There with You (Adair Family 2)

“But then all the stuff with Lucy happened.”

“Yeah. When Mom called to say you were home … that same day … Austin found me in Boston.”

“What?” She narrowed her eyes.

I gave her a sad smile. “I was planning on stopping by Mom and Dad’s after work, but Austin walked into the coffee shop that afternoon.” Indignation churned in my gut. “He played it as if nothing had happened, like we were just two friends meeting again after an absence. I was stunned. I didn’t know what to do. All I knew was that I didn’t want you to know how much I’d messed up.”

“Regan …” She reached for my hand. “I’m sorry if I made you feel you were letting me down.”

I shrugged. “You didn’t. I was just always comparing myself to you and constantly coming up short.”

“Don’t. That’s not fair to either of us.”

I nodded, emotion thickening in my throat.

“What happened?”

“It was weird … he’d come into the coffee place, twice a week, same time each visit. But there was nothing more to it. He didn’t threaten or badger me. It weirded me out, but it went on like that for months, nothing happening, before I got on that flight to Scotland.”

Robyn pushed her half-eaten and now cold Chinese away. “Nothing at all?”

“Nothing.”

“Damn.”

“Damn? Isn’t it a good thing?”

“Yeah and no.” She got up off her stool, running a hand through her hair as she stared pensively across the large room. “It doesn’t fit the usual pattern. Normally these things escalate.”

“Maybe he got counseling?”

“Yeah, but if he got help, he shouldn’t have been coming into the coffee shop twice a week.”

“Maybe he liked the coffee.”

My sister side-eyed me.

I sighed. “I know, it’s weird.”

“Is this why you don’t think you should take the job?”

I nodded. “Is it responsible for me to become involved in Thane and the children’s lives when I have this hanging over me?”

Robyn considered this for what seemed forever and then exhaled slowly. “Let me call Autry first and get him to do a background check on this guy. See where he is and what he’s up to. I doubt we’ve got a problem here, but I think we should still leave a statement with Autry.”

Autry was Robyn’s close friend and ex-beat partner back in Boston. He worked as a beat cop at the same precinct as my dad. I worried my lip with my teeth before admitting. “I didn’t want Dad to know.”

“Seth would not blame you for this. He, more than anyone, knows how these kinds of people work. You are not to blame.”

And there it was. The thing I couldn’t admit to my sister.

That somehow this was all my fault.

* * *

“I just hung up with Autry and …” Robyn’s voice trailed off as she marched into my room and noted my luggage. She glared at it. “What is that?”

“First, what did Autry say?”

Robyn glowered at me. “Luggage?”

“Autry?” I insisted.

She gave in first. “First, this guy has a record of harassment. Two women. He slept with them and started stalking them.”

“Wonderful.” I slumped on my bed.

“Good news … he’s never taken it further than stalking and has desisted once the police got involved. So Autry is going to stop by his apartment and give him a warning. Seth doesn’t need to know about it. Autry is still going to monitor Austin’s movements. With behavior like that, we’re never completely out of the woods, but I’m confident he won’t follow you to Scotland. He probably doesn’t even know you’re here.”

Relief crashed through me in a flood. “I’m so stupid for not telling you sooner.” It was like she’d lifted this weight from my shoulders.

“Oh, sweetie.” My sister sat down on the bed beside me. “It’s okay. You can have a fresh start here. And I think the job with Eilidh and Lewis will take your mind off things. They’re good kids.”

I nodded, sniffling. I’d been nothing but a watering can since arriving in Scotland.

Eventually, I pulled away, gave her a grateful smile, and got up to check my makeup. Touching it up, I caught sight of Robyn in the reflection, glaring at my luggage again.

“Wanna explain this?”

“I’m packed just in case you advised me I could take the job.” I turned to her.

“But you just got here.”

“And I’m not going anywhere. It’s just next door.”

A blank mask fell over Robyn’s face. “Fine.”

It wasn’t fine. It was far from fine, and suddenly guilt squashed my elation over the Austin news. “Thane told you it was a live-in job, right?”

She frowned. “He never mentioned that.”

“He has a guest house for the nanny.”

“Right. I forgot. I just thought with him being next door, you wouldn’t need to move out.”

“It gives us all space.” I gestured around the room. “You and Lachlan don’t want me hanging around all the time when you just got engaged.” I raised an eyebrow. “You were loud last night.”