had overheard that remark and, as he placed her cup and plate before Aimi, he glanced at his brother. ‘What’s not too soon?’ he queried, frowning, and Jonas grinned at him.
‘Your arrival with the food. Aimi was getting ready to eat the table.’
‘Sorry I took so long,’ Nick apologised, and she shot Jonas a warning look.
‘You didn’t. Jonas is pulling your leg.’
‘He has a habit of doing that,’ Nick confirmed wryly.
Jonas’s lips twitched and he sat up straighter. ‘Actually, I was flirting with Aimi, and she was giving me a hard time.’
‘Good for you, Aimi!’ Nick encouraged her, giving her a wink. ‘There are too many women who fall into his arms at a click of his fingers already!’ He took the chair next to her and started to wolf down his breakfast. Aimi followed suit, and silence fell over the table.
‘What time are the hordes descending?’ Jonas asked some time later.
‘Midday onwards. Then it’s the same old drill. Dad will be doing his usual cremation job on the bangers and burgers!’
Jonas grinned and glanced at Aimi. ‘Have you been to one of our beanfeasts before?’
She couldn’t help smiling at their amusement. ‘No, this is my first,’ she admitted. She was a little nervous about meeting the family. Finding herself amidst a group of strangers had been commonplace once, and she had thrown herself into the party mood with enthusiasm. Since that awful day, though, the thought of laughing and having fun had seemed wrong. How could she ever do that again, as if nothing had happened, when she was the one at fault? She couldn’t and live with herself, so she had avoided parties, and her so-called friends had slowly drifted away. These days she preferred small, intimate dinners with people she knew well.
‘Then you’re in for quite an experience!’ Jonas told her with droll humour, breaking her introspective mood.
Nick clicked his fingers. ‘Hey, do you remember when…’
Aimi tuned out as the brothers took a humorous trip down memory lane. Sitting back in her seat and slowly eating her last croissant, she watched them both closely. They were very much alike. Both were handsome men, but Nick’s face had softer lines. His hair was dark brown, whilst Jonas’s was black. Nick exuded warmth, gentleness and caring, yet it was Jonas’s more rugged lines that drew her attention.
Quite unexpectedly, Aimi found herself wanting to reach out and trace the lines of his face, to commit them to memory. Which was a ridiculous thing to be thinking. She did not want to remember him. The sooner they parted company, the better. Yet, as soon as the thought entered her head, one small part of her suddenly felt lost. She looked down at her coffee cup, frowning in yet more confusion. What was it about him that touched her? Good Lord, he only wanted one thing from her. Yet…there was just something about him.
The sound of laughter made her tune back in and she looked up to see Nick doubled up with mirth and Jonas grinning from ear to ear. It brought a smile to her own lips and an odd twist to her heart.
A piercing whistle cut into the laughter and made all three look round. Michael Berkeley stood at the end of the terrace, beckoning to them.
‘Come along, you two! I need some muscle to set up tables. Get a move on!’
With wry looks at each other, the two brothers got to their feet obediently.
‘Dad likes marshalling his troops,’ Nick remarked fondly.
Aimi grinned at his expression. ‘Have fun!’ she teased and, as he walked away, caught Jonas’s eye. The mocking look was back. As her stomach lurched, she raised an eyebrow questioningly. ‘Was there something else?’
‘Just this,’ he said and, walking round the table, bent to drop a swift kiss on Aimi’s cheek before she could prevent it.
‘Hey!’ she exclaimed, whilst her pulse did a skittish pitter-pat. The feel of the brush of his lips on her skin took her breath away, it was so stunning.
Jonas was unrepentant. ‘I have to have some fun. Consider that a little something on account!’ he riposted neatly and followed his brother, leaving Aimi speechless.
She was left watching his rear view, and quite a view it was. Damn the man, he was just about perfect to look at. Broad-shouldered, with slim hips and long, powerful legs. There was no point trying to pretend otherwise, few men could compete with him. Of course, she immediately berated herself for noticing, when she was trying to keep these wanton wayward thoughts about him out of her mind.
She would have to try harder. Much, much harder. Bad enough that he was occupying her thoughts; she could not allow him to tempt her into breaking the solemn promise she had made. She had to resist.
IN AN effort to do that very thing, Aimi quickly finished her breakfast, then went indoors to find the library. It was a wonderful room, full of shelves of leather-bound books that called to her. For the next few hours she happily browsed, making notes of the books she wanted to dip into for the information Nick required. Finding a diary written by Nick’s great-grandfather, she took it to a chair where she tucked her feet up under her and was soon lost in another world.
Nick found her there much later. ‘There you are!’ he exclaimed as he entered the room, and Aimi looked up in surprise. She had been so lost in the writing she hadn’t heard anything.
‘Did you want me?’ she asked, hastily sitting up, swinging her legs down and slipping her feet back into her shoes.
‘Yes, the rest of the family have arrived. We’ll be eating soon,’ he told her as she stood up, and Aimi’s heart sank.
‘Honestly, Nick, your family don’t want a stranger in their midst. I’ll be much more use to you here.’
‘The books can wait,’ he said, removing the diary from her fingers and setting it down on a table. ‘I want you to have some fun this weekend, too.’
He would not be gainsaid and, without further protest, Aimi allowed herself to be ushered out of the house and into the garden. The barbecue had been set up by the pool, and that was where the family had congregated. Nick introduced Aimi to the various groups around the tables. Everyone made her feel welcome and were genuinely fascinated about the book she was helping Nick to research. In a very short time, Aimi was able to relax and, instead of going through the motions of acting as if she were enjoying herself, was actually doing that very thing. She said as much to Nick when they had a brief moment to themselves.
‘My family are good people. I’m glad they’ve made you feel comfortable.’
Aimi glanced around her, seeing the large group of laughing, happy people through new eyes. It had taken a long time, but today she was discovering that she could actually enjoy herself without feeling guilty. The sky hadn’t fallen in, nor the world come to an end. She didn’t know why today had proved to be different from all the other days, but for the first time in aeons she had been able to put her burden aside for a few hours and simply live for the moment.
‘Thank you for insisting I join you,’ she responded with a smile, and Nick gave a tiny bow.
‘You’re very welcome, I’m sure,’ he quipped and, as they moved on, Aimi’s heart felt that tiniest bit lighter. Of course it wouldn’t last. Later, reality would return, but for now she accepted this strange new sense of freedom without question.
It was while they were chatting to one of his cousins that Nick’s beeper sounded. Though it was his weekend off, as a specialist surgeon he was often on call for emergencies.
‘It’s the hospital,’ Nick informed her, recognising the number of the caller. ‘I’d better take it inside. I won’t be long.’ He gave her a rueful look before striding away.