Goody Two Shoes (Invertary Book 2) by janet elizabeth henderson Page B

know fine well.”
    There was a time Helen would have felt distress at his words. A time when she would have spent hours trying to figure out what he meant. Not anymore. In fact, being away from the US had made her feel freer than she’d felt in years. Her need to tiptoe around her husband’s moods wasn’t as strong as it once was. She smiled at the thought.
    “I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about,” she said. “And frankly, I don’t really care.”
    His knuckles went white on the wheel. Helen turned back to the view. Andrew’s anger never bothered her. He wasn’t the type to strike out.
    They rode in silence for a few miles. Helen had thought the conversation was over, but he shocked her by speaking again.
    “The guy on the plane. You flirted with him for almost eight hours. Under my nose.”
    Helen felt her heart lurch inside of her. Was that jealousy? No. It couldn’t be. “I wasn’t flirting. I was having a conversation. A very pleasant conversation with someone who actually thought I was interesting.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “You can work it out yourself, Andrew McInnes.” She turned back to the glorious view. “Now if you don’t mind, I want to enjoy being here. In fact, stop at the next hotel you see. I want to spend a night here before we go to Invertary.”
    “And if I don’t want to spend the night?”
    “You can drop me off and I’ll see you at the castle tomorrow.”
    She thought she heard a growl, but when she looked back at him he was still staring at the road. Helen felt a zing of exhilaration course through her. This was the person she remembered being. The person she’d been years ago. She wasn’t sure if it was the scenery or the attention of the man on the plane, but she felt more like herself than she had in years.
    A few more miles and Helen relaxed back into her seat, letting the blues and purples of the Scottish highlands wash over her. She wished she’d made Andrew take her to Scotland years ago. It should have been something they’d enjoyed together.
    “It isn’t right to flirt in front of your husband.” His low voice rumbled through the interior of the car.
    Helen smiled as she looked out over a picture-perfect loch. And for the first time in her life, she was the one who stayed silent.
     
    “Where’s the bride?” Mitch said to Josh as he came into the kitchen.
    “Around,” Josh snapped. Hiding. The coward. One little kiss and she’d fled like the hounds of hell were on her tail.
    Mitch grabbed some chips from the cabinet.
    “What’s with the group meeting?” Mitch pointed at the wedding planner and the domino boys.
    “Would you believe we’re planning the wedding?”
    “By committee?”
    Millicent snorted, then covered her mouth as she pretended to cough. Josh frowned at her. At all of them. His famous sense of humour absent for once.
    “Right.” Caroline swept into the room and took the chair opposite him at the table—as far away from his as she could get. “Let’s get on with this.”
    Her back was rigid again. Her chin was in the air and her tone was icy. She was back in control. If it weren’t for the fact she wouldn’t make eye contact with him, Josh would have wondered if the whole episode in the hall had actually happened.
    “We need to decide on the submarine,” James said.
    Mitch almost choked on his chips. Josh shot him a glare.
    Caroline turned to the domino boys. “Not. One. Word. I already told you that this would not be a naval-themed wedding.” Her tone cold enough to freeze alcohol. They visibly swallowed and, one at a time, lowered their eyes.
    There was a moment of heavy silence. Josh glanced at Mitch, whose eyebrows had travelled up his forehead.
    “Now”—Caroline spread her hands on the table—“we are going to sort this wedding. Anyone have a problem with that?”
    “Not me,” Mitch said as Millicent and the boys shook their heads.
    At last, Caroline looked directly at Josh. The air