Page 146 of Rough Around the Hedges

I eyed him. “I know you don’t like her.”

“It’s not that I dislike her.” Luke hesitated, then rested his ankle on his opposite knee as he sat back. “We didn’t exactly get off on the right foot, and when she has a grudge against you, it’s quite hard to hold any semblance of regular conversation with her.”

Yes.

That was why I’d convinced her with orgasms.

“I dislike the fuss she’s created and how she’s dragged your name through the mud at every given opportunity, but I do understand her motivations. And your mother was right—she does this because she cares. If more people cared as passionately as Rose does about what matters to her, then this world might be a better place.” He shrugged. “I still think it’s a waste not to sell the land, but I get it. I want you to be happy, and if that nutcase makes you happy, then I’ll try my best to get on with her.”

I smiled warmly at him. “You’re more alike than you might think. Neither of you hesitate to speak your mind, after all.”

“That’s probably why we don’t get along,” he replied flatly. “We say what we’re thinking without caring what the other person thinks.”

“How do you think I can handle her so well? I’ve got years of experience dealing with your mardy arse,” I retorted. “I know this puts a big kink in our plans because we need to find the funding elsewhere, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. The allotments really are the heart of Hanbury, and thanks to Rose and her asinine demands, I’ve spent too much time there to not understand how it’ll affect everyone if it’s taken away.”

He waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah, yeah, save your excuses for someone who cares. You just don’t want to upset your pretty princess any further.” He tilted his head to the side. “What are you going to do about living arrangements?”

“Hm?”

“Rose is never going to leave Hanbury, and your original plan was to handle things here for a few months then go back to London. Now, what?”

I tapped my fingers against the desk. “I don’t know. If this works out and Rose and I do start a relationship, that’s not something I can unilaterally decide. I have obligations in London, obviously, and I will have to split my time between there and here. Either way, I’d never ask her to leave her home. And honestly, Luke? I don’t hate it here.”

“She’d have to go, though. She’d have to accompany you to necessary events as your partner. Would she be willing to do that?”

I shrugged. “I don’t really care. I’m not ashamed to take my mother with me. I won’t force her into doing anything she doesn’t want to do. Even if by some stroke of luck I do convince her to marry me and she has to take on some of the duties of the lady of the house, I’ll never interfere with her life. She can keep her business, her plot—everything. She doesn’t have to be public in the slightest.”

“I suppose,” he replied quietly. “William and Grace are rarely seen together, are they?”

“She’s still doing her PhD and doesn’t have all the time in the world, but yeah. It’s her choice, and he respects that. Max and Ellie are all over the place, but that’s only because Ellie is such a popular author. Max would never glance at a camera if she wasn’t with him.” I chuckled. “It’s the same with Gabriella and Miles. Miles is rarely seen publicly because he hates the attention, but she’s becoming such a well-known designer that he doesn’t have much choice. Unlike Gabs and Ellie, though, I’m not that famous.”

“You’re more known than you think.”

“Only because I tend to shun the spotlight, I’m handsome, and I’m single.”

“Modest, too,” Luke said dryly.

“All my best qualities,” I agreed with a laugh. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Whatever it is, we can figure it out.”

He smirked. “Assuming you can convince her to marry you, of course.”

“Well, yes, that needs figuring out first.” I paused. “Although I’m not even sure it’s possible to convince Rose of anything. It’s more… dropping hints until she arrives at the conclusion all on her own.”

Luke laughed, dropping his head back on the couch, and his phone pinged. He glanced at it. “Well, Mr Romeo, Piers just texted me to tell you he’s sent the contract over. Print it and sign it in front of a witness, then have her do the same as committee head, and it’ll be binding.”

I refreshed my email and blew out a long breath when I saw Piers’ name at the top. I opened it, downloaded the attachment, and sent it to the printer.

“It’s not working,” he said after a moment of silence. “Didn’t you replace this?”

“Yes, but it’s a printer, and it’s designed to ruin my life.” I sighed and walked over there, giving it a good thump. “Just fucking print it, damn it!”

The machine whirred to life.

“Wow. Hitting it actually worked,” Luke said.

“And more therapeutic than turning it off and back on again.” I sat back down at my desk and sank my head into my hands. “Am I doing the right thing?”

He barked out a laugh. “What’s this? Delayed guilt now? You’ve spent the last few days convincing me this is the best and only course of action, and here you are, lamenting over your choice?”

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