The Scotch Series: The Complete Series (Scotch #1-3) - Penelope Sky Page 0,260

give you two a minute…”

Ariel and I didn’t speak. Everything had already been said, but the heavy tension still remained. It would probably be awkward like this for a long time.

Ariel cleared her throat. “I guess I’ll start again tomorrow, if that’s okay.”

I nodded, unsure what else to say.

“I’ll make up for what I did,” she whispered. “Somehow, someway.”

“I hope so. You’re my closest friend. I’m angry with what you did…but you’ll always be important to me.”

“You’ve always been important to me too.”

When there was nothing left to say, I rose to my feet. “I’m going to spend the rest of the day with London. We’ll get back to work tomorrow.”

“Sounds good.” She stood up as well and looked at me.

I stared at her, but I didn’t know what else to do. It seemed like something was missing, but I didn’t know what. After what she did, I shouldn’t forgive her, but I found myself feeling better after we had the conversation.

Ariel came closer to me then moved her arms around my waist. She hugged me gently even though I didn’t reciprocate. “Congratulations, Crewe.” She dropped her embrace and turned away.

It was hard for me to stay angry when she seemed sincere. Ariel and I had so many memories that it was difficult not to think about them. If I let her go, I would be throwing away a friendship filled with a decade of happiness. “Thank you.”

London sat across from me on the terrace, avoiding my gaze because she knew this conversation wouldn’t be pleasant. “I know you feel like I ambushed you—”

“Because you did.”

“But I did it because you two needed to make up. What she did was wrong and I won’t defend her, but I think it’s best if we let it go. You two are great together. You shouldn’t throw away all those years when we can work it out now. She and I are on good terms.”

I knew London never would have done this if she weren’t so infatuated with me. She put aside her own feelings of irritation for a woman who constantly insulted her just to make me happy. I considered myself to be a very lucky man to know that kind of love. I had a woman who would do anything for me. And I would do anything for her. “Are you sure you want this?”

“Yes,” she said immediately. “I want us to start over—all of us.”

“You give her a lot more compassion than she ever gave you.”

“And now I’m certain she’s a more compassionate person because of it. So…are we okay?”

We would always be okay. “Yes, Lovely. Nothing can come between us.”

“Ariel will be back at work tomorrow?”

I nodded. “It’ll take a long time for the trust to come back…if it ever does. But our friendship is certainly there. Baby steps.”

“It’ll return to what it was in no time.”

There was nothing else to say about Ariel. We were moving forward, all three of us. “So, when are we gonna get married?”

“You tell me.”

“Well, I want to get married as soon as possible?”

“As soon as possible, huh? What’s the rush?”

“Babies,” I said honestly.

“Babies?” she asked in surprise. “You want to have kids right away?”

“I’ve always wanted my own family.”

“Well…that’s a lot of pressure on my ovaries.”

“We can wait if you want. But I’d rather not.”

“I’ve always wanted to have kids,” she said. “It just wasn’t in my five-year plan.”

“Well, I can’t wait five years, that’s for sure. I want to have little ones running around by then.”

“So if you had it your way, on our wedding night you’d be trying to knock me up?”

I smiled. “Damn right.”

“Wow. Think of the royal scandal…”

I chuckled. “We’ll wait until after the official ceremony, then. That gives us eight months together. Sounds fair.”

“Eight months is still pretty soon…but I’ll consider it.”

I couldn’t push her much further. She already gave up her life to be with me. If she needed another year before getting pregnant, I could be patient. “I’ll have Ariel prepare everything. As soon as you can get a dress, I’d like to tie the knot. The world won’t know we’re married, but we do—that’s all that matters to me.”

Her eyes softened. “I never thought you could be so romantic.”

“I’m not romantic,” I said honestly. “I just like being romantic with you.” London changed my life when she came to me as a prisoner. She taught me not to be bitter, to let my anger go, and to live life to the fullest and be