Peyton tried a piece of fried bread, clearly a new experience, and it was as if she’d seen God. Butter could do that to you.

‘You’re not even supposed to see me before the ceremony!’ she reminded him again, tapping him on the arm with her fork.

‘I know. But for a while there I thought I wasn’t going to see you at all, so let’s just enjoy this delicious breakfast and we’ll get back to the plan after that. Deal?’

‘Deal,’ she said, grinning at him with that wide Californian smile, enhanced just a little by a thin layer of tomato sauce, courtesy of the beans.

39

Vance did not take the news well, but I rather enjoyed myself. Lorcan was desperate to come with me to pass on the message because the bloke had irritated him from the start, but I persuaded him to deliver Peyton to the castle, where she was staying, and take Patrick back to his parents’ and begin getting ready. As a compromise, I promised to get Calum to surreptitiously record our conversation so Lorcan could enjoy it at a later date. To say Vance wasn’t exactly complimentary about me was an understatement, but, then again, most of the wedding party came in for it from him. Bearing in mind how Lorcan had reacted last time Vance had been rude, it was probably just as well he wasn’t there as I didn’t have time to clean up blood or bury a body.

* * *

‘You look like you need this.’ Lorcan handed me a large brandy and I just about found the energy to lift my arm to take it. I was flopped on the sofa in the snug, the door locked behind us, the wedding party having all finally made their way back to their respective abodes for the night. Calum had looked fit to drop and Lorcan had sent him home and made sure he’d messaged when he was back so we knew he was safe.

‘I really do. What a day.’

‘Are you pleased?’

‘I am. Peyton looked stunning and they both looked so happy, I couldn’t have asked for more.’

‘I think you’d be forgiven for asking for a little less drama at six o’clock this morning, but I know what you mean.’ He sat down heavily next to me, his bow tie hanging loosely around his neck and the first few buttons of his shirt open, exposing a few dark hairs against his skin. When I’d headed out with Ellise to meet him and Patrick approaching the castle, I’d hoped the bolt of electricity that shot through me at seeing Lorcan all dressed up had been calmly covered by my professionalism.

‘This is the guy you’ve been working with?’ Ellise had asked. ‘The taller one?’

‘Umm, yes. That’s him. The owner.’

She’d turned her head and met my eyes deliberately. ‘Lucky you.’