Will nodded but then hesitated again as they passed the entrance to the ballroom.
Just two more minutes at a piano…
But no, he’d better not! For whatever reason, he seemed to have managed to rub his brothers up the wrong way. He’d better go along with their little game for a minute. He’d join them for something to eat and then maybe they’d let him play in peace.
Will trailed after Ewan, who was heading towards the back door, which led to the gardens. He could practically feel Matt’s tutting eyerolls following him as he went.
As they stepped outside, Will lifted his face to greet the evening sunshine and felt something in him shift again. He was home. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Maybe he should spend a bit more time at Seabury House while he was in town. Maybe…
His thought process ground to a halt as they rounded the corner of the house, only to find that the large picnic table between the flowerbeds was already occupied.
Suddenly, Will understood what his brothers had been getting at. Hewasa plonker, wasn’t he?!
Leah. She was right there.
Will paused, watching quietly for a long moment. Rosie was clearly in the middle of entertaining the girls with a lively story, and when she paused at what he assumed was a dramatic climax—if her flailing arms were anything to go by—Leah burst out in a laugh so clear and unguarded that it took his breath away.
He’d never heard her laugh like that before. Hell, did he even know this beautiful woman he’d spent so much of the last three years with?
Will gave his head a little shake. Of course he did. Leah was capable, organised and thorough. She was also kind, patient and fun to be around.
Let’s add beautiful and breathtaking to the list, shall we?!
Another surge of music ran through him. It was nearing a crescendo now, and he needed to capture it before it was lost. Maybe he could just dash to the ballroom. Just a few minutes at the piano and he’d have it down. Then he could come back outside.
‘Ladies… prepare to share your picnic!’ called Ewan.
The three women turned to stare at their little invasion party, and Connie let out a delighted cheer at the sight of Ewan approaching.
‘Don’t even think about getting up!’ he chuckled, jogging to her and dropping a kiss on her head.
‘This is… unexpected!’ said Rosie, smiling at Matt before shooting a concerned glance at Leah.
‘Blame my idiot brother,’ said Matt.
Will flinched.
‘Which one?’ said Rosie.
‘Oi!’ huffed Ewan, scrambling onto the bench next to Connie and stealing an olive from her plate. ‘That one, of course!’ he said, pointing at Will.
Will smiled sheepishly, still hovering several feet away from the little party. Leah glanced at him briefly, and he saw a whole range of emotions cross her face, though he couldn’t read a single one of them. All he knew was that once again, Leah was here at the heart of his family… and it felt right.
‘Don’t tell me he did something to get you all chucked out of the hotel?!’ said Connie, her eyes wide.
‘Chance would have been a fine thing,’ said Matt. ‘At least that would have meant he’d turned up.’
‘Yeah,’ huffed Ewan, grabbing a slice of bread and buttering it like his life depended on it. ‘The git stood us up.’
‘Well… there you go,’ said Connie, laughing.
‘Yeah, looks like I owe Leah a fiver!’ said Rosie.
‘What do you mean?’ said Will, unfreezing at last and mooching towards the table.
Leah glanced at him again and smiled uncertainly. Will froze. He hoped he was smiling back, but something told him he might just be staring like an idiot.
‘We told her the boys were taking you out tonight,’ said Rosie. ‘She wanted to add it to her diary so that she could remind you, but I said you were a big boy and could get yourself there on time.’
