AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The crowd murmurs, slowly raising their cups to Freya.
“Time for a toast.” She lifts her champagne flute. “To our wee sweet Fiona. The only woman who could make my brother Callum an honest man. And to her golden vagina. May she give me many nieces and nephews I can fill with sugar and then return to her!”
She turns to her lawyer friends. “And now, you crazy hens, we islanders will teach you lassies how to say cheers in Gaelic. It’s pronounced Slanj-a-va. Say it with me!”
The entire group of women join in, raising their glasses, their joy-filled eyes smiling at me. “Slàinte Mhath!” My heart feels so full it could burst.
Kitt giggles at the silly toast. “Freya’s so funny! But it’s a little early to think about nieces and nephews.” When I don’t answer, she whispers in my ear. “You are using birth control, aren’t you, Fiona?”
“Course we are!” I lie.
I am, as Callum said, a terrible liar. I’ve not had much practice, nor do I want to, but now I wish I was better at the wee white lies, as Kitt is staring at me, curious.
I flush, thinking of the fact that we’ve never used birth control. I’ve always wanted to be a mum, so I’ve not given it much thought. Okay, I have. I’m an over-the-top responsible person in every aspect of my life other than…birth control.
My mam taught me natural family planning, the same method she used, and I track my cycle, which, like me, is predictable and punctual. Thus far, I’ve managed to keep Callum at bay on my fertile days, offering…to satisfy him in other ways. Of course, I think about the repercussions of not using a more secure method, but I seem to ignore the issue, burying the thought each time he buries himself deep inside my—apparently magical—minge.
Lost in thought, I change the subject. “Look! My wisteria’s finally blooming.” Lifting my glass to my lips, my eyes rise to admire the vines of the fragrant Blue Moon Wisteria I planted. The tiny purple blooms form in a soft mound of flowers, hanging like a bunch of grapes.
But…what’s that?
Beneath a plump bunch of the blooms, there’s a black “X” painted on the wall. My pulse triples its pace, my face goes flush, and it’s not from the champagne. I’d recognize the symbol anywhere.
The “X” of the Hoax.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Callum
The moment the final guest files out the front door, Fiona comes running into my arms. She’s shaking. I hold her tight.
“Fiona, what’s wrong?”
“It’s the Hoax!”
“What!” I hold her at arm’s length, resting my hands on her shoulders to study her face. “What’s happened? Did something happen at the party?”
“No.” She shakes her head, red curls bouncing. “It was lovely. Perfect. I’m so loved, so spoiled.” For a moment, her happy smile shines up at me. “Freya went above and beyond. It was incredible.”
“Good. You deserve it.” I kiss the top of her head, working around the tiara.
Reaching up, she pulls the sparkly hairpiece from her head. I help her untangle it from her long, still beautiful, red and golden hair.
“Silly thing,” she says, twirling it between her fingers, her sweet smile telling me it’s the furthest thing from silly to her. I’d bet my house that tiara will go straight into the wooden memory box she keeps all her treasures in.
“Looked cute on you. But what doesn’t?” I take her back into my arms, staring down at her. “Now, the Hoax? What’s got you so upset?”
“There’s an ‘X.’ On the inner wall. Hiding under my wisteria. I saw it as the party was beginning to wrap up. I didn’t want to put a damper on anyone’s fun day, so I waited to tell you when everyone was headed home or to the hotel. Didn’t want to worry them, either. Especially my Golden Girls.”
“You see something that scares you and think of others' happiness first? That’s so you, Fiona. Though next time, I’d have you come to me immediately.” I kiss her. “But I can assure you, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“What do you mean?” Her brow crinkles. “I know you’ve had ‘X’s’ on the outer fence in the past, but how did one get inside the garden walls?”
“Me.”
To get a better look at my face, she pulls away. “You?”
“Aye. But it’s not meant to be an ‘X’ from the Hoax.” I shake my head, my cover blown. “And it’s not permanent.”
