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

room and down the stairs. “Sleep downstairs. That way you won’t have to look at me at all.” Then she shoved him hard, making him stumble into the hallway, before slamming the door behind him.
    For a minute or more, she stared at the door while tears welled in her eyes. She couldn’t believe she’d shouted. Ever since boarding the plane to Scotland, things had been bubbling out of her. Things she’d tried to contain for too many long years. At last she heard him make his way down the stairs after his bag. Helen sniffed and blinked away the tears. She wasn’t going to cry. Not again.
    She slipped into the en suite bathroom and splashed her face with cold water. In the mirror she saw a face changed with age that she didn’t recognise. She felt her chest tighten. Something had to give. Something had to change. She rooted around in her makeup bag and came out with a pair of scissors. Without giving it a second thought, she started to snip off her shoulder-length hair.
     
     
    There was no break-in at the castle. The person who’d made the call had either been mistaken, or it was a prank. The cop who’d walked around the exterior with Josh and Mitch was not pleased that it had turned out to be nothing. He’d been in the middle of watching a football game and wanted to get back to it. He left muttering about locking up the moron who’d interrupted his viewing.
    “Your parents are here.” Mitch ran his fingers through his hair.
    “That explains the look.” Josh pointed at Mitch’s face.
    They walked to the back of the castle and through the door into the kitchen. Without asking, Mitch opened the fridge and got beers for both of them. Josh was hungry again, so he went poking around in the cupboards for snacks.
    “Your parents are pissed.” Mitch sat sprawled in an armchair by the windows. He looked frazzled. Josh could identify with that.
    “Figures.” Josh threw his friend a bag of chips. Mitch snatched them out of the air. “They weren’t too impressed with the marriage plan when I called them.”
    “They’re fighting as well. Your dad is asleep on the couch.”
    Josh cocked an eyebrow. That was new. “They fighting about the wedding?”
    Mitch shook his head. He took a swallow of beer. “I heard something about them sleeping in separate beds and your dad not talking. Then I ran. I do not want to get in the middle of a McInnes meltdown.”
    “It’s probably nothing. You know what Dad is like. Mom’s probably fed up listening to her own voice. It’ll pass.”
    Mitch didn’t look so sure. “What about you and the delectable Caroline? How are things going there? No regrets?”
    Josh grinned. “None. She’s perfect. We made the right choice. In fact, I was just getting to know her a little better when I got the call to come home.” He felt a tingling in his spine. His eyes widened. “Now that I think about it. Caroline freaked out a bit at us getting physical. She ran to the bathroom, and the next thing I knew I was being called away.” He looked at Mitch, whose eyebrows had shot up his head. “You don’t think she was the one who called?”
    “She wouldn’t. Would she?”
    “Caroline is capable of anything.” He didn’t know whether to be proud or angry.
    They stared at each other until Mitch burst out laughing. “I love that woman. You are so not getting any until you’re married. I bet she’s keeping you at arm’s length until she makes sure the wedding goes through. You are so screwed. Or not, as the case may be.” Mitch snorted beer.
    “Funny. You’re funny.” Josh thought about it. There was something off. Surely Caroline didn’t want him to stop touching her so badly that she called the cops. “Caroline wouldn’t lie. She’s got that whole moral code thing going on.” He didn’t sound convinced.
    “Or maybe she just doesn’t find you attractive? Maybe this whole wedding thing is more of a chore to her than you thought? You’ve been so busy thinking about whether or