Page 15 of Love in Bloom

He admired her smile. It was shy of perfect but held all her womanly charm. “I’m sure the landlord appreciates that.”

“I do.”

“You own the building?” Camille surprised him more and more with her business savvy.

“Had enough for the down payment last year. The company has done well thanks to Connor’s money management.”

“I’m sure you had a hand in it too.”

“Connor keeps a tight rein on the books. He saved us more times than I can count in those first few years. Still does, though I imagine I’m not as thorough in my perusal of the finances anymore.”

“You must have a great deal of trust in your cousin.”

“I do, and he has more than earned it. I rarely question his judgment. I was skeptical of his wife for a brief period, but that was because I didn’t know her well enough.”

“What happened? If I may ask.”

“It looked like she’d cheated on Connor. I was furious. After I cooled down, she approached me and explained their misunderstanding. Then she enlisted my help in patching things back up between them. I said yes. Connor was the most miserable I’d ever seen him, and I couldn’t bear to watch him drown in heartache anymore. They had the most beautiful wedding, and I was a bridesmaid. Bless Maddie for being a fashionista. She picked out gorgeous dresses for us to wear. Unlike the brides who tend to pick a gown you immediately want to throw in the rubbish bin and burn.”

“I bet you looked stunning.”

“You can judge for yourself.” She scrolled through her phone and handed it to him. The image was of the bridal party.

“I was right. Stunning. The bride, groom, and your sister are self-explanatory, who are the other two?”

“Lily and Zander. Lily is Maddie’s best friend. Zander and Connor are mates. They all met on an Italian cruise. It was the first real vacation Connor took from the company. Lily and Zander were the first to fall in love. Then it was Connor and Maddie’s turn.”

He returned the phone to her. “And when is your turn, Camille?”

She took the phone and avoided his eyes. “Who knows? According to tradition, I’m next in line since I caught the bouquet at the wedding. But I don’t believe in superstition. Do you?” Her eyes met his.

Tristan cocked his head and pondered for a moment. “I don’t believe in superstition per se, but I do believe in fate. Connor met his match on his first real vacation. Maybe you’ll meet your bloke on yours.”

“Hmm.” She popped a square of cheese into her mouth and washed it down with half a bottle of water.

“If we’re done eating, there’s more to explore up here before we make our descent. A children’s playground, the tower, a cemetery. I figured we’d pick up a tasty treat on the way back to the hotel.”

“And ruin our supper?”

“Isn’t that the best fun?”

She laughed and threw her crumpled napkin at him.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he said.

They tidied up the picnic and chatted the afternoon away as they explored the rest of the castle area.

All the while, Tristan grew more and more charmed by Camille and wondered how he could put that delighted smile back on her face whenever he announced a new adventure and wondered how he could prolong their time together.

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