Eyes Wide Open (The Blackstone Affair 3)

“Such funny ladies you all are this morning,” I said, giving each of them a look, including the five-year-old. “Where are all the men? I am seriously outnumbered here.”

“Scout thing. They’ll be home after lunch,” Hannah told me.

“Ahh, I see.” I turned back to Brynne. “You fancy a run along the sea path? It’s really beautiful and there’s a café down there where we can get something after.”

Her whole face changed into something indescribable, a mixture of beauty and happiness.

“Sounds perfect. I’ll just go change quickly.” She backed up and sailed out of the room with a grin. I loved when she was happy, and especially when I did something that made her that way.

“I want to come,” Zara said.

“Oh, princess, we’re running too far for you to come with us this morning.” I crouched down to face her again.

“You promised we could take Rags and get—” Zara did not look happy with her Uncle Ethan. Not at all. It did funny things to my insides too. Unhappy little girls were frightening as hell. Big girls too, for that matter.

“I know,” I cut her off and peeked up at Hannah, who rolled her eyes at me with arms folded. “We’re going in the afternoon. Remember I told you . . .” I whispered in her ear, “Ice creams are for the afternoon time, princess. Mummy’s watching us. You better go play with your dollies or something so she doesn’t get suspicious.”

“Okay,” she whispered back loudly, “I won’t say you’re taking me and Rags to get an ice cream in the afternoon time.”

I laughed silently and kissed her on the forehead. “Good girl.” I felt pretty proud of myself for handling that little problem so well. Zara waved good-bye as she went off to play and I gave her a big wink. I leaned back on my heels and looked up into the mocking gaze of my sister.

“You are nearly unrecognizable to me, Ethan. You have it bad, don’t you?”

I pushed up to my feet and reconnected with my coffee mug, talking a hot gulp before I addressed her comment. “It’s just ice cream, Han.”

“I’m not talking about you sneaking sweets to Zara, and you know it.”

I pegged her in the eye and told my sister, “Yeah. I have it bad.”

Hannah smiled sweetly at me. “I’m happy for you, E. Hell, I’m thrilled to see you like this. Happy . . . you’re happy with her.” Hannah’s gray eyes got watery.

“Hey, what’s this?” I pulled her into a hug.

She embraced me hard. “Happy tears. You deserve it, E. I wish Mum were here to see you like this . . .” Hannah trailed off, obviously choked up.

I looked over at the photograph on the shelf of the three of us together, Hannah, me and Mum sitting on the stone wall at my grandparents’ place. “She is right here,” I said.

4

? Ethan led me along a high coastal path that overlooked the sea at the Bay of Bristol with its sparkling blue water winking a million shiny breaks due to the wind. We followed that for a good while until the trail turned back inland. The sun was shining and the air was fresh. You’d think all the physical exertion would clear out my scattered thoughts, putting them into some semblance of order, but no such luck on that one. Nope. My mind just kept whirling. Engagement announcement? Moving in together? Marriage?! I so needed to schedule an appointment with Dr. Roswell for the moment we got back to London.

As I watched Ethan ahead of me, the way he moved, his natural agility and stealth, his physique of ripped muscles propelling his body forward, I still appreciated the view. My guy, my view. Yep, the scenery and my man were both mighty fine.

I did indeed love it here and was happy he’d brought me, in spite of the turn our conversation took last night. Ethan had come downstairs this morning cheerful and affectionate, as if we’d never discussed a thing of importance last night. It was truly infuriating as hell to me that he could just blow off something like getting married as if it was nothing more complicated than getting a license to drive a car!

I liked when he ran with me, though. We went together in the city when I stayed over and if it didn’t rain in the mornings. Ethan kept a competitive pace and I hoped he wasn’t going easy on me just because he could.

As the path wound along the coast it began to descend down to the shore and the beach below until we came out into a rocky headland. Ethan turned back and gave me a cover model smile that never ceased to affect me when he did it. He had a magnificent smile that made my insides gooey. It meant he was happy.

“You hungry?” he asked as I pulled up.

“Yes I am. Where are we going?”

He pointed to a tiny gazebo-shaped building perched right on the rocks. “The Sea Bird. Great breakfasts served up in that little place.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.” He took my hand in his and brought it up to his lips, kissing the top quickly.

I smiled up at him and studied his handsome face. Ethan was easy on the eye, but it was funny to me that he didn’t seem to think much of it. I wanted to know about that woman, Priscilla, from the night before. I know he had hooked up with her at some point in the past; he said as much: “We went out one time together.” It didn’t take a genius to figure he’d taken her up on some freely offered sex. She had her paws all over him at the bar. I didn’t like the looks of her at all. Too predatory. Paul seemed interested, though. I saw them outside on the curb together after the National was evacuated.