Fifteen
Elizabetta was beautiful. A goddess. And a bitch.
She and Lorenzo alternately fought and made up for the rest of the afternoon while Jenny translated for Brooke and Vanessa as best she could. But Lorenzo and Elizabetta’s speech was so fast and angry at times that she couldn’t keep up. “She’s telling him he is as stupid as a cow, and that he thinks with his dick, and he said that she is beautiful and he would do anything for her.”
“Like what?” Brooke asked. “I need specifics.”
Jenny shook her head. “They’re talking too fast. Anyway, I think he’s begging like a dog now.”
“It’s working,” Vanessa said, nudging Jenny. The lovebirds were kissing.
“How does that work?” Brooke asked curiously. ”How does any of that work?”
Lorenzo seemed happy and loopy in love in spite of the bickering. Elizabetta looked like she wanted to stomp on him some more, but Jenny could see she was warming up to him. There was no question those two belonged with each other.
Jenny wished she had that. Not the volatility, please. But the certainty. She wished for that with all her heart.
It was such a lovely late afternoon that the gathering moved from the golf course to the garden courtyard in front of the inn. Jenny helped Rosalyn round up some champagne and crystal flutes, as Lorenzo had announced that he and Elizabetta were getting married. There wasn’t a person among them who believed they’d actually make it to the altar without someone dying, but nevertheless, it was cause to celebrate. Rosalyn and Hugh rounded up Sandra and Ned, and they all came for a toast. Lorenzo’s brothers appeared, too, apparently back from the city. No one could seem to find Edan, however.
“You know what?” Vanessa said when they were on their third glass. She was draped across one of the benches, staring up at the turret. “I like it.” She glanced at Jenny. “I really like this inn.”
“Me too,” said Brooke. “I think it could be awesome.”
“You do?” Jenny asked, surprised and pleased.
“I do,” Vanessa said. “It’s quaint. And unique, like you, Jen. I can’t wait to see what you do with it.”
Jenny smiled broadly. “What do you think, a portable outdoor bar here?” she asked, gesturing to an ivy-covered wall.
“Totally!” Brooke said.
Jenny was explaining her idea for a farm shop when Vanessa and Brooke’s gaze drifted past her. She turned around to see that Edan had come into the courtyard.
“Who is that?” Brooke whispered.
“Edan.”
Vanessa and Brooke gasped at the exact same moment, at the exact same volume.
Lorenzo, drunk on love, called out to Edan and gestured him over while Elizabetta stood there looking bored. “Come, come, meet the woman who will be my wife.”
“Si matto!” she said.
“He’s crazy,” Jenny translated to Vanessa and Brooke.
“Ah but you will marry me, mi amore,” Lorenzo said giddily.
Edan looked like he was walking the plank as he hesitantly walked into the group of Italians and met Elizabetta. He shook her hand, kept the conversation short. Then he looked around, his gaze landing on Jenny.
A shiver of lust ran through her. “Hey,” she said.
“Hello,” he said back.
Jenny stood up. “These are my friends, Brooke and Vanessa. And this is Edan Mackenzie, the proprietor of the inn.”
“Oh,” Vanessa said, practically falling over herself to extend her hand. “I wasn’t expecting you,” she said.
“I’ve heard that before,” Edan said.
“Your accent,” Brooke purred.
“Scottish,” he said. Edan was perfectly polite, very friendly. He chatted about the weather, and gave a brief history of the inn when Vanessa asked. They asked him about Scotland, and he talked about that, too. Jenny stood there like a dormouse, feeling awkward, unable to add anything to the conversation, her mind racing through all the things she wanted to say to Edan. Thanks for the hospitality. Oh, before you get on a plane, could you please explain what happened? Because we had such a great time in the sack…
“I need another drink,” Brooke said, wagging her empty flute. “Vanessa, come help me find one.”
“I’ll fetch it if you like,” Edan offered.
“Nope. Need the little girl’s room, too,” Brooke said, and grabbed Vanessa’s arm and made her stand. She smiled at Edan. “Very nice to meet you.” She dragged Vanessa into the inn.
That left Jenny and Edan standing side by side. The silence between them could not have been more awkward, but this time, Jenny couldn’t think of words to fill the silence. “Sooo,” she said. “Lorenzo and Elizabetta.”
“Aye,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at the happy couple, who were now regaling Rosalyn and Hugh with some loud tale.
Edan glanced at Jenny, and he looked...entirely too tentative.
“Okay, enough,” Jenny said. “What is the matter with you?”
Edan looked at her as if she’d miraculously sprouted another head. “With me?”
“I don’t see anyone else standing here.”
Edan shook his head. “I, ah…“He shoved his fingers through his hair. Rubbed his chin. Looked around at everyone in the courtyard and said, “I’ve got to finish some work. And your friends will be back soon. We’ll speak later?” He walked into the inn.
Jenny stared at his back, stunned by his awkwardness, his obvious desire to get away from her. “No,” she whispered. “You’re not getting off the hook that easily.” She went after Edan.
She brushed past Vanessa and Brooke returning to the courtyard. “Hey!” Brooke said loudly.
“I’ll be back. Wait for me!” Jenny commanded. She kept going, her hands fisting at her sides. She would really like to punch something just now. Preferably Edan’s gorgeous face. But she had a few things to say to him first.
She marched in through the door and stood in reception. Not here. Jenny banged on the reception bell, gave it five seconds, and then marched through the door clearly marked “Staff Only” and into his office. Wilbur and Boz were startled by her appearance at his door and leapt to their feet, barking.
Edan leapt to his feet, too. “You nearly scared me out of my wits.”
“I rang the bell, but no one came,” Jenny said.
“You really need to give a person time to respond,” he said.
“Why are you being so weird?” she cried.
Edan sighed. “I’ve a lot I’m trying to sort through.”
“Is that it? Or did you get what you wanted?” Jenny snapped.
Edan’s face flushed dark. “What?”
“I’m surprised, that’s all, and maybe I’m way off here, but I was under the impression you needed a whole lot more than sex. I thought you needed a friend, Edan!”
He snorted. “I donna need a friend precisely—”
“Of course not,” she interrupted angrily. “Because you’re going to run back to your ex. You’re going to give up everything you’ve accomplished here for a woman who doesn’t even want you. She doesn’t love you! Is that the way you want to live your life, chasing after someone who doesn’t love you?”
Edan’s gaze narrowed. He folded his arms over his chest. “You should no’ speak of what you donna know,” he said quietly.
“Am I wrong?” she exclaimed loudly. “We had an amazing night, Edan—totally, freaking amazing! The stars were shining and little birds were singing, and fairies spun gold around that fucking bed, and you talked to me! You actually talked. You opened up and you let yourself breathe, and then, the next morning, poof, that man was gone,” she said gesturing into the space of that phantom man.
“If you will take a breath and allow me—”
She was not taking a breath until she’d said all she needed to say. “I don’t know why you suddenly wanted to pretend nothing had happened between us because it did, and the only reason I can think that you would is because you used me for sex until you can make it back to your fiancée.”
Edan’s face darkened. “Are you quite through?”
Tears welled in her eyes, and if there was one thing she hated, it was tears. “Yes,” she said, her voice shaking. “Wait—no. I’ll just say this—my dad is coming next week and we’re going to make an offer for your inn. You can leave next week. You don’t even have to finish closing the inn. You can run, Edan.”
His jaw tightened. “Are you through now?”
She did a quick rake through her muddled thoughts. “I think so.”
“I’ve been distracted, Jenny, because I’ve made a decision. The decision is foolish and verra much unlike me, but I’ve decided I’m not prepared to sell the inn.”
Jenny’s heart staggered and plummeted in her chest. She couldn’t take those words in. For the first time in forever, she had found something to look forward to. She believed she’d found where she belonged, what she was meant to do, and he was going to yank the rug out from her? Why? Why would he do that? “What?” she asked weakly, hoping she’d misheard.
“Jenny. I think —”
She hadn’t misheard him, and suddenly, she thought if she heard another word, she would be sick. She jerked around, colliding with a cabinet in her haste to get out, tripping over a dog, banging through the door as he called after her.
She fled out to the drive and found Vanessa and Brooke. “I have to get out of here,” she said, choking on the words.
“Sure, of course,” Vanessa said. “But you need to drive. We’re shitfaced.”
“Jesus,” Jenny muttered. She couldn’t even have a decent meltdown without karma interfering.