The Worst Love Story Ever (18+)

20. Spilling Beans

Ash got pretty busy helping Ethan and Noah for the rest of the weekend, so we never had the chance to talk after what happened at the ruins. I was sure he was avoiding me, and it was driving me crazy, so I set my mind on getting distracted as best as I could. No way I would run after him.

Fortunately, Zoey had the amazing idea of going into town the day of the party, to buy a dress. We girls headed straight to the upmarket streets, where everyone -- except me because I was broke -- bought new dresses. Zoey insisted I should get one, after all, Ethan had asked her to tell me I could pick whatever I wanted. But I stood my ground and said they had already helped me more than enough this life. Besides, all this taking care of me my friends did annoyed the shit out of me sometimes. I was an adult, for God's sake.

At one point, I even considered spending a considerable amount of money I didn't have on a gorgeous red skater dress I saw on a boutique, but I got back to my senses and dropped the idea, picturing my niece opening Christmas presents with me to keep me strong.

"Zoey, have you thought about how if you and Ethan ever get married, you're going to be a Duchess?" Kiara said in awe.

"Alright, let's not get ahead of ourselves," she answered, unaffected. "Even if I was remotely close to being proposed, Ethan will only become Duke if his older brother or his father pass away."

She knocked on the wooden doorway of the shop to stave off bad luck. Lena pretended to spit over her shoulders three times.

"Still, it'd be so magical," Kiara said.

"I know, but I don't think I want to be a Duchess," Zoey said. "I love Ethan's free spirit. A title like this could change him. Bring too much responsibility"

"You're probably right." I started mimicking the pompous Scottish accent the staff in the castle spoke. "We wouldn'y want to see ya talk like this, yer grace."

I stepped away from them and didn't look where I was going, so it didn't take much of an impact to make me fall flat on my face. Fortunately, the man that had stumbled upon me was a gentleman and prevented me from falling. Not so fortunately, the man was ridiculously handsome, and I was immediately and utterly embarrassed.

"Am so sorry, my dear. Didn't see you there," he said in a panty-dropper low voice. His washed-up accent reminded me of Ethan's, indicating he too was Scottish but probably didn't live there.

"No, I'm terribly sorry." I untangled from the statuesque man. He had to be at over 1,90m; he was as tall as Noah, our resident giraffe.

"Well, I hope you're not too sorry," he said. "I for one am glad I ran into you."

"Val, this is Ethan's cousin," Zoey explained. "Sir Alistair Breckenridge, Marquis of Leicestershire."

"No need for such formalities, Zoey." He smiled. "That would be my brother. I'm just Hendry, please."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Zoey brought a hand to her mouth, furiously blushing. "I keep mixing you twins up."

"It's quite alright. We're used to confusing people."

"Oh, great," I said. "I just made fool of myself in front of nobility."

"I actually found your impersonation of us very accurate... And cute." He turned to me. I could see my friends swoon from the corner of my eye.

"Oh, you heard that? Great. Just awesome..." I looked around for a hole to stick my idiotic head.

"Please, let me buy you a coffee, miss...?"

"Chiatti. Valentina Chiatti. But just Val is fine," I mumbled.

I could actually hear Lena snorting and I knew perfectly why. It was about her catching me with Ash the previous day. Of course, I wasn't about to indulge in this man's charm after being with Ash, not a whole day before. Take a chill pill, Lena.