Page 16 of Isla

“Don’t play dumb, Isla. They’re obviously in there mocking us. Is this payback for the pub?” His eyes are murderous.

I turn toward Dylan and Henry. “Will one of you please explain what he’s talking about?”

“He thinks they’re making fun of our last relationship,” Henry says quietly.

“What?” I'm so fucking confused.

Henry turns to Theo. “I think you're misreading the situation. I know it’s a slap in the face, but it has nothing to do with us.”

“What’s a slap in the face?!” I ask, throwing my hands up in frustration.

“Their relationship,” Henry says, motioning to the kitchen.

“What, it’s against your morals or something?” I ask, grasping at straws.

Dylan barks out a laugh. “Not quite.”

“Will one of you please fucking explain what’s going on without speaking in code?” I snap, frustrated.

“The three of us were in a relationship with someone a few years ago. Theo thinks you found out about it and are using it to get under our skin,” Dylan explains.

My heart thuds in my chest as I replay his words in my mind. “The three of you were in a relationship with one woman? Is that what you’re saying?”

Dylan and Henry nod. Theo stands still as a statue, his predatory gaze locked on me.

“And you thought I would use that against you?” I ask Theo.

He finally drops his gaze and sighs. “Sorry. Being in there brought up some stuff I haven’t thought about in a while. It seemed like too much of a coincidence.”

“Maybe it’s not a coincidence. Maybe it’s fate,” I say as I turn back toward the kitchen, leaving them before I do something stupid like blurting out what I’m really thinking.

Charlie raises her eyebrow at me as I walk back inside. “Everything is fine, just a misunderstanding,” I say, looking over my shoulder as the guys follow me inside.

“I’m sorry if we made you uncomfortable," Charlie tells them. "I forget what a shock it must be when people first find out about us.”

“It’s not shocking to us,” Theo mumbles, pulling out a chair for me to sit in.

“Oh,” Charlie whispers, her lips forming a perfect O.

“What are the fucking chances?” Lachlan asks, slapping me on the back.

“What am I missing?” Cam asks, looking between all of us, totally lost.

Jack leans back in his chair, enjoying the show.

When Theo doesn’t respond, Henry speaks up. “My brothers andI are familiar with relationships like yours.” His cheeks turn scarlet. He’s adorable.

“No fucking way!” Cam exclaims. “We haven’t ever met anyone like us. It’s nice to know we’re not alone. Not that we give a damn,” he clarifies.

“You all need to eat,” I butt in. “We have work to do.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the three boys echo each other, smirks on all three of their faces.

I standside by side with Jack, drying the dishes as he finishes washing them. “Do you want me to take them right to the outbuilding? Or should I show them the entire castle so they can better understand what you're looking for?”

“They need to be familiar with the castle. We want everything to flow and feel cohesive, so it’s important for them to get the feel of the place," Jack says, drying his hands.

“That’s what I was thinking. I’ll show them around today, and then we can work on getting a supply list together tomorrow.”

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