had a decent number of travelers milling around. He looked for a few seats and spied a pair by the large windows in the front. “We can wait there,” he said, gesturing with his chin. “We’ll see Briggs when he pulls up.” He glanced from side to side. He could feel the eyes following them, watching their every move. Then came the whispers. It went with the job, but when two men and a woman held up their phones, filming them, he sensed something was up.
That’s Erasmus Cress!
I can’t believe he’s here, too. What are the chances?
Do you think they did this on purpose?
I bet somebody will want to buy this footage.
“Raz, what are those people talking about?” Libby asked, threading her arm with his.
“It’s posh Aspen. They probably saw another professional athlete or an actor coming in on a jet,” he answered. Still, he couldn’t shake the ominous feeling as more people glanced their way.
And he’s with Libby Lamb. I wonder if she’s going to throw anything at him.
“Ignore them, plum,” he said, squeezing her hand.
“Libby Lamb can throw whatever she wants at me,” came a man’s voice with a gritty Irish accent.
Bloody hell.
Libby stopped dead in her tracks. “Raz, that’s…”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Yeah, plum, I know.”
Ice and fire prickled in his veins as he stared down the unwelcome visitor, and one singular fact had become abundantly clear.
This was an ambush.
Thirty
Erasmus
“What is Silas Scott doing here?”Libby asked, disbelief coating her words.
