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“Bring your friend Trudy along, then.”

I laugh out loud. “No offence, Ethan, but she thinks that you’re all nuts for doing this. I think she’ll be the last person that will want to accompany me to the nut farm.”

Surprising me, he laughs. “If it helps, when I overheard, my eyes rolled back so far I was afraid they wouldn’t come back.”

“When I got the invitation, my eyes almost fell out of my head.”

“I’ll bet.” There is silence for a beat, and then he continues. “It’s going to be a huge wedding. Chances are you can come and thank my da for inviting you, meet Peg, and call it a day.”

“Um, it’s in South Carolina, Ethan. It’s not like I can just show up for five minutes and leave.”

“I get it.” He pauses, and I hear voices in the background. “Look, it’s up to you, Freya. I do appreciate you calling to check with me, though. The invitation is legit, albeit a little unconventional. I’ve got to go.”

“Okay, Ethan. Thanks for taking the time out to chat.”

“No problem. Take care.”

“You, too.”

And in the next few days I find myself making one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make.

Chapter 11

Ethan

“Nope, lass. Try again.” I say to Peg, playing with her on the floor, with a wooden puzzle. She’s almost got a piece in the right place, but it’s tricky.

Laney walks up behind me. “You need a break yet?”

I shake my head no. “She’s a smart lass, Laney.”

Peg, completely unbothered by us talking, is completely headstrong and eager to complete this puzzle in the set time. It’s an old game that me and my brothers used to play, where you have to put the puzzle together before the timer goes off, or the pieces fly out all over the place. She’s determined not to have that happen.

“I need to pee.” Peg says, shutting the timer off.

“Cheater.” I call to her, as she runs to the bathroom.

She turns around and sticks her tongue out at me. I chuckle. Laney sees it. “Sassy girl.” She half chides, but I can tell by the smirk that she’s half impressed, too.

Something has been on my mind since I spoke with Freya the other day, and I figure now is as good a time as any to get it off my chest. Caleb is talking to da in the other room. We’re at Laney’s parent’s house, talking wedding stuff, but everyone seems to be scattered. “Did you know that Caleb invited Freya Stewart to the wedding?”

“Freya’s the one that gave Peg the bear, right?” She checks.

“Aye. She’s also the one that had a thing with Caleb before you came around.”

Laney smirks, trying in vain to hide a chuckle. “She’s made her rounds from what I understand. Is that true?”

I’m sitting on the floor. I lay down on my back, scraping my hand over my face. “Christ, does everybody know? What about Nathan Mackenzie, the goddamn kidnapper? Does he know, too?”

She snorts a laugh. “What does it matter, Ethan? It happened a long time ago.”

“I guess discretion in this family is in the past, too.” I sit up. “And it doesn’t bother you that she’s invited to your wedding? Isn’t that sick?”

“I think your da’s behind that, mostly, Ethan. He knows that you still have a thing for her, and he wants to see you happy.”

“And it’s doesn’t bother you that she once screwed your husband-to-be, and yet she’ll be sitting feet away from him when he says his vows to you?”

“Ethan, I’m not sure how to say this, without making you and your brothers sound like whores, but it’s likely that Freya isn’t the only lass that has a past with you boys, that will be there. You boys know how to get around. It’s no secret. Hell, Caleb’s been in so many magazines, toted as one of the most eligible bachelors for how long now? It doesn’t bother me at all.”

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