“I’m sorry. You don’t need the full recap, and believe me, I’m not trying to warn you off women.” She took Vic’s hand in her own. “I’m glad you’re reaching out. I don’t even know why you’re not in Scotland right now, but whatever it is, I hate the idea of you facing everything alone.”

Vic looked away, not trusting herself to meet Emma’s soft, searching eyes.

“It’s okay.” Emma squeezed her fingers. “You don’t have to tell me, but I care about you. I want you to have fun. I want you to have a torrid affair if that’s what you need, but I don’t want you to get eaten alive.”

“I’m a grown woman.” She bristled. “I’m having a business dinner with a woman who interests me as a person. I’m not pulling her onto any balconies to introduce her to the dukedom.”

Emma grinned. “Good, then enjoy your evening. Just keep it casual.”

“Casual?” she asked playfully. “I am the epitome of casual.”

Emma laughed heartily again. “I think you mixed up the meaning of the words epitome and opposite.”

“Low blow to insult my vocabulary, Volant. Maybe you haven’t had the opportunity to see me in my casual date settings?”

“Haven’t I?” Emma asked. “I seem to recall we went on one pseudo-date, and you spent much of it telling me all the reasons you’d be a terrible person to marry.”

Her heart clenched at the memory, but she couldn’t dispute the charge. “That might not have been my finest moment.”

Emma’s expression softened. “I wouldn’t go that far. You were beautiful and earnest and open. Anyone who’s genuine and honest with themselves would find you utterly endearing. I just worry Sophia is world-wearier and more suspicious than either one of us is used to. I don’t want to see you get your heart broken.”

Vic chuckled even though her chest still constricted. “I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s misplaced. For what it’s worth, I share your assessment of Ms. LeBlanc’s calibre, and I highly doubt a woman like her would ever give me any reason to indulge silly romantic fantasies long enough to endanger my heart.”

“Okay. I trust you. I’ll stop, but for clarity’s sake, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with indulging silly romantic fantasies, so long as you share them with the right person.”

Vic sighed and stepped back, breaking the contact between them at the reminder inherent in that statement. “Speaking of which, do you need to get home to Brogan?”

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

“Have fun on your date,” Talia called as she hopped into a cab driven by a young man with a shock of bright red hair.