Page 13 of Valentine Nook
“Oh, that’s the cherub I’ve seen everywhere.”
“Mm-hmm,” she mumbles, laying back. “It’s kind of cute but totally cheesy.”
Leaning back, I prop myself on my elbows and close my eyes. “Nice story, though.”
It’s probably the warmth of the sun, the birds chirping, and the crunch of chips as we slowly eat them, all combined with the tranquility of this place, but for the first time since I arrived in England, I feel truly relaxed. Content, almost.
“Anyway, you’re welcome to swim here or read books, whatever you want, but if you’d rather a proper swimming pool, come over to Burlington. I plan to spend the entire summer on the sun lounger while contemplating my life choices. I promise it doesn’t rain every day.”
Clemmie closes her eyes, and her breathing evens out as she drifts into a nap. I lie next to her, thinking about what she said because contemplating life choices sounds exactly like what I need too.
And perhaps doing them in the English countryside makes staying here not such a terrible mistake after all.
CHAPTER 3
Lando
Asnail is crawling across my desk.
“Max!” I yell loud enough that I know he’ll hear me.
A silvery trail crosses the document I need to read, along with tiny nibble marks around the edges. And while many documents are probably only fit for eating, this one I do actually have to sign and send back to my solicitors. Picking up the snail, I open the window and carefully place him on the ivy outside.
“There. Now go and find something else to eat.” I turn back to my study and yell again. “Max?”
“Yeah?” he replies from the doorway, leaning against the frame just like his father does, wearing the same expression of pure insolence. Except I rarely see his father dressed as Spider-Man.
“Not yeah,yes.And what have I told you about snails in the house?”
Spider-Man shrugs. “Sometimes they come in without me. I’ve told them they’re not allowed, but that must have been a particularly naughty one.”
“Hmm.” I narrow my eyes, but he holds my stare without blinking. I swear this child will grow up to be either a barrister or a dictator. A leader of something at the very least, which suits me fine. “Well, perhaps you need to have another word with them.”
“I will.”
“Where’s Birgitta?” I ask, just as I remember Wednesday is her day off, though Max’s nanny is rarely around when she should be. “Never mind, where’s your father?”
“Churchill got out of the field again.”
I tut loudly. That bloody goat is a better escapologist than Houdini.
“Where’s Granny?”
“Don’t know.”
“What about Auntie Clemmie?”
“Did I hear my name?” asks Clementine, appearing at the door as stealthily as Max had and peers down at him. “Ooh, I didn’t know superheroes were coming for breakfast. How exciting. What’s going on?”
“Uncle Lando’s still in a bad mood,” Max replies, his eyes rolling just like Hendricks, or rather,Miles.
Given Hendricks and Miles are identical twins, Max has annoyingly inherited all of Miles’s equally annoying habits, including his ability to shit-stir.
“I’m notstillin a bad mood. I’m notina bad mood,” I say, holding back the irritation I know will make an appearance if I let it. “I’m fine.”
Max and Clementine stare at me until they’re joined by Dolly, one of the Labradors, who also stares at me.
“What? I’m not in a bad mood,” I repeat. “I just don’t want snails in the house, and no one seems to be concerned that Max is going to be late to school.”
