There with You (Adair Family 2)

I stifled the urge to argue. Instead, I wondered at her vehement defense of Mac. “There seems to be a lot I don’t know,” I eventually replied.

The stiffness eased from her shoulders. “Sorry for snapping. I just … I’m protective of Mac. What happened with Robyn … it was a pain he carried for a long time. Finally, things are good between them. I don’t want anyone to upset that.”

“I’m not here to tear shreds out of Mac,” I assured her, though I was curious to discover what had gone down between him and my sister. “I’m here to put things right with Robyn. And to do that, I need to stick around—to stick around, I need a job.”

“Aunt Arro, is it my turn yet?” Eilidh called over, cutting through the intensity of the moment.

Thankfully.

Arrochar rolled her eyes. “Your presence is required.”

Laughing, I hopped off the stool to give Eilidh my time.

* * *

While Arro prepared dinner, I hung out with Eilidh on the couch. An animation was on the TV, but Eilidh was too busy playing with my hair and chatting about her friends to pay attention. The only time she did was when a character started singing a song and she stopped to sing along with them.

Arro and I cheered and clapped after every one of her renditions.

Lewis was allowed to play video games, preapproved by his father, for one hour before dinner each day, so he’d disappeared into his bedroom to do that while we girls hung out downstairs.

I was pretty sure my hair was a ratty bird’s nest from Eilidh’s ministrations, but it made her happy, so I wasn’t going to be precious about it.

She was in the middle of asking me if she could call me “Ree-Ree” when the sound of the front door slamming jolted her attention from me. “Daddy!” she squealed and took off out of the room.

“How’s my wee Eilidh-Bug?” he replied moments later in that deep, gravelly voice.

The tenderness in his voice was a beautiful thing to hear.

Eilidh’s answering chatter was so fast I couldn’t make it out, even as Thane strode into the open-plan room with his daughter settled on his hip. He stared down into her face with such love, I vowed in that very moment to find a guy who would look at our kids just like that.

“Is that right?” he murmured in response to whatever she’d said.

“And Ree-Ree let me play with her hair for ages!”

Apparently, I was Ree-Ree now, permission granted or not.

Arrochar and I shared an amused look.

“Ree-Ree?” Thane frowned and then glanced into the room. He stiffened when he saw me. “Regan?”

“Hey.” I waved, knowing I probably looked like a lunatic because of whatever Eilidh had done to my hair.

“Hi,” Arrochar said, drawing his attention. “Dinner is almost ready. I picked up Regan on her way back from the village. The kids asked her to hang out with us.”

“Right, right.” He nodded, his eyes coming back to me. “Are you staying for dinner?”

There wasn’t exactly a welcoming tone to his question. “No. I should get back. Robyn will wonder where I am.” I hoped. She hadn’t texted me all day.

“But.” Arrochar strode toward her brother and tugged Eilidh out of his arms and into hers. “Regan would like to discuss something with you in private.”

I would? I frowned at her.

She made a face and then mouthed, “Nanny.”

Right.

Usually I wouldn’t badger someone about a job he clearly didn’t want to give to me, but I was running out of options. And honestly, the idea of some Gordanna Redburn nanny looking after Eilidh and Lewis pissed me off. At least with me they’d be safe, cared for, and having fun.

“Right.” I jumped to my feet, stalking toward their father. “Yeah, can we talk?”

His eyebrows were still puckered, but he nodded and gestured for me to follow him. He led me to a room off the entrance that I hadn’t been in before.

The small space overlooked the fields beyond the driveway. It held a desk with a smart desktop computer, neatly piled papers, bookshelves filled with folders, and walls with framed house plans. His office.

He closed the door and turned to me. Without Eilidh in his arms, I finally noticed his attire. Instead of the rugged sweater and jeans I’d only ever seen him in, he wore a dark gray shirt, open at the collar, with a pair of black suit pants. He had not, however, trimmed his beard or his hair, and the overall look was incongruously appealing.

“Well?” Thane said.

I placed my hands on my hips and gave him what I hoped was a charming smile. “You need a nanny. And I need a job.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. “I’ve spent all day looking.” I stuck out one of my bare, sore feet. Thane looked at it in consternation. “I cut my feet walking all over the village and back in search of a crappy job. And all the while, here in this gorgeous house, are two amazing kids who get along with me, and they need a nanny.”