Someone, somewhere, whooped appreciatively, and Tori pulled back, her cheeks bright pink. She stepped out of his arms, then grabbed his hand. ‘Come on. We need to get back to work.’
We need to talk about that kiss. And do it again. Very soon.
But Jasper knew Tori. There’d be no discussion about what had just happened—or what could happen—between them until after she’d got this new idea down on paper.
After that, though, Jasper had plans.
* * *
‘The proposal certainly looks interesting.’ The earl put down the printout he’d been reading, lifted his glasses from his nose, and looked up at them. Tori forced her feet to stay planted on the centuries-old carpet. Shuffling from foot to foot wasn’t good for her professional appearance or the flooring. ‘And I must say I’m glad to see the two of you working together so well. That gives me hope for our future.’
He was looking at Jasper as he said it, Tori realised. Jasper, of course, was looking studiously out of the window over his father’s left shoulder. It was pitch black outside, so she had no idea what he was even pretending to look at.
She muffled a sigh. She understood Jasper’s anger and upset, of course she did. He had every right to be furious with his father for his actions, and maybe even angry with Felix for lying to him for so long. But she couldn’t help but wish he was even a little willing to move beyond the events of the past and consider the future.
Of course, she wasn’t sure if she’d have even had that thought if it hadn’t been for two days at the Moorside Inn, revisiting her own past. And it wasn’t as if she were rushing back there either, so who was she to judge? Sometimes the past was just too painful to live in—and too hard to leave behind. Jasper had run away, exactly the same as she had. He’d only come back to help his mother, and she’d only gone back to the Moorside because the snow had left her no other choice. Neither of them were exactly poster children for healthy forward momentum away from their issues. They just took their baggage with them when they ran.
And that would be fine. Except Liz and Henry were expecting her for Christmas now. And if Jasper couldn’t move on from what his father had done...then he wouldn’t be staying in the country much longer. He’d see his mother settled at Stonebury, if their plan worked. But beyond that? Tori had already made herself face up to the unwelcome truth that he’d be returning to his life in the States in the new year.
Another entry on a lengthy list of reasons why she mustn’t let herself grow too attached to the Viscount Darlton. Right after the fact that ‘Viscount’ was his actual title. Not her world, not her people. She was staff, not family.
And she’d given up the only family she had left to achieve even that.
Plus there was his unfortunate habit of never sticking with the same girl for more than a night or two, something that didn’t seem to have changed while he’d been away, given that he was still single.
Not that she’d exactly been pursuing romance and true love since Tyler had died, either. Her one night with Jasper had been a one-off.
Except now she’d kissed him. Again. And that was definitely the sort of action that could lead to it being more than a one-off, if she let it.
Well. That was a very distracting line of thought. Tori forced herself to abandon it until later as the earl continued speaking.
‘Which one of you came up with the idea for the Christmas tree farm?’
Tori snuck a look at Jasper, who returned it with a hint of a smile—the first she’d seen since they entered the office.
‘It was very much a collaborative project, my lord,’ she said, diplomatically. In truth, after that kiss she definitely wasn’t thinking about, she’d dragged Jasper back from the Christmas market to the side sitting room they’d been using as their office and declared that they were going to create Christmas every day at Stonebury!
Jasper had looked at her as if she were crazy, until she’d explained.
‘It’s perfect for it. We set up a permanent Christmas village, smaller than the market here, but with crafts for sale and—this is the important part—workshops so people can make their own wreaths, decorations, gifts etc. in the months running up to Christmas. We could do other seasonal workshops too—Valentine’s Day, Easter, that sort of thing. But the key would be Christmas, all year round. It’s the novelty of it that will draw people in.’
Jasper had looked thoughtful. ‘There was a small copse of fir trees behind the house, did you see? Apparently a previous owner had considered setting up a Christmas tree farm, but had to sell before it came to fruition. We could revive it, supplement it with bought-in trees until our own grew up enough...’
‘And we could keep reindeer!’ Tori had said excitedly.
Jasper had laughed and shaken his head. But Dasher, Dancer and their friends had made it into the proposal.
‘Well, I like the work you’ve done, and the figures and research included. Obviously I imagine the farm shop and catering facilities would be subsidising the more...interesting parts of the project for a while. But if word gets around, it could become a novelty feature for tourists, one of those “must see if you’re passing through” places. The location is good for that...’
‘And there’s a lot of local craftspeople always looking for new places to display and sell their wares. With more “buy local” initiatives springing up all the time, it would be good to be at the heart of that,’ Jasper added, the first time he’d spoken directly to his father since the meeting had started.
‘But you still want the house for...well, to be a personal dwelling, rather than part of the business?’ the earl asked Jasper.
Tori bit her lip and waited to see how he’d answer. Would he even want his father to know that he’d told her everything?
‘I want Mother to have somewhere to retreat to, that’s all,’ Jasper said. ‘You owe her that much.’
If the earl was surprised at his candour in front of Tori, he didn’t show it. Instead, he sighed, and said, ‘Very well. Let me think it over. I’ll let you know my decision in good time.’
Tori turned to leave, Jasper close behind her, his hand at the small of her back. It felt warm and protective—and absurdly sexy, given the smallness of the gesture.
‘But, son?’ the earl called suddenly, and she felt Jasper stiffen behind her. ‘I suggest you talk to your mother. While I’m considering.’
‘Told you so,’ Tori whispered as she was hurried out of the room.
‘Yeah, yeah,’ Jasper muttered back. ‘Come on.’
‘Where are we going now?’
‘We are going for a drink. And I am going to celebrate by eating the last of Henry’s pies.’
* * *
‘So you’re not going to share the pie?’ Tori’s voice was plaintive as she stared at his loaded plate across the kitchen table.
‘Nope.’ Jasper gave her a gleeful smile, and tucked in.
Mrs Rawkins had rolled her eyes when the two of them had bowled in and Tori had raided the wine cellar, while he’d retrieved the pie he’d dug out of the freezer earlier to defrost. She’d declared she was done for the night so, as long as they cleared up after themselves, she didn’t care what they got up to.
‘But my kitchen better be exactly as I left it,’ she’d warned as she’d put on her coat. ‘I’ve got staff coming in from everywhere to prepare for the party tomorrow night—and don’t you touch any of the food we’ve got prepped in the fridges. Okay?’ Tori and Jasper had nodded, mutely. Jasper had felt about sixteen again as she’d given them one last glare before sweeping out.
Mrs Rawkins needn’t have worried. Jasper’s priorities for the evening were quite simple. Eat this pie—while making Tori watch. Share a bottle of wine with a beautiful woman. And hopefully get her to talk about and maybe repeat that kiss.
After that, all he wanted to do was fall into bed—even if he wa
s alone. Although he wouldn’t say no to company if Tori offered... The last few days of extreme work hours were catching up with him, and Mrs Rawkins wasn’t the only one who needed to prepare for tomorrow night’s party. As the heir to the Flaxstone estate, he knew there’d be expectations placed on him—even if he’d successfully avoided them for the past five years.
And he needed to talk to his mother. Tori was right; he couldn’t put that off any longer.
‘A decent man would at least let me try a bite,’ Tori tried again.
‘A decent woman wouldn’t have stolen fifty per cent of my pies,’ Jasper pointed out, between mouthfuls. ‘Although I guess I could always go back to the Moorside and ask Henry for more...’
The teasing look disappeared from Tori’s face at that, and she reached for the bottle of red wine they’d opened and topped up both their glasses.
‘Or you could bring me some when you go back for Christmas,’ he pushed.
‘What’s the point?’ Tori asked. ‘You’ll be heading back to the States as soon as your mother is settled at Stonebury, assuming the earl agrees to our plan.’
‘I’d come back for this pie,’ Jasper said appreciatively, taking another mouthful. Then he caught sight of Tori’s expression. ‘Unless you don’t want me to leave?’
They hadn’t talked about this. Hadn’t talked about the future. Hadn’t even talked about them as a thing that was edging ever closer to happening. Jasper was almost certain she felt it as much as he did, but, apart from that excited kiss at the Christmas market, there’d been no sign that Tori was willing to move any further, and so Jasper had waited.
Until now.
‘You need to live your life wherever makes you happiest,’ she said, with a shrug. She didn’t meet his gaze though. ‘And I can’t see that being here once your father makes his big announcement about Felix.’