Page 91 of Playing to Win

Colin craned his neck. “Did you live in one of those tower things?”

“The turrets? No, I had a regular suite—er, room.” He cleared his throat. “The part way over there in front of us, with the darker gray stone, is the Auld Keep, built in 1425.” When Colin goggled, Andrew attempted to play down the grandeur without sounding dismissive. “We don’t use it ourselves, except at Christmas Eve and when my siblings got married. Mostly we hire it out. Last month aGame of Thronesfan club used the banquet hall for a Red Wedding reenactment.”

“Is there a dungeon?”

“Why, you fancy being chained up?”

Colin looked at him. “That was a joke, right?”

“Yes. You can tell because it was funny.”

“Sometimes you’re funny by accident.”

Andrew touched Colin’s hand, finding it slightly chilled. “For the hundredth time, you’ll be fine.”

Colin glanced down at the box of chocolates he was clutching for grim death in his lap.Debrett’s Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners—which Colin had gallantly read twice this week and reviewed with Andrew during their drive—said that when one visits a wealthy estate, it was appropriate to bring a small gift with no practical value.

Andrew was immensely touched Colin had managed to get throughDebrett’swithout too much scoffing. The lad was earnestly trying to make a good impression.

“Do I look all right?” he asked Andrew.

“To the manor born, you look.”

“Because I’m wearing your clothes.” He tugged on the lapel of the gray summer-tweed blazer Andrew had loaned him, along with matching trousers, a dusty green V-neck jumper, and a blue dress shirt. Colin had refused to let Andrew buy him a brand-new outfit, protesting that the tuxedo kilt was already too much.

“You could be dressed in rags,” Andrew said, “and they would still adore you.”

“Why?”

Andrew made jazz hands around his own grinning face. “Because of this.”

“Because you’re hot?”

“Because I’m happy.” Andrew quickly kissed him, then slipped out of the car. While he waited for Colin to join him, he took a deep inhale of the country air, listening to the birds and crickets sing. Seeing Dunleven through Colin’s eyes made Andrew remember how special it was, despite its deterioration.

He hadn’t lied about being happy. This week, the barriers between them had crumbled as they committed to the utter madness that was their relationship. He’d even shown Colin the Answer Fish.

“It’s like a giant mouth,” Colin whispered beside him, gaping up at the castle’s wide main entrance. The arch above the porch stairs came to a sharp peak, and the large oaken door was flanked by a pair of tall, dark windows. It was rather intimidating, come to think of it.

“Just pretend it’s the back door instead of the front.” Andrew took Colin’s hand. “That way it’s not a mouth, but an arsehole.”

Colin’s booming laugh echoed through the courtyard, bouncing among the stone walls and bringing life to this ancient estate.

As they mounted the stairs, the front door opened. Mum swept over the threshold sporting a warm smile and a pink tweed jacket over a white summer dress.

“Andrew!” She embraced him tightly. “You look dashing as always.”

He laughed. “You say that every time.”

“Because it’s true.”

It was true. Tonight he was wearing a Maison Martin Margiela silk cotton summer-tweed suit, an outfit which had made Colin proclaim him “the only man who looks sexy in beige.”

Andrew kissed his mother’s cheek, then stepped back. “Mum, Lady Kirkross, may I introduce my boyfriend, Colin MacDuff.” His lips tingled as they uttered the wordboyfriend.

Colin took the hand Mum offered. “Lady Kirkross. How do you do.”

“Mr. MacDuff. How do you do.”

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