Fairytale Come Alive (Ghosts and Reincarnation #4)(11)

Fiona couldn’t agree with them more.

Then her mind switched to Isabella’s (possible but not probable) flinch when Prentice said her name and, again, she had to ponder what was that all about?

Chapter Two

Accommodation Arrangements

Prentice

Prentice opened the front door to his home, trying to unclench his jaw, and turned to Isabella, sweeping his arm wide to indicate she should precede him.

She nodded and did as he indicated, gracefully carrying one of her four suitcases as if it weighed no more than a feather when he knew it did not.

His six year old daughter, Sally, followed, not gracefully at all lugging an enormous cosmetics case not wanting to be left out and having a strange, six year old girl fascination with a fancy, huge cosmetics case.

His ten year old son, Jason, manfully heaved up the third largest suitcase and entered the house.

Prentice followed with the largest one, dropped it in the vestibule and then moved through the three of them, all of whom stopped and looked at him questioningly.

“Leave the luggage in the hall, kids, I’ll see to it later,” he ordered, his voice tight and Jason gave him a look Prentice carefully didn’t return as he passed his son and went into Fiona’s huge, open plan great room.

Prentice was going to kill his sister because her behavior had made it impossible to say no when Annie had announced her ridiculously inappropriate plans for the accommodation arrangements of two of her many wedding guests.

Mikey would be staying at Fergus’s house.

Isabella would be staying with Prentice, Jason and Sally.

Dougal’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when Annie made her announcement. Fergus’s eyes had rolled to the ceiling. Mikey’s lips had twitched and he looked carefully to the side. Isabella had remained completely cool and took a sip from her champagne.

Then she said, “I’d like to stay with you and Fergus, if you don’t mind, Annie.”

“I don’t mind but Richard and Robert are going to be here later tonight and Mikey might mind.” Annie leaned into Mikey and whispered loudly, “They’re both fit and they’re both g*y and they’re both single.”

Mikey leaned to Annie and whispered back (loudly), “Really?”

Annie widened her eyes comically and nodded.

Mikey turned to Isabella. “You’re staying with Prentice.”

Isabella sighed then replied, “I couldn’t impose. I’ll get a room in a hotel.”

Dougal started nodding and sat forward but Annie got there before him.

“You’re in the Scottish Highlands, my lovely, the closest hotel is twenty-five miles away and it’s booked with my party guests. Not… gonna… happen.”

Isabella didn’t lose even a little of her composure as her eyes moved to Prentice. “Perhaps we should ask Prentice if it’s okay if I stay with his family. I’m sure they’re very busy with school and work and activities and the like.”

She was, to his vague surprise, trying to give him an out.

Or, more likely, covering her own hide as she probably didn’t want to sleep under the roof of a man who she’d heartlessly played twenty years ago.

However, twenty minutes after his sister had verbally accosted her in the foyer of her friend’s home, he could hardly say no.

Therefore, he said, “We have plenty of room.” Then he lied, “You’re more than welcome.”

She didn’t miss a beat, nodded to him and said, “Well, that’s kind of you.”

Then she took another sip of her drink and started to study the carpet.

Complete cool.

In fact, ice cold.

How was he once in love with this woman?

An hour later, when he had to pick up the kids, he took her to the school and she stood beside him while Jason had sauntered and Sally had rushed toward the 4x4.

Sally came to a skidding halt and stared at Isabella. Then her wide, glittering, happy eyes swung to her father.

“Is she a movie star?” Sally breathed.

Isabella startled him by laughing. It was not the uproarious, full-throated laughter he knew from decades ago. This was more controlled but, nevertheless, authentic.

“You’re my new best friend,” she told Sally.

Prentice mentally braced.

His daughter was all girl, all girl with no mother and the likes of Isabella was undoubtedly a dream come true.

“I am?” Sally whispered.

“You are,” Isabella confirmed on a nod then went on, sealing Prentice’s doom, “I like your nail polish.”

Sally held up her hands and surveyed them. “It needs changed.”

“I’m a pretty dab hand with a manicure,” Isabella replied.

Prentice had no doubt of that.

“You’d give me a manicure?” Sally asked, like this was her most fervent wish when he knew that morning (because she told him, twice), her most fervent wish was to have a horse and the morning before it had been to go shopping at Harrods, not that he knew where she picked up that ludicrous idea and lamented the fact that his daughter had to go to school at all, especially when there were other girls there with imaginations far more vivid than Sally’s, which was saying something.

“I’m Bella,” Isabella said softly and Sally sighed.

“No, you’re Mrs. Evangelista,” Prentice stated firmly and Isabella’s head turned to him enquiringly but he ignored her and looked at his daughter. “And she’s staying with us for a week. She’s Annie’s maid of honor.”