The Accidental Countess (The Aristocrat Diaries 3)

Everyone laughed, especially when my dad did the universal I’m watching you gesture.

“For our next song, our groom tells me this is especially for his beautiful new wife. He was going to make it the first dance, but he didn’t think getting her angry on day one was a smart move. As someone who’s been married for ten years, I think that’s unlikely—” More laughter rang out. “—But it’s nice to see the lad give it a go.”

I looked at Matthew.

He wasn’t kidding.

“He’s hoping she’ll never put him in charge of music again after this. Ladies and gents, boys and girls, lords and ladies and whoever else is filling out the guest list here tonight, please join the bride and groom on the dancefloor for this iconic song, even if it’s not quite as romantic as the last one.” He gestured to the band behind him, and the opening notes of Signed, Sealed, Delivered rang out.

Matthew grinned. “Told you.”

“I cannot believe you.”

He grabbed my hands and spun me around. “Try not to step on my foot. Those heels look killer.”

“I should do it deliberately for this song. You’re a little shit.”

I wasn’t sure there was anything I could say that would wipe the stupid grin he was wearing off his face. I was sure the singer was joking when he said Matthew had done this to ensure I’d never let him be in charge of music again, but he was right.

There was no way I was ever letting him choose music. For anything. Ever.

No matter how appropriate it kind of was.

And a little funny.

All right, it was a lot funny.

We danced for a while, making our way through the traditional ones until it was time for me to dance with the best man and for Matthew to dance with my maid of honour. That was, of course, Gabriella, and that meant I was to dance with Alexander.

There were worse options than my future brother-in-law.

“I can’t believe you went through with it,” he said quietly. “I thought one of you would pull out.”

“So did I. This morning.” I laughed, letting him twirl me around.

Alex spun me back into him with a chuckle of his own. “You know, I am horribly against this and think it’s going to end in tears.”

“Did my sister tell you to say that?”

“Yes, and now I can say I passed the message on without lying.”

Smart man.

I dropped my head back, laughing. “Your concern has been noted and ignored.”

“You think it’s going to end happily?”

“I don’t know. I can’t see into the future.”

Alex twirled me around.

“But I do know that we have control over it all,” I said, lowering my voice a little bit. “And whatever will be will be.”

“You need to get off the Internet.”

“You are not wrong.” The song came to an end, and Alex wrapped me in a big bear hug.

“Oh, Your Lordship,” the singer said. “The Duke of Worcester appears to be stealing your wife.”

Alex laughed, jumping back and holding up his hands.

“Don’t worry about it,” Matthew called back. “I know where he lives.”

“Damn it,” Alex said. “There goes my plan to steal both twins for myself.”

I swatted his arm with a small laugh as Matthew wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

“No, this one is mine,” he replied, squeezing me into his side.

For now.

I was his for now.

• • •

There wasn’t a part of my body that didn’t ache.

Seriously, I was absolutely exhausted, and I’d never been so utterly drained in all my life. My legs hurt, my feet hurt, my arms hurt, and my head hurt. And I wasn’t even hungover! That was the worst part.

I’d barely had any alcohol last night. Not enough to warrant this hellion of a headache, anyway.

Every single bit of me was screaming for me to roll over and stay in bed, but that wasn’t on the cards today.

Not that I wasn’t still in bed, of course. I was. Wrapped up under the covers like a burrito.

Most newlyweds would be heading off on their honeymoon—we were heading north to Anglesey tomorrow morning, which meant I had to finish packing up my entire life today.

The only saving grace was that I wasn’t alone. Matthew had pencilled the day off and was going to help me finish up.

Or start.

You know, I really hadn’t done as much as I thought I had.

I was kind of in trouble.

I had no idea how it was all going to be packed in twenty-four hours.

“Are you still not up?” Matthew adjusted the towel at his waist. “It doesn’t look like you’ve tried to pack at all.”

I glared at him from my cocoon under the covers. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. There are boxes in here.”

“And they are all empty.”

“Not true. That one over there by the window is taped up.”

He slid his gaze across the room to the small box that was resting on the ottoman. “Oh, well, that’s all right. Evidently, you’re almost done.”