Page 186 of Grand Love

“Yup.” She laughs.

“Ellis and Frey?” I frown, looking up at The Montwell again.

“Oooo, you’re getting good at this. Come on, this is the last one!”

I pick up the bouquet of roses, glancing around one last time before leaving the studio. This whole afternoon has been insane.

Vinny is watching me closely as I climb into the car, clearly gauging my reaction.

“I love it, Vin,” I say, bunching up my nose and letting him pull me under his arm.

“I knew you would. You’ll be fantastic, love.”

“Thanks.” I turn to look back at Lucy. “Thank you both.”

“Not necessary,” she snaps, getting back into beast mode. “To the office, Vinny!” She slaps the back of his seat.

* * *

George ison the reception when we enter the front area, and he stands as we approach the desk. “Well, hello. You’re only half an hour late.” He looks at Lucy accusingly.

“Sorry, she took her sweet ass time getting ready. Then we had tears.”

“Tears?” he asks, genuine concern etched across his face.

I hand him the notes I’ve received so far.

“Mason writes in third person?” He fans his face. “You need to teach me your tricks on how to tame him.”

I chuckle, taking them back from him. “Trust me, George, if anyone is good at taming that man, it’s you.”

“Hi.” Jasmine walks out from behind us, a stack of papers in her hands. “Sorry I can’t stop, super busy today.”

“That’s okay.” I smile.

“Yes,” George says. “The Bossman took the day off. Something more important to be doing apparently.” He rolls his eyes jokingly at us.

“Mason isn’t here?” I ask, turning and frowning at Lucy.

“Nope! The last clue’s in his office,” she tells me, pushing me in the back and steering me to the double doors.

I enter the office and instantly get lost in all things Mason Lowell. His smell, woodsy and just him, it smothers me—it always has. Everything about the office has him branded on it, from the chair rolled up to the desk to the cushions scattered on the sofas. Such irrelevant things yet so personal to him, and to me. I spot a photo frame on his desk, a note tacked to the front of it. I slide down into his desk chair and peel it off.

The frame holds three photos. The first is of the two of us in Paris, standing under the Eiffel tower. The second is of me, my stomach stretched and full. “I was around seven months along when this photo was taken,” I say absentmindedly. “He must have taken it from the binder I gave him.” The third picture has me gasping through more tears. Sunlight beams through the floor-to-ceiling window, momentarily reflecting off the frame and setting a glare around the room. It has goose bumps rippling up my arms and neck. It’s a picture of Mason, Ellis, and me at Lowerwick Estate. Vinny took the photo at the ball. He asked that we stand on the steps in front of the house. Mason is standing to my left, his arm proudly around his son in his arms, and his other arm is wrapped around my waist.

I sniffle, trying to compose myself as I steal a moment. I stare at the photo.

“Open the envelope, Nina,” Lucy tells me softly from somewhere in the room.

One day she will go to the meadow, sit on the hill, and watch her family grow.

One day, but not yet.

For now, he asks that she comes home.

Please, Angel. Come home.

“Home?” I ask, darting my eyes up and searching for Lucy’s blue ones.

---