Page 36 of Played

“Yeah, well, I think that rather than getting myself torn another new one by a certain Harris boy, I better run it past him first. I’ve been embarrassed once already.”

“So, you’re going to talk to him?”

I crane my neck. “Duh. If I just show up to this thing, and he doesn’t know about it, do you think that’s going to go over well? Uh….no!”

“And there lies the genius behind whoever sent the invitation.” Trudy says, satisfied. “That Dougall Harris really is a smart one.”

“Well, I’ll agree with you there. It certainly wasn’t the doing of Caleb, Ethan or Laney, since she doesn’t even know me.”

“She does now. You gave her kid a bear.” Trudy clinks my glass with hers. “You should thank that aunt of yours once again, girl.”

I sigh. “Or curse her. But we’ll see.”

I’m working from home today, since I’m too hung over to do much else. And as I sit, taking a break, I stare at my phone, knowing full well that I have to make that call today. The wedding is days away, and if I’m going, then I’ll need to mentally prepare myself, and get an outfit, and a gift. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a wedding. I still have Ethan’s number, even though I haven’t used it since we broke up. But despite my hesitation, I tap his name, and it starts ringing.

He answers on the first ring. “Freya.” His voice is almost business-like, but tentative. “What can I do for you.” He says, not asks.

“Well, first of all, whoever sent the flowers, thank you. It took me a while to get up the courage to make this call to at least say that.”

“That was da’s idea. And mama’s too. Peg won’t go anywhere without that bear now.”

“I’m glad she likes it.” I just come out with it, knowing that we’re both very busy people, and there is no time for pussy footing around. “Did you know that I was invited to the wedding?”

He breathes in and then out again. “Aye. Again, da’s idea.”

“Any idea why, Ethan? I mean, you and your brother hate me, and technically I’m Caleb’s ex-lover. Not sure why my name would end up on the guest list.”

Another sigh, this time more exasperated. “That is the work of my da. He’s trying to make a match. He likes you. But, don’t feel obligated to, Freya, you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

“Your da’s idea? Wh…what does Caleb say? And Laney? God, they must be disgusted.”

He chuckles mirthlessly. “That’s what I thought, too, but, evidently, having a bairn around and one on the way has softened this family some.”

“But none of them, except for you and Caleb, have even met me.” I point out. “Isn’t that a little crazy?”

“Freya, I’ll save you the trouble, okay? Da ordered Caleb to marry Laney. It started out badly; they fucking hated each other, but now it’s nauseating seeing how fucking happy they are. My point is that when da gets an idea in his head, if it feels right to him, he’ll make deals with devil if he has to, for his idea to come to fruition.”

“And he thinks that by inviting me to the wedding, that it’ll get us together.” I’m as deadpan as he’s been throughout this whole conversation.

“Exactly.”

“He’s not ordered you to marry me, has he. Because that’s insane, and I’ll move back to fucking Scotland.”

He snorts a laugh. “No. Nothing like that.”

“Should I, like, come by and meet them first?”

“You mean you’re actually considering coming to the wedding?” He’s shocked, laughing, almost mocking.

“Trudy caught on to the matchmaking angle.” I admit. “But I know that that’s never going to happen. I just…I’m a pleaser, I guess. That’s probably how I got into this mess to begin with. But if you don’t think it’s a good idea for me to come, I won’t.”

“Freya, if you don’t come, my da will kick my ass.”

“And if I come, you’ll kick my ass, and maybe Caleb, perhaps Laney, too, once she comes back down to earth.”

“Nobody’s kicking anyone’s ass. Look, the invitation says you can bring a guest, right?”

“Aye.”

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