“Where are we going?” Jess asked softly as we followed Aiden down the corridor.

I’d dragged her out of the dorm so quickly, I hadn’t had a chance to tell her the plans. Leaning in, I whispered, “To meet his cousin. She’s cool, apparently.” I rolled my eyes. Aiden’s version of cool usually left something to be desired.

“Don’t make that face, Fin. She’s perfectly lovely, and you’ll be sorry you mocked her once you meet her. She’s how you always say your ‘people,’” Aiden spoke without turning around or seeing the face I made.

“He’s good,” Jess offered almost silently.

“I think he’s actually got eyes in the back of his head,” I whispered so lightly I barely heard it.

But as he turned right, he shot a spicy glare at me before he disappeared, indicating he’d heard me.

“Things seem tense?” Jess muttered.

“I’ll explain when he leaves.”

We rounded the corner to find a screaming girl in a short skirt and sweater with kneesocks and boots running at Aiden. She was super cute but making high-pitch noises and shouting as she smothered him.

My hackles lifted.

“He said cousin, right?” Jess mumbled.

Aiden hugged her tightly, letting her greet him in the most inappropriate way I’d ever seen two cousins touch.

“My darling, how is it that you’re here?” The cute brunette planted a savage kiss on his cheek, leaving a lipstick mark . . . on my man.

Unsure how I was supposed to respond to this, I slipped my hand into Jess’, preventing my fingers from balling into fists.

Aiden turned to us, the girl still in his arms. “Bea, this is my Fin and her sister Jess.”

“Oh my God! I’ve heard so much about you, and I suspect we already are the best of friends.” She literally threw Aiden aside and came at me, charging like a tiny bull in a schoolgirl’s uniform. “Let me see you!” She grabbed my free hand and forced me to spin, ripping me from Jess’ grip. “Lovely.” She hugged me, smelling my hair, outright. “And she smells like vanilla.” She pulled me back. “You smell like vanilla. When did you wash your hair last?”

“A few days ago.” I honestly didn’t know what to say. I was so confused.

“So that’s just natural hair smell then? What rubbish. You’re gorgeous and you smell divine, and you have ensnared the heart of my favorite cousin? Clearly, there’s a God and clearly he also chooses favorites.” She rolled her dark eyes and spun back to Aiden. “You must come in. Dee’s arriving any moment.”

“She’s here?” Aiden asked, sounding nervous.

“Of course. When Mary texted this morning, and said you’d be arriving, I sent word. You’re lucky Mother isn’t coming. She threatened, you know.” Bea turned back to Jess. “It is so lovely to meet you both. About time too.” She smirked at Jess like she knew something.

Jess’ cheeks flushed with color.

“All right, inside, you lot. I want details about why I wasn’t told of all this sooner. I fear there’s a conspiracy, but Mother told me you weren’t coming back with Uncle being ill and all, and of course Geoff.”

My insides tightened as she brought up everything at once while leading us into her lavish dorm room. It was similar to ours in size.

“But no one mentioned Finley being here, or Jess.” Her eyes drifted back to Jess, her lips twisting into a raspberry-colored grin. “Explain yourself.” She was zesty. Like extra zesty. Her eyes darted to mine, expecting an answer since Aiden was somehow frozen up.

“No one told me you were here either,” I finally spoke, not sure what was going on or why he hadn’t wanted his favorite cousin to meet me. The thought created a pit in my stomach.

“Well, this is completely unacceptable. Explain yourself, dear cousin.” She turned on the kettle and began setting up cups on the counter of her tiny dorm kitchenette.

“I haven’t got an explanation, Bea. It’s been a terrible year. I was busy and haven’t made it back here since school started.” The expression in his eyes suggested he didn’t want to discuss the things he had been doing the last two months. “And I wanted to introduce you two myself. I had expected to be here sooner.” His haunted look made me want to cross the room to him, but she wasn't buying it.

“This is shite and you know it.” She turned back to me. “He just didn’t want us getting into trouble. That’s what this is. He’s playing the poor-me card to buy himself time.”

That made me smile. She was his favorite. She undoubtedly knew him.

“And you know why? You American girls are a riot and he knew I’d add fuel to the fire. And the three of us would have run this campus, creating havoc and he can’t have havoc. Aiden’s family repels fun of any sort.” A knock interrupted her rant. “There’s Dee!” She ran to the door. I wondered if she was always like this, rushing about. It was exhausting just watching it.

“She knows about Johan, I can tell,” Jess leaned in and whispered.

I nodded against her face, saying nothing as I lifted my gaze to Aiden’s. His knit brow suggested he was worried about something. Perhaps it was my response to the late introduction to his favorite cousin. Or maybe it was what she’d said—he hadn’t wanted us to meet because she was trouble.

“You have some explaining to do,” I mouthed at him.

He pressed his lips together, fighting a grin, obviously not taking my threat seriously.

“Fin!” Dee came in, removing her coat and hurrying to me to get a hug. She was much calmer than Bea, calmer and more proper.

I hugged back and nodded at Jess. “This is my sister Jess.”

“Johan’s Jess?” she asked softly.

“Yeah.” I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to lie.

“How quaint, brothers and sisters,” she gushed, her eyes widening with joy. “Lovely to meet you. Johan doesn’t shut up about you. Be careful with that one.” She turned to Aiden. “And you, sir, you are in trouble. Mary said you arrived yesterday and you never told anyone Fin was here,” she scolded but also hugged him tightly. She was different from Bea in her approach to Aiden. “I’m so sorry about your father. Mother told me this morning. Quite shocking.”

“Indeed,” Aiden agreed, not meeting my gaze, likely to avoid the fact he had kept things from me.

“Finley, how are you loving St Andrews?” Dee asked as she got settled into a chair and Bea handed out tea.

“It’s really nice. Everyone is super friendly.”

“Even when they find out you’re a Yank?” Bea asked, passing me my tea.

“Yeah.” I shrugged.

“Well, this is true happenstance. I am in Scotland visiting a friend in Edinburgh. She’s just had a baby.” Dee’s eyes narrowed on Aiden. “You know her. Rosalie Jenkins from school.”

“She’s had a baby already? She’s my age.”

“Indeed. Explaining a rather rushed wedding Bea and I attended eight months ago. You recall how we both agreed she was definitely pregnant?” Dee eyed Bea.

“I believe I said it was unlikely the poor twat marrying her was actually the father of the child.” Bea cackled.

It was like meeting an English version of Linna with brown hair and dark eyes.

“That’s because you’re wretched.” Dee laughed with her.

Aiden didn’t. He scowled, and for a second I thought he was going to get upset but then he spoke, “I bet it was Aubrie. Aubrie St. Hilaire. I saw them together last winter in Andorra on a skiing break. They were surprised to see me, almost uncomfortably so. Who did she marry?” I’d never seen this gossipy side of Aiden before. He was right into the tea.

“Not Aubrie,” Bea burst. “Some poor miserable man. He’s so dull I’ve forgotten his name again.”

“Roger Kentworth,” Dee said with a shudder. “He’s older. Baronet. Obsessed with the dogs he breeds, some strange type of dog where they don’t shed but they’re shaggy.”

“Labradoodle.” I finally had something to offer to the conversation.

“Yes! Odd looking but apparently, all the rage. Anyway, he goes on and on about them. The poor beasts look about as miserable as poor Rosalie.” Dee giggled and winked at Bea. Even Aiden laughed.

“How is it you say things like that and I’m the wretched one?”

“Everyone likes me better, Bea,” she teased.

I laughed but Jess was still too shocked about Johan telling his cousins about us.

“Don’t I know it.” Bea sighed as if lamenting the fact, but she wasn’t the lamenting type. That was obvious already. “The baby shower is in two weeks. You absolutely must come, Fin. You as well, Jess.”

“Yes, please come. It will give the party a much needed bit of fun. Otherwise it’s just us whispering naughty tidbits back and forth. A foursome is much more fun,” Dee agreed. She was so different here, relaxed and not awkward or refined like she had been at dinner with me. That dinner felt as if it was a million years ago. “And it will allow Aiden to pay his respects.”

Aiden contemplated it for a second before nodding. “Yes. I agree, you really should go, Fin. I knew her quite well.”

“Let’s face it, everyone knew her quite well.” Bea winked.

“Not that well.” Aiden’s cheeks flushed with color. “But on that note, I have to be leaving. I have done my due diligence and introduced you all, and now I have to fly home.” He stood and smiled at me. “Walk me out?”

“Okay. I’ll be back.” I gave Jess a smile but there was panic in her eyes about being left with them. They were fun versions of the evil stepsisters in Cinderella. And much prettier too. But there was no way she was leaving this room without some sort of spilling of details about her and Johan. By the terror in her gaze, she knew it too.

Aiden hugged his cousins and Jess, then took my hand and led me from the room, offering one more wave as he closed the door.

“Aiden, we can’t leave her there.”

“She’s fine. Honestly, I trust them more than anyone else in the world. They’re ridiculous and judgmental but always in a fun way. And they love Johan. If he told them, he trusts them as much as I do.”

“Except you didn’t tell them I was here.” I folded my arms. “And don’t tell me you didn’t realize she was starting here the same time I was. You’re obviously close.”

“Fin, I have to leave. Can we have this conversation on the way to the car?” He offered me his hand.

“No. You’re gonna do that thing where you don’t want us to talk about something unhappy right before you leave. Spill!” I lifted an eyebrow.

“She’s trouble,” he blurted in a whisper. “Always has been. I love her dearly, but she’s into partying and drinking and drugs, and you can’t afford—”

“So it’s not me? You’re not ashamed of me?” Relief flooded me.

“God no. Fin”—he stepped to me, pulling me into his embrace and kissing the top of my head—“why would you think that?”

“Because you didn’t introduce me to your favorite cousin. Duh.” I lifted my gaze to his.

“I sent Dee to meet you. And she’s my actual favorite. Bea’s always been bad. Mother hates her. Always said she was a bad influence. I want my mother to accept you.” He lowered his voice, “I didn’t want her to think—”

“Okay fine. Makes sense,” I grumbled and let him off the hook.

“And this is not how I want to spend our last few minutes.” He lifted my hand in his, kissing my knuckles, and began to walk down the corridor. “I want you and her to be friends. But could you please try to be like Dee and not get caught the way Bea does?”

“Why’d you introduce us now?”

“Because it was inevitable that you’d meet. My dad’s health has bought me a bit of time, but I had to introduce you before—” He paused and stopped walking. “The other thing I’ve kept from you, the last thing, I swear, is an interview that’s being set up. It’s unavoidable. I’ve had an email sent to you, it should be in your inbox now. And once this interview goes live, that’s it. Your face and name will be out, everywhere.”

“Interview?”

“Yes. The date hasn’t exactly been nailed down, but soon. I’ve had the questions and what your answers should be, sent to you.”

“You’re answering for me? Why even bother asking me the questions then?” I hated his world.

“Fin, no topics are discussed that haven’t been decided on beforehand. Our public relations people have come up with the best answers for you. Anyway, you need to start preparing for it.” He sighed, shaking his head. “Don’t worry about it. It’s a formality.”

“So after we do this, people around here will notice me more?” That made me uncomfortable.

“Yes, it’s likely. The magazine Hello! is quite popular and of course the worry is the tabloids will then notice you.”

“Great.” I gulped but he was right, I didn't want to spend our last minutes on this. “Well, whatever.” I pretended it was nothing. “Hope they like taking videos of me studying.” I tried to make a joke but he didn’t laugh.

“Please don't worry about it. It’s a formality and we knew it was coming. And you’ll be fine. I introduced you to Bea because when push comes to shove, she is great at handling the press. She can help you. And I trust you.”

“What about your dad?” I asked the question everyone else seemed to know the answer to.

“He’s not well. His treatments haven’t gone as we had hoped. When the test results came back, they showed the cancer has grown and spread slightly. He’s been moved to a new hospital. I’m hoping for the best.” He lowered, pressing his lips against mine with a brush of a kiss, one that promised more but this time it lied.