The words cut him like a knife. He didn’t answer as she turned on heel and left the room. He didn’t trust himself to speak.
He didn’t go back to his room, instead he went outside. The cool ocean breeze bit at his skin but he headed down to the beach.
“What the bloody hell are ye doing out here?” Blair called from behind him.
“I’m trying to take a walk…alone. I forgot how annoying brothers are.” He narrowed his gaze.
Blair chuckled. “Ye don’t mean that.”
“Every word.” Will looked out at the ocean, its dark, churning water matching his mood. “If ye don’t mind. I’d like to be alone.”
“I mind. I haven’t seen ye in over a month. Tell me what’s troubling you. I’m yer brother. I can help.”
Will gave his brother a long stare. He was certain Blair could, which was even more annoying. “Gemma told me she wouldn’t marry me.”
Blair pulled back his chin. “Ouch.”
“She says she can’t trust again.” Will, not sure what else to do, plopped back down in the sand. It was freezing but he ignored the cold.
Blair sat next to him. “We already discussed this,” he said gently. “Asking her about marriage is not giving her the time she needs to trust and heal.”
“I ken that.” Will picked up a rock and threw it toward the water. “I didn’t mean to but she was going on about how she wanted Sean and Mary’s croft. I—”
“You what?” Blair asked as Will stopped talking.
“I told her that her place was with me. That she didn’t need the croft and that I wouldn’t—” Will winced. Had he really told her that he wouldn’t give her the lease?
“Ye didn’t?” Blair punched him in the arm. “Ye’re an egit. Ye ken that, don’t ye?”
Will scrubbed his face. “If I remove Mary, she’s got nowhere to go,” he said. “I can’t bring her and her boys up to the house, not with Gemma around and I can’t just kick her out.”
Blair took a breath. “Will. Just send her here. She’s got experience with babies, she can help Elle. Even if Mary doesn’t stay here, we can provide recommendations for her that will help her land a good position. It would be a better career for her anyway.”
“That is a bloody good idea.” Will looked over at his brother. Did he want to hug him for being so smart or hit him for the same reason?
“I ken.” Blair grinned. “Now listen. If ye need any help, ye send word. Do ye hear?”
“Why do you keep saying that?”
Blair scrunched up his face. “I’ve known ye yer whole life. Ye have a stick up yer arse about doing things by yerself even when it makes it far more difficult.”
Will did hit his brother in the arm then. Hard. He’d forgotten how annoyingly helpful Blair could be. But at least tomorrow he could tell Gemma that Mary was leaving. Maybe then, they could come to an understanding.
* * *
The morning sun pricked at Gemma’s puffy eyes. She hadn’t slept much and, as she dragged herself from the bed, she had the foreboding sense that today was going to be a terrible day.
She’d spent much of the night considering what was important to her. She knew Will and the children meant more than a lease but she was also angry that Will had told her he wouldn’t allow her to renew.
He was taking Mary’s side. What was it about that woman that she was so much more sympathetic then Gemma?
Part of her wanted to confront Sean’s second wife. See for herself who this siren was. But another part worried that she’d only be met with the truth: Mary was just better.
And she, Gemma, would never be good enough.
She let out a groan. What a terrible day. To make matters worse, the sun shone brightly in the sky. It should be raining and grey. Even the weather was mocking her.
Dressing, she moved to the room next door to get the children ready only to find Will already there. Her body throbbed with longing at the sight of him, and her heart raced in her chest. Her mind might have said no to him but the rest of her longed to say yes.