Page 101 of Touch of Class

He burst out laughing. “Truly stellar point there, Love. Have you given any thought to actually doing that?”

“No!” she snapped. “I’ve given as little thought as humanly possible to any of it.”

He smiled, not unkindly, but with a hint of patronizing. “You’ve got about ten minutes before she arrives. Maybe run upstairs and give it a go real fast.”

She stared at him in utter disbelief.

“Oh, and put on some cute pajamas like we wear on Christmas, not the ratty sweatpants you paint in.”

“Are you fucking serious right now?”

He grimaced slightly, but apparently not enough to keep him from pushing his luck. “Oh, and do something adorable with your hair.”

“I hate you.”

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I love you, too.”

Twenty-One

“See.” Izzy pointed to the television. “That’s Penchant Castle. It’s a real castle right by where Papa grew up, but they made it look old for this movie.”

“Fascinating.” Gillian snagged another handful of popcorn from the bowl between her and Daphne. “Do you get to go back often?”

“Papa and I go every summer and sometimes right after Christmas, but when we do that, Mom comes, too, because she doesn’t want to be away from me at the holidays.”

“It’s true. I love her most around the new year.” Daphne smiled at Izzy.

Her daughter rolled her eyes, then turned back to Gillian. “She only says that to tease me. She wants to come with us in the summer, too, but she has work, and I need time with my grandparents to spoil me while Papa goes to London or Edinburgh.”

“So, I stay home and spoil myself,” Daphne added.

“You’re all talking during the movie,” Hugh whimpered.

“As if you care.” Izzy laughed. “It’s just the opening credits, and we all know you’re going to point out every single thing you recognize in the whole show. He’s seen it, like, a hundred times even though it only came out last year.”

“Ungrateful child,” Hugh huffed with a level of put-on annoyance that suggested he’d taken some drama classes in school. “I give you access to the world, and you won’t even tolerate my gross over-explanation of how Sophia LaBlanc, who directed this film, lives in that very castle because she is gay-married to my duke’s daughter.”

“Your duke?” Gillian asked. “You have your own duke?”

“Technically, I must share him with everyone else in Northland, but I’m sure he thinks more fondly of me than his other subjects.”

“Are you two friendly?”

Hugh finally cracked a smile. “Never met the man in my life.”

“There are lots of famous people who live around Papa’s village now, but he’s never met any of them.” Izzy laughed. “I met Emma Volant’s wife one day, though, at the post office with my nan.”

“The writer, Emma Volant?” Gillian glanced at Daphne to make sure she wasn’t also being teased.

“The one and only,” Daphne confirmed. “Izzy was about eight and came home very excited to rub it in to her father.”

“Because I know more famous people than him, even in his own hometown.”

“Maybe you could introduce him next time you’re there,” Gillian said, “like you introduced me to Lauren and Jess. Maybe you’re a natural at connecting regular people to famous people.”

“I do like the sound of that,” Hugh said. “Izzy, do you think matchmaker to the stars is a valid career path for you?”

“Sure.” The girl accepted the option casually. “Maybe next summer I’ll meet Kye Manchester when she goes back to make the sequel.”