Page 30 of One Hot Deal

Diana scoots as far away from me as she can get and stares out the tinted windows.

I glance around."Hey, where's Pippa?"

"She wanted to take the Sommerleigh Sweets factory tour," Hugh says."She was rather excited about it.After that, my cousin Rupert will bring Pippa to Sommerleigh House along with his wife and their children.Their daughter is only a year older than Pippa, so they should get on well."

"For sure.Pippa's a sweet kid."I relax against the bench and drape my arm across it, careful not to touch Diana, and hook one ankle over the other knee."So, how long will this trip to Lord Sticky's home take?At least you ponied up for a limo this time instead of making me play sardine in the backseat of your Jag."

Hugh lifts one brow."I have never forced you to ride in the backseat."

"No, but I figured you'd want Avery up front with you nowadays, considering that she's your fiancée.Besides, you love trying to yank my chain, not that it ever works."I glance sideways at Diana, but she's still staring out the window."Are you ever going to tell me how long this trip will take?"

"You've been to Sommerleigh many times.You ought to know the answer."

"Can't remember, can you?"I shake my head."Sure you want to marry this guy, Avery?I think Hugh is developing Alzheimer's."

My sister flings both arms around her fiancé and gives him what seems like an extra firm squeeze.It makes him wince just a little."Hugh has an excellent memory."

"The trip will take a bit longer than usual," Hugh says, "because this limousine can't go as fast as my Jaguar.But it does have its good points."He presses a button on the door, and the seat between me and Diana flips up to reveal a mini bar.The only thing inside it is a bottle of champagne cradled in crushed ice.

"Starting the celebration early, eh?"I say."Where are the glasses?"

"There's a compartment alongside the champagne.Open that up, and you'll find the flutes."

I hadn't noticed a hidden compartment there.But now that Hugh pointed it out, I find it easily and pop the lid to bring out four glasses.Then I hand the bottle to Hugh."The groom should do the honors."

Diana turns away from the window."Is it wise to pop a champagne cork inside a vehicle?What if it strikes one of us in the head or the eye or some other vulnerable spot?"

"No worries," Hugh says."I know the safe method for doing this."

While he begins peeling the foil off the bottle's cap, I close the hidden compartment and scoot a little closer to Diana.I lean in to murmur, "Trust Hugh.He wouldn't put any of us in danger."

"I'm not afraid.But thank you for the reassurance."

"Why did you ask if it was safe if you aren't worried?"

"Hugh's assurance satisfied me."

She returns her attention to the view outside the window, so I scoot back over to my side of the bench.

Hugh has loosened the wire cage on the champagne bottle, but he doesn't remove it.I'm not an expert on how to open a bottle of champagne, but I have no doubts that Hugh is.He grasps the center of the bottle in one hand, then closes the other fist around the top and twists it.The cork comes out easily and stays caged in his hand.

"Nice work," I say."I've never seen anybody do it that way."

"The flying cork method is the bourgeois way of opening a bottle.This is the aristocratic method."

Since he winks at me, I know he's just yanking my chain yet again.

"Maybe you know how to pop a champagne cork," I say, "but I'm the expert on how to pop the tab on a can of beer."

He scoffs."Lord Sommerleigh does not stoop to guzzling beer."

"Really?Then your marriage won't last.Avery loves to swig some Budweiser now and then."

"I'm reeducating her in the proper way for Lady Sommerleigh to behave."

Hearing him use the title my sister will acquire on Saturday gives me a weird feeling in my gut.Avery, my baby sister, will become Lady Sommerleigh.She'll be a titled aristocrat.Can I still call her Avery after that?Or will I be required to address her by her title?I've avoided thinking about that until now, but soon I'll have no choice.

Avery pours the champagne while Hugh holds the glasses for her.Then they hand one to me and one to Diana.She glances at me sideways again as she takes a dainty sip of the bubbly.Though she doesn't wince this time, she does flatten her lips.

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