Feeling his resolve crumble, Thane grumbled and gestured toward the house. “Come on in.”
The woman beamed those bloody dimples at him as she sashayed past. “You’ve got coffee, right?”
“Yes.” He followed her inside. “Would you like a pastry with that, madam?”
Ignoring his sarcasm, she replied with annoying perkiness, “Sure!” and then side-eyed him as they walked into the house. “You weren’t kidding about pastries, right? Because you got my hopes up to here.” She raised her arm past her head.
Trying not to laugh at her playfulness, Thane assured her, “Not kidding. I bought them to prepare for Ms. Redburn’s early visit. Apparently, however, ‘pastries are an unhealthy breakfast temptation to have around children.’”
Regan snorted. “What an uptight bore. I’m a way better candidate than she is.” She winked at him. Actually winked at him.
Refusing to be charmed by Robyn’s sister, he set about heating the coffee and setting a plate out for her to choose from the array of pastries. Turning to look at Regan, he watched as she moved around, taking in the place. It was the same layout as Lachlan’s, but his late wife, Fran, had chosen a more traditional shaker-style kitchen.
As if the thought of Fran had conjured her presence, Regan caught sight of the wall that led toward the front entrance—the wall with all their family photographs.
He stilled as she walked over and studied the images.
Knowing it was coming, he braced himself as she turned to ask in a soft, gentle tone, “Where’s their mom?”
The hollowness that always followed a mention or thought of Fran opened in his chest as he crossed the room to stand with Regan. He brushed a thumb over one of the framed photographs.
Him and Fran on their wedding day.
“Francine died,” he replied. “Two months after Eilidh was born.”
“I’m so sorry.” He felt her hand on his shoulder, the gentle squeeze of comfort.
Shrugging off her touch, he marched back into the kitchen. “How do you take your coffee?”
Silence followed his question, but to his relief, it was soon followed by, “Milk, two sugars.”
He raised an eyebrow, grateful for the change of subject. She returned to the island, her expression a little wary. “Two sugars?”
Regan gave him a half-hearted smile. “Sweet tooth.”
“Dad?”
Lewis stood at the bottom of the staircase in his Marvel pajamas, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he stared curiously at Regan.
“Hey, bud.” Thane strolled over to his son to give him a morning kiss on his head. “Your sister still sleeping?”
Lewis nodded, his focus on Regan.
“Morning.” She gave him a little wave.
In answer, Lewis surprised Thane by walking over to climb a little sluggishly onto the stool beside her. Unlike Eilidh, who woke up bright and bubbly, Lewis was like his old man and needed time to wake up. He rarely talked until he’d eaten breakfast.
“Hi,” he said to Regan. “You came.”
“I promised I would.”
“Eils will be glad.” Lewis yawned and then asked randomly, “Have you seen the Red Sox play?”
His son liked American baseball. Watching their interaction in curiosity, Thane pushed Regan’s coffee and a plate for her pastry toward her, took her thanks, and got Lewis’s breakfast together. All the while, he listened to the two of them chat about baseball. Regan’s dad was into baseball, so she’d gone to games when she was younger, but she admitted she wasn’t one for sports. Though, she announced proudly, Robyn was going to teach her MMA.
Even when Thane had put a bowl of cereal and juice in front of his son, Lewis didn’t take his eyes off Regan. She chatted animatedly with him about the small baseball team his friends had formed, and he noted how relaxed Lewis was.
Lewis wasn’t even three years old when his mum died. Like his father and his uncle Lachlan, he was serious by nature. He was also protective of his family and sister, and shy of strangers. He’d never really taken to anyone outside the family, including Robyn and Lucy, the way Eilidh had.
But there he was smiling and giggling at Regan’s story about a time in high school when she was supposed to be guarding home plate and someone walked by with a hot dog, and she was so busy trying to persuade them that the hot dog should be hers that she let someone slide into home.
“Did you get the hot dog?” Lewis asked.
Regan grinned mischievously. “Best hot dog ever.”
So focused on how his son interacted with this woman, this near stranger, he didn’t hear Eilidh come down the stairs.
“Regan!” his daughter squealed, and he turned to watch her almost trip off the last step in her excitement to get to Robyn’s sister.
Regan hopped off her stool to catch Eilidh as she flew at her. Despite her slender build, she hauled Eilidh into her arms with ease, beaming at her. “Hey, superstar.”
Eilidh clasped Regan’s face in the palm of her hands and said with an almost grown-up tenderness, “You came!”
And just like that, Thane saw the genuine fondness soften Regan’s expression. “I keep my promises.”
Fuck.
Thane couldn’t possibly be considering accepting Regan’s proposal.
It was preposterous. His kids hadn’t even known the woman for twenty-four hours. And yet, they’d bonded with her faster than he’d seen them take to anyone.
Moreover, he’d liked how she’d handled Lewis at dinner. What she’d said about kindness and the way she’d defused the tension at the table. She had a knack for knowing just the right thing to say to the children to settle them.
Lachlan would be against it.
So would Robyn.
Or would they?
Regan had worked as a professional nanny, so clearly, other parents had trusted her with their kids.
And Thane was in a real bind.
He started work on Monday, and he still had no nanny.
What was he even thinking?
No.
He hadn’t been entirely lying when he said that hiring family wasn’t always a good idea. Besides, Robyn might not want Regan around for the next six months.
No.
Regan was out of the question. He’d just have to come up with something else. And fast.
5
Regan
Blisters chafed in gnawing pain at the back of my heels and along my toes as I finally turned down the narrow country road that led to the impressive contemporary homes in the distance. I could hear the sea and smell the salt in the air.
The distance from Ardnoch village to Caelmore didn’t seem like much when I was in the car. It’s why I’d insisted, after Robyn dropped me off this morning, that I could walk back. She’d offered a pair of her hiking boots, but I’d refused because she wore a size bigger than me, and I thought that would be worse. I was wrong. Thinking of the hiking boots I’d left back in Boston, along with half of my belongings, I whimpered as I limped along the private, packed-dirt road.
“Screw it.” I kicked off my heels and sighed in relief as my swollen, hot feet met cool earth.
Bending to collect the Mary Janes I’d assumed would be better than the stilettos I’d brought, I cursed my love of heels and dresses. In my rush to leave, I’d stupidly left all my backpacking gear behind. A cheap flight meant the inability to take luggage over a certain weight. I’d brought a tiny suitcase, and there was not a pair of sneakers or flats to be found in it. If I was going to stay, that would have to change.
Though, it was doubtful I could stay if I didn’t find a job soon. I’d spent all morning and part of the afternoon charming every shop, café, and restaurant owner in the village.
Ardnoch was the quaintest place I’d ever been.
A main square with a large parking lot for visitors was central to Ardnoch. I’d discovered on my employment quest that the shops, restaurants, hotels, and bed-and-breakfasts were scattered throughout the village on cute
row streets.
The historical architecture and design was amazing. Prior to coming here, I’d stalked Robyn’s Instagram for her new photos, so I’d seen Ardnoch through her lens. But seeing it in real life was even better. I knew from my sister’s photo captions that all the buildings here predated the mid-twentieth century, and dominating it all, near the Gloaming—the town’s biggest hotel, right on the square—was a medieval cathedral. The main thoroughfare of Ardnoch was called Castle Street. Guessing it was so named since it was the road that led out of the village toward Ardnoch Castle and Estate.
Castle Street was an avenue of identical nineteenth-century terraced houses with dormer windows. A lot of the homes had been converted into boutiques, cafés, and inns. Off Castle Street were identical row streets with fewer converted businesses. Still, I left no stone unturned and walked the four-block radius before it became apparent the rest of the buildings were residential.
No one was hiring.
It was the end of the summer, and soon they would let go the temporary staff they’d hired for the tourist season. How could an entire village not need new employees? No servers, no shop assistants, no cleaners, nothing!
And after the increasingly awkward and tension-filled interactions with Robyn over the weekend, there was no other option but to get a job and move out of Lachlan’s house. I knew she wanted me to stay, but I didn’t think it was a good idea.
Lachlan was a quiet one. I still hadn’t figured him out. All I knew so far was that he watched over Robyn like a man ready to take a bullet for her. With me, he was a different kind of watchful. Sometimes, it was like he saw too much.
Like how much of a coward I was.
I still couldn’t bring myself to broach the subject of me disappearing on Robyn. At least now she was talking to me. What if she really hated me after I explained what had been going on in my head? She might think it was as pathetic an excuse as I did.
She’d see once and for all how codependent I was.
How not brave I was.
It wasn’t easy being a coward and even more difficult when your big sister was fearless.
Except she seemed to tiptoe around the elephant in the room as much as I did. That realization made me even more nervous. But at least it was all a giant distraction from the bastard who’d plagued my life for eight months.
The thought juddered through me, and I immediately threw it out.
The sound of an engine at my back helped with the disposal of bad thoughts, and I glanced over my shoulder to see a green Defender moving slowly toward me. Wondering who it could be, I stepped into the grass at the side of the road and leaned as far back as I could to allow the vehicle to pass. Instead, it slowed, a blond woman at the wheel.
She rolled to a stop and I heard, “Regan!” from the back seat.
Eilidh pushed her face between the blond woman’s seat and the empty passenger seat. Lewis’s head hovered above hers.
“Hey, guys.” I grinned. “How’s it going?”
“I got Best Drawing today!” Eilidh beamed.
I leaned against the passenger door. “Great job! I’m not surprised. Superstars tend to win a lot.” She giggled at my wink, and I turned to Lewis. “Hey, buddy. How are you?”
He shrugged but gave me a small smile before he gestured to the woman at the wheel. “This is Aunt Arrochar.”
The sole Adair sister. I’d been curious to meet her after hearing Robyn speak so fondly of her.
“Hey, I’m Robbie’s sister, Regan.”
Arrochar leaned over and popped open the door. “Get in.”
“Thanks.” I hopped in and noted her gaze on my feet. “Wrong shoe choice. I walked from the village.”
She raised light blond eyebrows above striking, pale-blue eyes. “If you intend to stay here, we’ll need to get you proper walking boots.” She stuck out a slim hand. “Like Lewis said, I’m Arrochar. Lachlan and Thane’s sister. It’s nice to meet you, Regan.”
I shook her hand and felt a tap on my shoulder. Eilidh grinned cheekily at me.
“I told my friends about the fairy dust in your cheeks. Anna says her big sister Rosie has the same ones in her cheeks, but no one told her about the fairy dust. She can’t wait to tell Rosie.”
I chuckled. “I’m sure it will come as a surprise to her.”
“Eilidh, sit back, sweetie, we’re not home yet,” Arrochar ordered quietly. Her niece did as she was told.
“Where’s Thane?” I asked the aunt. From first impressions, we couldn’t be more unalike. Her platinum-blond hair was so much lighter than the sandy color of her siblings that I’d guess it was dyed. It was the only thing about her that suggested appearance was important. I’d dressed in an impractical short dress in the mod silhouette I favored, my makeup and hair done. Arrochar had her long hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. As far as I could see, she wore only mascara, and her clothes were definitely utilitarian. Jeans, lightweight blue-plaid shirt with a white T-shirt beneath, and Converse.
And yet the ordinary clothes did nothing to distract from her striking features. She wasn’t classically pretty; she was something more. I wasn’t sure if it was her eye color or the way she held herself or what … but Arrochar Adair was an unusual kind of beautiful.
If she sensed my perusal, she ignored it as she responded to my question about Thane. “Inverness at his new job. He can’t find a nanny, so I offered to take a few days off work to look after the kids so he can find someone. Pronto.”
I frowned. He’d made his sister take time off work when he had a perfectly responsible adult with a lot of time on her hands around to help? Not wanting to utter my irritation in front of the kids, I pressed my lips tight.
Arrochar spoke as we pulled into Thane’s driveway. “You’re not at all what I expected.”
“Because I’m not Lara Croft’s younger replica?”
She snorted and threw me an appreciative grin. “Pretty much.”
I rolled my eyes but chuckled as I eased out of the Defender, grateful Thane’s driveway was paved and not gravel.
“Can Regan come play with me, Aunt Arro?” Eilidh asked around the other side of the vehicle as they got out.
“I’m sure Regan has plans.”
“I really don’t.” I walked around the SUV to join the threesome. “If I’m not intruding, that is.”
“Not at all,” Arrochar assured. “But”—she gave Lewis a pointed look—“you will do your homework first.” She turned to me. “Eilidh doesn’t get homework. They’ve introduced a new style of teaching since I was a bairn and primary one is a lot like nursery now. I don’t get it. I could handle homework when I was five.”
I didn’t have time to offer an opinion about how not all kids were at the same stage developmentally at five because Eilidh rushed to me and grabbed my hand.
“Come on, Regan.” She tugged me forward, overjoyed to have me there.
A tender ache echoed in my chest as I let her lead me toward the house. Catching Arrochar’s curious look, I saw a hint of bemusement in her expression.
Lewis waited for us at the house, and as Arrochar let us in, he said, “I told Connor we should stop saying Mrs. Welsh smells when it isn’t true.”
I tried not to raise an eyebrow. “And what did Connor say?”
He wrinkled his nose. “He called me the teacher’s pet.”
Oh, shit.
“But then Mrs. Welsh was mean to him for no reason. She made him read out a chapter of the book we’re reading, and he isn’t so fast and she kept being mean and telling him to read faster. And I told her she was being mean to him. So me and Connor are okay now.”
I met Arrochar’s gaze, and she said, “Tell her what happened next, Lewis.”
Frustration crossed his face. “We both got sent to Mrs. Cooley’s office.”
At my questioning look, Arrochar supplied, “The head teacher.”
“What? What for?”
“For being disrespectful,” she replied as she guided the kids to
the kitchen. “You can grab a snack before you start your homework.”
“Surely that’s not fair if the boys weren’t in the wrong,” I said quietly as Lewis and Eilidh hurried ahead into the kitchen.
Their aunt turned to me. “It isn’t fair. Mrs. Welsh spoke to both me and Connor’s mum first without explaining the situation. The kids told us exactly what happened once we came out of the classroom, and Connor’s mum lost her shit,” she whispered, her eyes sparking with anger. “She’s filing a complaint with the head teacher. But in the heat of the argument, Lewis called Mrs. Welsh names, and that’s not on, so Thane will need to have a chat with him.”
It didn’t sit right with me that he should be vilified in this scenario, but he also shouldn’t call his teacher names. “Rock, meet hard place,” I muttered under my breath.
“Exactly.”
“Aunt Arro, I can’t reach the peanut butter!” Eilidh yelled from the kitchen.
We caught up with the kids to help them. For two strangers, we fell into a companionable sync as we prepared a light snack for Eilidh and Lewis and settled them at the dining table. Afterward, Arrochar gave me some salve and Band-Aids for my battered feet.
“So.” Arrochar smiled curiously as we sat beside each other at the island with coffees. “What brings you to Ardnoch?”
Right to it, huh? I smirked. “My sister.”
“Aye, that visit is long overdue.”
I raised an eyebrow at her directness, and she shrugged. “Sorry. None of my business. But you should know I’m not just Lachlan’s sister. I’ve become very fond of Robyn.”
The warning made me bristle. “Well, I’m more than fond of Robbie. I love her more than I love anything.”
“Does she know that?”
I jerked back like she’d slapped me.
Arrochar winced. “Regan, I’m sor—”
“Regan! Can you help me with my homework?” Eilidh yelled across the large living space.
Her aunt sighed. “You don’t have homework, Eils. You just want Regan’s attention.”
Eilidh’s answer was to scrunch up her face and growl in a deep voice, “Spoilsport.”
There With You Page 5
