Amelia

My best friend’s castle wasn’t safe. Everyone laughed and joked with each other, but I was on edge. I should probably have left my friends and said no to their invitation the second I heard that their plans included Cameron Keith. I hadn’t seen him in years. Long-ago memories definitely shouldn’t make my stomach tighten and my lips tingle. He’d moved on. So had I, and I was living my dream.

I trekked across the ballroom of Charlotte’s castle, where I’d been invited for the holidays. Earlier, when they mentioned Cameron and going to his house for Hogmanay, I’d already said I needed to get back to London. In no universe would I ever again go willingly to Cameron Keith. The short time we’d been together was enough.

He felt the same, I was sure. I doubted that his seeing my name on the guest list would cause him such distress. He was over me. I was the only one playing out fantasies in my head. The last time I had seen his name in print, it was under a photograph of him holding hands with a beautiful model. The knock-out diamond ring on her finger hadn’t escaped my attention. So he couldn’t be carrying a torch for me.

Not that I’d carried much of one for him, but my bad habit of comparing other men’s kisses to his was on my list of things I needed to stop doing.

Butterflies flew in my belly, and I took my wine to go find a corner to hide in. However, a wall of muscles blocked my path.

My heart fluttered at the sight of him. I looked up at his short and slightly curly hair then moved my gaze down to his warm brown eyes, which took my breath away, passed the hint of hair on his chest, and went lower. Kilts shouldn’t be so damn sexy. I clutched the stem of my Bordeaux.

“Amelia, it’s been a long time.”

Adrenaline at the idea that he’d sought me out rushed through my veins, though I was sure he only wanted to tell me how happy he was.

I refused to look at him so that he wouldn’t see how he still made me tremble. “Cameron… I didn’t think you’d come.”

He rocked on his feet, and his muscles flexed, like he was showing off. Heat rose to my face, and I looked away at the white wall.

Cameron lifted a dark eyebrow and asked, “Why wouldn’t I?” The sound of his voice still made me weak in the knees.

“Because I’m here. I’ve not seen you in a long time.” My stomach clenched as I looked up at him, anticipating the moment he would bring out his fiancée and rub his happiness in my face.

“Not since you left me.”

Technically, I’d gotten on the plane, but he’d driven me there. Besides, we were never together exactly, except that he’d had my heart. I shook my head, remembering the photo of him and his model girlfriend sporting her giant diamond ring. I knew it was legit because I knew the photographer, and he didn’t use Photoshop. So I lifted my chin and decided it was time to end the moment. “Oh please, that sounded like you missed me when we both know you’ve dated countless women since.”

He smiled at me, and my knees locked. “No one like you.”

Goose bumps ran up my arms, as if he’d rekindled our kiss. To pretend I wasn’t still affected, I shook my head. “You’ve been engaged twice.”

He reached for my hand, but I pulled back. “I haven’t been engaged. Newspapers lie.”

I massaged my temple and said, “The photos were unaltered.”

Around us, our friends were all laughing and gathering to play a game.

Cameron said, “Amelia, I offered you my grandmother’s engagement ring. Did you ever see anyone with that on?”

Sophia’s sister, Alexa, who was visiting from America, waved and walked toward us.

I said, “No, but it doesn’t matter. Friends are coming.”

He pivoted, and we both stared at Alexa and Broderick Kellison.

Cameron leaned closer to me, and the hairs on my arms stood on end. “We’ll catch up when we’re alone, but that’s the ring meant for my bride, and only you’ve even seen it.”

I hadn’t been prepared for the onslaught of lust his nearness gave me. It hadn’t happened to me in years, and I’d assumed I was dead inside.

“Amelia?” Alexa asked.

I hugged her and said, “Alexa, I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to lend you a copy of Emma. It’s my favorite book.”

She let out a laugh and said, “It looks like my time in Scotland is going to be spent reading Jane Austen. I’ve just finished my sister’s favorite, and she mentioned the others.”

Maybe if I started a book conversation, Cameron would move away. I smiled and asked, “What did you think of Sense and Sensibility?”

She glanced at Broderick, Harris’s cousin, and said, “Reminded me a bit of me and my sister. We’re very different, but I cried when Colonel Brandon and Marianne got engaged.”

Cameron said, “Jane Austen is one of the classic novelists. You’ll love them all, though Pride and Prejudice is often people’s favorite.”

Wait. I had no idea he’d read Austen. Years ago, he hadn’t.

Broderick placed his hand on Alexa’s lower back and said, “You can join your sister and her friends on their yearly trip to Bath for the festival, if we can convince you to stay and have your baby here.”

My eyes widened. I was clearly the last to know everything. “You’re pregnant?”

Her face turned bright red, and she checked her green dress for imaginary lint. “It’s why I’m here. I came to tell my sister in person.”

“Congratulations. A baby. Wow, that’s exciting.” I scanned the room and asked, “Where is Sophia, anyway?”

Alexa shrugged. “She went off to talk to Harris.”

“Good. I hope they fix their issues soon.” Sophia was clearly in love with Harris Kellison.

No one said anything for a moment, and I sipped my wine and pretended I wasn’t the only one in the group not to have someone.

Charlotte, another of my best friends and host of the night, clapped and said, “Right. It’s time to play Buffy Gruffy.”

“What’s that?” Cameron asked.

Charlotte explained the Regency parlor game. “We blindfold one player, who gets three questions to figure out which person they’re talking with. The questions have to be short and not repeated.”

This is my chance to get away from Cameron and intimate discussions.