Dating the Duke (The Aristocrat Diaries 2)

“Is your birthday close to your sister’s, then?” he asked, rubbing sanitiser on his hands.

“Same day.” I swapped places with him. “We’re twins.”

“Fun.”

“My parents didn’t think so.”

He laughed and stood up. “I doubt they did, darlin’. I’ll be just over there if you need me.”

“Okay, George. Thanks.” I took his seat at the stool and hoped I could sell some guinea pigs. I mean, I could sell one, but again… I had nowhere to put him.

I knew I was allowed to pull them out and love on them, so I did just that. I caught the one I loved after a minute and put him on my lap, making sure he couldn’t escape anywhere.

I didn’t fancy chasing a guinea pig through the field.

Ugh. He was so soft and so lovely, it was killing me to know I couldn’t take him home with me. I’d never even wanted a guinea pig until now, so this was an annoying case of love at first sight.

Why couldn’t I have had love at first sight with a pair of shoes? Or a new handbag? Or… a notebook or something.

Sigh.

I put him back in before I tortured myself further.

I spent the next hour picking the guinea pigs up and down so people could stroke them and hold them. It was a bit tedious, bending over every few minutes, but if it meant these adorable little piggies found a home, then it was fine by me.

“Florence said you were here.” Millie appeared as if out of nowhere and grinned at me.

“Millie! Hi!” I returned the smile. “I didn’t know you were here.”

“Just browsing. I’m working all day tomorrow so I thought I’d have a mooch about today,” she said. “Oh, my gosh. Look at these cuties.” She leaned over the top of the guinea pig enclosure and made a little “aww” noise.

“I know. I’m obsessed with them.”

“Aw, look at the one with the little white stripe on his face!”

My favourite.

I reached over and picked him up. “Do you want to hold him?”

“Oh, my God!” She gently took him from me and snuggled him into her chest, looking at me as if I’d just made her day. “You know, my goddaughter would love him. She’s five this weekend, and as the fun Aunt Millie, I think this is exactly the adorable burden my best friend would appreciate.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, even if I hated the idea of the little guy going to a home that wasn’t mine. “Let me ask George.” I took the guinea pig back and turned and waited for George to be done serving the person on the other side of his table. “Hey, George! Does this one have a home?”

He peered at it and adjusted his glasses, then came on over. “Oh, that one? Yeah, someone bought him while you were out exploring. Sorry, Millie,” he said, taking the guinea pig. “I must have forgotten to take him out of the enclosure.”

“Oh, that’s fine. Are all these others still for sale?”

“Give me two seconds.” George took the guinea pig to his van, secured him in a cage, and came back over to us to look. “Yes, darlin’, they’re all available. Didn’t peg you as a guinea pig girl.”

She smirked. “Not for me. Mum would have a fit. Taylor’s birthday is this weekend, and she’s dying for a pet.”

He laughed. “Amber is going to kill you.”

“It’s this or a drum set.”

“I’m biased but I’d get the guinea pig.”

Same.

“Okay. Hmm. Could you hold onto it until Saturday morning? And can I get everything it needs from you?”

George nodded. “Sure can. I’ll keep it out back. A few people aren’t collecting for a couple days. Which one do you want?”

“Ooh.” Millie turned to me. “If you were a five-year-old girl, which one would you like the most?”

“Hmm.” I looked at the few remaining guinea pigs. “The black and white one, I think.”

“Good choice.” George nodded.

“All right. The black and white one then, please, George,” Millie said, clapping her hands together.

“All yours, darlin’.” He scooped that one up and took it to the van, putting it in the cage with the one I loved.

Millie moved over to his table and paid him, and I overheard them arranging for her to stop by tomorrow to get all the things once she’d spoken to her best friend. She stopped by quickly to say goodbye to me, and I waved her off, then sat on my stool.

It was quiet for the next little while, and I found my attention wandering.

To Alexander.

The one place it shouldn’t be wandering.

I couldn’t help it, though. It wasn’t like he was horrible to look at, and he had such a frustratingly enchanting manner with all the people who were here. No conversation was too long, no issue was too troublesome, and no person was an inconvenience.