Page 100 of Grand Love

“In the laundry room.”

The girls laugh in the back, and I roll my eyes at Elliot. “Thanks, asshole.”

“You’re welcome, Pix.” He taps the steering wheel, looking over at me while the girls buzz around in the back. “He seems much happier.”

“It doesn’t mean anything, Ell. We’re both confused and so much has happened.”

“Exactly. You have been through a lot. In my time, the best relationships always do.”

“Nina, I’d advise against taking relationship advice from London’s most notorious manwhore.” Lucy laughs, falling back into her seat.

I look at her then Elliot, noticing his jaw clenched and face red. “You didn’t seem to mind this morning, babe? Hmm? Whilst you were grinding your ass on my semi.”

I direct my wide eyes to Luce who has now sunk down in the seat and is hidden by the bags.

Elliot huffs, shaking his head as he looks into the rearview mirror. “Touché, Luce. Tou-fucking-ché.”

* * *

Lowerwick is litup when we arrive, looking every bit the grand estate that it is. I’ve been coming here for the last year and when I arrive, it feels a little bit like home.

“This place always reminds me of Christmas. Can you imagine living in a house like this?” Megan voices, climbing from the car.

“It’s not a house, it’s a mansion,” Lucy says, piling up garment bags on Elliot’s outstretched arms.

Inside, Scarlet has an array of cocktails laid out for us to try. We pretend it’s research for the ball but we all know it’s not.

Lucy has sent Lance, Charlie, and Elliot upstairs to try on the suits she brought over for them. She had one put back for Mason and will get Elliot to deliver it on Friday. Hopefully, everything works out and we pull the whole thing off. A lot has been planned in under a month and I’m so proud of Scarlet and what she has achieved, it’s going to be an incredible evening.

“So, I have food to be served at seven, the band is starting at eight thirty, and the auction will begin at nine thirty in their break. I’ll need you girls ready for that a little while before.”

“Auction?” I blanch.

Scarlet looks up from the piece of paper she’s reading from. “Yeah, Lucy didn’t tell you?”

I turn to Luce who is wide-eyed with guilt and gulping her cocktail. “Luce?”

“It’s for a good cause?” She dabs at her lips.

“What kind of auction?” I ask, my stomach tightening with what my intuition is telling me.

“Megan is hosting, I’m dealing with the money, so Luce said the two of you would donate a date.”

“A date?” I snap, staring at Lucy.

“Sorry! It’s just one night and we can get Dad to bid, and Megan will take what he offers. Won’t you, Meg!” She elbows her in the side, but Megan just smiles impishly.

“No!” Scarlet asserts. “You have to put yourself out there. Come on, girls.”

“Why don’t you do it then? I can deal with the money!” I beg her.

She cringes, her hands crunching the paper slightly. “Uhhh, no, sorry.”

“Scar!” I cry.

“You know my brother will buy you!”

My heart sinks and my body tenses. I never stopped to consider what Mason would think of an auction. He would hate it, and he would buy me, there’s no doubt in my mind, and with what Joey told me today, I can only imagine how much deeper he would drive the dagger.

“I don’t have a lot in donations yet, it would mean so much if you could do this, Nina.”

“Oh god…”

Her lips thin and she shrugs unapologetically. “Thanks, babe.”

My lip tips up as she starts to chuckle. “I’ll think about it. No promises.”

“You are doing it—”

“What do you think, ladies?” Lance announces, sauntering into the room with Charlie and Elliot hot on his heels.

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