The Grand Duel (The Grand Men #4)

Chapter 34

THIRTY-FOUR

Lissie

I sit up in the seat when Charlie turns into a little lane off the main road, the cattle grid making my teeth rattle momentarily. Fields pass us by on either side of the car, the tall trees lining the lane making it hard to see beyond, but I can make out enough to see the beauty in it.

“Wow. What a view.”

“One of the best views in the world.” He leans in closer, slowing down so that I can see better. “I may be slightly biased, though.”

“Wait, do the Lowells own all of this?”

He smiles. “If the Lowells don’t own it, it’s Montgomery land.”

“Elliot?”

“His parents. They live over on the other side of the lake.”

Shit. They’re rich rich. I rub my hands together between my thighs, sitting up. “Should I not get dressed? I’m covered in dirt from the logs.”

“You’re perfect.”

“Charlie, I’m filthy. I’m wearing your clothes.” Oh god. “I have a T-shirt on underneath, but I’ll be freezing. I didn’t even wear a proper bra.”

“Thank you for that information.”

I slap his arm and give him a look. “Charlie.”

“You don’t need to worry. I meant what I said.” He looks across at me, his eyes reassuring. “You’re perfect, Lis. Just like this.” We pull up to a sprawling fucking mansion, and my mouth drops. “You’ll see.”

The house is huge. Made of granite with steps leading up to a terrace that wraps around the entire front of the home. I’ve lived amongst the richest of the rich, but this is different. This is quiet, old, untouched. It’s invaluable.

“Mason Lowell owns this ?” I ask as we make our way up the steps.

“With his sister. They both live here with their children.”

“No bother with the size.”

“No,” Charlie says with a chuckle.

He pushes in through the doors without knocking and before I can prepare myself, we’re catapulted into noise.

My eyes try to focus on one thing, but they can’t, bouncing from multiple doors, the wooden staircase that forks off at the top in two different directions?—

“Uncle Charlie.”

We turn, finding a little boy running towards us, his arms already outstretched. I step back as Charlie bends and lifts him. “Hey, Ellis,” he says, smiling at the little boy.

“We wait for you.”

“You did?”

The little boy, Ellis, nods, fingering the collar of Charlie’s sweatshirt with his little hand. He side-eyes me, and I smile. He looks away, hiding his head behind Charlie’s.

“Ellis, this is Lissie. Do you want to say hello?”

He shakes his head.

“She’s really nice.”

He shakes his head.

“She likes triple chocolate ice cream. Isn’t that your favourite, too?”

His head lifts, peeking over at me.

“Hi, Ellis.”

He ducks behind Charlie again, and we chuckle.

“Better late than never, Aldridge.”

Mason Lowell appears from a room at the end of the hall, his hands full with a child on one hip and a jug of something in the other.

Mason Lowell is as lovely to look at as I remember.

As is Charlie Aldridge.

“Ah, you’re here.”

As is Elliot Montgomery.

The blond-haired man steps back a step into the room he’s leaving.

“Girls, she’s here.”

I smile nervously at the three men and two children, feeling like I’ve stepped into the lion’s den at the zoo.

Mason comes to where we stand and gives me a wide smile. “It’s great to see you again so soon, Lissie.” He leans in and kisses my cheek.

I feel Charlie’s eyes on him the entire time.

My attention is captured by the little girl in Mason’s arms, though. Who, the second she’s close enough, launches herself at Charlie.

The two men swap children as if they’ve done it a million times before. “Hey, Ave.” He leans in and kisses her forehead, his hold on her gentle, familiar.

She seems to be a year or so younger than the little boy. Scarlet’s daughter, Waverley, if I remember correctly, although they call her Ave.

Elliot comes and wraps me in the type of hug you’d give an old friend. Someone you’ve known for twenty years. It’s unexpected. It’s…nice.

“I’ve been warned to be on my best behaviour this evening, Lissie.” He pulls back. “But I can’t make promises when this handsome man surprises us with such a special guest.” He smiles across at his friend. “Evening, Charles.”

“Montgomery,” Charlie mutters, a warning gaze directed at Elliot, who just smirks back.

“Oh my goodness, give the girl a chance to get in the door. What is this?” A blonde-haired woman steps out of the room Elliot had come from, her eyes widened and on me as she walks between the three of them. “Lissie, it’s so nice to meet you.”

“Hi,” I say, smiling. “It’s Lucy, isn’t it?”

“It is! Has Charles been talking about us as much as he has about you?” She looks to him.

I chuckle. “Yes.” I look up at him, too. “Briefly. But it was your fiancé who was showing me your picture when we ran into each other at The Montwell last week that put a face to the name.”

“That was sneaky,” Elliot says, pointing across at me with a smile. “You never told me you were there to buy a whole house.”

“That’s not on her,” Mason pipes up. “When she called and asked to meet with the both of us, I told her what a fucking idiot you are and that we’d leave you out of it.”

Elliot gives his business partner the finger and pulls Lucy into the crook of his arm.

She goes willingly, kisses his cheek, and then quickly pulls away. “Lissie, excuse them. Come meet the girls.” Her hand latches onto my forearm, and I lock eyes with Charlie.

He nods in reassurance, but it does nothing to reassure me.

I’m terrified.

We enter the room they all filtered out from—the kitchen. It’s modern, with a farmhouse feel, and a large centre island in the middle. There’s food covering almost every surface, the smell of it divine and making my mouth water.

“It’s snot, Scar babe.” The woman chuckles. “Go and change it.”

“It’s cheese sauce.”

“It’s not! Ellis and Ave are full of a cold, and why would you get cheese sauce on your shoulder?”

“Girls,” Lucy sings.

The two women turn from their spot at the Rayburn. Their eyes widen and then relax.

“Lissie!” the brunette says, coming at me with open arms. “I’m Nina.” She rubs across my back and then pulls away, looking me over. It definitely gets a little bit weird, but then she twists and gestures towards the lavender-haired woman. “This is Scarlet.”

Scarlet—the one whose boyfriend, or not boyfriend, is in prison. “Hi,” I say, feeling a little apprehensive with the way she’s not moved from her spot. “It’s lovely to meet you all.” I swallow, feeling like I have to fill the short beat of silence that comes. “I’m sorry about what I’m wearing. I wasn’t expecting to be invited to dinner, and I was out at Charlie’s cottage mucking around, so now I’m covered.”

The three of them smile at once. “ Please ,” Nina tells me. “Scar is snot-covered, and I’m still in my tights.” She points to her legs where she looks to be donning a pair of shiny ballet tights. “You’re fine.”

“Shall we plate up?” Scarlet asks, nervously looking between the other two girls.

Nina nods and joins her again, leaving Lucy and me standing at the kitchen island watching. “Can I get you a drink, Lissie?” she asks me, her smile as bright as her fiancé’s was before.

“We have some champagne opened,” Nina says, looking down the length of the worktop. “Uh, where is it?”

“I’ll get her a drink.” Charlie’s voice washes over me like my duvet after a long day, and my gut uncoils. “Are they being nice?” he says into my ear, his hand teasing down my waist as he steps to stand beside me.

“Of course we are!” Nina defends, looking over her shoulder, her eyes lingering on us. “Dinner is ready, Charles. Do you want to pick out some wine instead?”

He looks to me and cocks his head to go with him.

I follow him out of the kitchen, a heavy sigh whooshing out of me when we find the entrance hall empty.

“You okay?” he asks, our hands slightly brushing as we walk down a set of stairs into a darkened, open space.

He hits the lights and leads me into the wine cellar.

“The house is huge.”

“It is. Mason has builders coming in soon to knock all of this through. They want a swimming pool and a dance studio for Nina so she can work from home.”

“Wow.” I look around the wine cellar, wondering how they could ever get through it all.

Charlie’s hand smooths up my back, the warmth of his palm at the base of my neck making my eyes drift closed. “You okay?”

I realise I hadn’t responded the first time and twist my head up to look at him. “There’s a lot of them.”

“There are. They’re harmless, though. You’ll like them.”

I smile, letting my eyes flick around his face and settle the nerves that followed me through the house and down the stairs. “I don’t think Scarlet was expecting me. Or wasn’t keen on me. I don’t know what they thought of me.” I can’t help but want them to like me. These people who I know mean so much to him.

“Scarlet likes everyone. She’s just a little more reserved than Nina and Luce. Those two aren’t completely sane.”

I smile again, and he frowns, uncertainty bleeding from the blacks of his eyes as he drops them to a spot on my cheek.

My heart starts to thump, his lips part, and then he leans in and places a kiss there.

Heavy eyes lift, his face so close I could tip my head an inch and catch his lips in a proper kiss. “Don’t be nervous, Lissie girl.” He reaches for my hand and places it over his sweatshirt, his heart hammering as quick as mine. “Least not alone.”

“Why are you nervous?” Doubt flares under my skin. “I thought you wanted me to come.”

“I’m not nervous that you’re here,” he says, swallowing as his eyes dip to my mouth and back up, blue eyes flicking between mine. “I’m losing my mind over the fact my friends can simply hold you, kiss you, get to know you, without a second thought.”

“You’re jealous?”

He shakes his head. “I certainly don’t like sharing you.”

My lips twist. “Charles, we’ve been here for ten minutes.”

He shrugs. “I know. I keep thinking I want to kiss you.”

I roll my lips, my face heating. “You once told me you could find better things to do with our mouths.”

“Because I’m a fucking mess who can’t kiss a woman.”

My brows twitch. I reach up and smooth my hand over his jaw. “You’re far from a mess, Charlie Aldridge.” His head turns into my hand, his lips brushing the tips of my fingers. “I said I’d help you, and I will, but I’m still trying to figure out how I do that without crossing boundaries.”

“Exist,” he rasps out. “Simply exist, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be alright.”

My smile is sad, warm, a mix of both maybe. Mostly because there’s a level of pain that comes with the knowledge that this man wants me, wants to do differently, because why hasn’t anyone tried to help him sooner? Why hasn’t someone seen what he is beyond the suit and stern face and demanded he see it too?

He’s beautiful, undeniably the most attractive man I’ve ever met, and yet he denies himself the simplest of life’s pleasures over something he could never be.

I can’t help but wonder how many women have tried and failed.

How many he let close enough to even afford the chance.

And yet here I am, me , watching him unravel before me in the middle of a wine cellar whilst he tells me existing is the answer.

I can’t—won’t—let that opportunity slip through my fingers.

I smooth my hand over his jaw, lifting his chin. Leaning in, I gently kiss the side of his cheek as he had mine. “I walk, you run, Charlie boy. I have a lifetime to exist.”

He lets out a shuddered breath, and I let him be in the space that’s left between us, the void of unknown that’s his to fill. Whenever he’s ready.

Simply exist.

I’ve failed at a lot of things in my life, but I’m pretty sure this is something I can manage.

Dinner is overwhelming, to say the least, and I couldn’t help spending the majority of the time watching Charlie and his friends interact.

There’s something beautiful about a friendship that spans years. I have it with Jovie, but not on this scale. This many people. The ability to anticipate not only someone’s next movement but their next thought, filling in sentences, and laughing with them at stupid inside jokes only you’ll ever understand. Being so intimately connected with not just one person but a group of people who you just know would do absolutely anything for you.

I can’t imagine ever having anything like what they share.

“Are you okay, Lissie? I’m sorry if this afternoon’s been a little much.”

I shake my head, clear my thoughts, and sit up a little as Nina’s attention beacons at me across the table. “It’s been lovely. I’m sorry, I think I zoned out a little there.”

The men have disappeared into the house with the children, leaving Nina, Lucy, Scarlet, and me at the dinner table.

“We tend to have a slow and sleepy Sunday afternoon after our roast. You’re not the only one,” Lucy says.

“I’m not used to having so many people around one table. You’ve all been so lovely to me.”

“Our table number keeps growing,” Nina says, her hand rubbing over her swollen stomach. “And it’s been refreshing having you here. For all of us.”

I smile across the table at her. “How many weeks are you?”

“Fifteen, believe it or not. I barely had a bump with Ellis until I was much further along.”

“It’s going to be a girl,” Lucy says. “Remember how big Scar was with Ave.”

“And the pictures of Ellis when she was pregnant with Scar.” Nina turns to me, trying to include me. “She was so much smaller with Mase.”

“Ellis?” I ask, confused.

“My mum,” Scarlet says, looking across at her sister-in-law. They share a smile. “She passed away young. It’s who Ellis is named after.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

She smiles awkwardly, sipping her wine. She side-eyes me. “My dad died too…just to get that out of the way.”

My eyes widen. “Oh?—”

“Scar,” Nina scolds, chuckling. “Oh my god.”

Lucy shakes her head in disbelief, her smile wide. “Jesus. And we were doing so well.”

“Sorry,” Scarlet says guiltily. “It’s always so awkward. It’s going to come up so why not get it over with?”

I fight my smile as I watch them. “I’m so sorry, Scarlet.” I roll my lips, not being able to stop the contagiousness of their laughing. “Really, I am. I don’t know why…” I gesture to my face. “I don’t know why I’m laughing.”

She looks at me and then the other two girls, her lips curling before she breaks out into her own laugh. “No, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea to say that.”

I let my laugh fully pass my lips. “You really caught me off guard.”

“Hi, my name’s Scarlet, and I’m the number one member of the dead parents club,” Nina mocks.

I cover my mouth.

“That’s brutal, Scar,” Lucy tells her, wiping at the corners of her eyes.

“It finally broke the ice.” Scarlet shrugs, smiling around her glass of wine. “Lissie can tell us all about her and Charlie now.”

I feel my cheeks redden and wish I’d put on a little more makeup this morning. “I’m not sure there’s a lot to tell. We’re…friends, I guess.”

They sit and watch me for maybe five seconds before their laughing resumes.

“Oh, my goodness, Lissie, I’m sorry.” Lucy holds her hand up at me. “We’re not being bitches.”

“What is it?” I say, my smile seemingly stuck in place.

“Charles hasn’t ever so much as mentioned a woman to us,” she explains. “The fact you’re here and think you’re just friends. I’m sorry it sounds so mean.”

I chuckle. “Well, why do you think I said ‘I guess’?”

They laugh with me, and I mentally stick a pin in the moment, securing it in the part of my brain where the good stuff goes. I’ve not sat around with a group of girls and laughed like this since I went to school.

“We don’t need details,” Scarlet tells me, sobering her features into a soft smile. “We’re just messing with you. And Charles. It’s mind boggling to see him bring someone into our family, it’s not something we expected, but I can assure you, it’s welcomed. Regardless of what you are to him.”

I look between them, their smiles so genuine, mine still there, almost aching. “Thank you.”

“She’s right. We’re just happy to see him happy,” Nina tells me.

Lucy nods. “I think after the last couple of years, seeing Charlie turn up here today with a smile on his face like he did…” She seems to soak up that fact before looking towards Scarlet. “I’m pretty proud of the both of you, to be honest.” She holds her hand out to her friend, and she takes it.

I sit back, letting them have their moment.

“Thanks, Luce,” Scarlet tells her.

“Right,” Nina says, clapping as she stands up. “Before we all turn to complete mush today. I have something to show you, Luce.”

She rounds the table and leaves the room, re-entering a moment later with a box.

“What is it?” Lucy asks, walking to where Nina stands at the head of the table.

When Scarlet gets up, too, I follow.

“I know you’re our design queen, but I wanted to do something special for your wedding day.” She lifts the lid on the box and pulls out a mass of sheer material.

“Nina, your veil,” Lucy says, taking it. “Wait.” She examines the edges closer, and her face drops.

“It’s the lace from your mum’s veil. We knew the thickness of hers wasn’t working for you, so we had Jean add some of it to the edges of mine. You always said you loved my veil.”

She turns with her hand covering her mouth. “I love it.”

“You do?”

“Of course I do! It’s perfect.”

“Put it on,” Scarlet tells her.

She ducks down, and Nina places it into her hair, the moment tender, what little girls dream of.

My eyes burn watching them, and I swipe at the corners, in awe of the moment.

I can’t imagine having friends like that.

Like this.

A friendship that seems so easy and pure.

“Well?” Lucy says, her eyes shining as she blinks more tears away.

“It’s beautiful,” I tell her.

“Perfect, Luce,” Scarlet adds. “It’ll match your dress perfectly, too.”

“It will,” she says, a little sob slipping free. She laughs through it and pulls Nina in for a hug. “I don’t know why I’m crying.”

“I thought we could share it.” Nina looks from Lucy to Scarlet and then, bizarrely, maybe just politely, to me. “Each leave something added to the veil for the next one. Megs, too, of course.”

“Yes!” Lucy hisses. “Oh, I love that.” A fresh wave of tears hits her.

“Luce, stop, you’ll set me off.” Scarlet goes over and cuddles into her friend.

I watch on, feeling like I’m intruding on something I shouldn’t be.

“Lissie, what must you think,” Lucy says. “We tried so hard to be normal.”

Scarlet chuckles. “We did. We had to have a chat before you arrived to make a list of all the things we’d not talk about at the risk of scaring you away.”

I smile at them. “Dead dads wasn’t on it?”

They laugh more.

The door creeps open, and their eyes widen. “Stop!” Nina yells.

I rush for the door and push against it to stop whoever it is from coming inside, praying it’s not Elliot. I poke my head out to see who it is and find Charles staring down at me, his frown deep. “What’s going on in there?”

I breathe a sigh of relief and chuckle, stepping outside and pulling the door closed behind me. I look up at him, my grin wide. “They’re chaos, and I love them.”