Thane coughed into his fist to cover up his laughter.
I couldn’t look at him. “Okay.” I stood, dropping my napkin on the table. “You’re too smart for your own good, kid.”
“I know.” She hopped up from the table and took my hand.
“We call it a restroom because it’s a polite word for it,” I told her as we made our way through the tearoom, following the sign for the ladies’ toilet off the entrance.
“But I like the word wee-wee.”
“You do now. However, believe me, when you’re my age, calling it that is not cute.”
She continued to argue about this the entire time we were in the bathroom. I waited outside her stall door, interrupting her thoughts on how funny the word wee-wee was to ask how she was doing. She’d answer and then continue her monologue. If I never heard the word wee-wee again, I wouldn’t be sorry.
Though she was hilarious.
“Do you think Daddy will have ate the rest of my cake?” Eils asked, her brow furrowed as we washed our hands and stepped out of the restroom.
“Eaten, sweetie,” I corrected. I was so busy looking down at her, I missed the person crossing our path and collided with him. My head flew up as the hand not holding Eilidh’s hit a hard chest. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.”
Green eyes stared into mine, and familiarity hit me. “Regan, right?”
“Jared, hey.” I stepped back a little, tightening my grip on Eilidh’s hand.
Noting her, the yummy young farmer looked down and asked, “And who’s this?”
Turning uncharacteristically shy, Eilidh pressed into my side and buried her face in my coat. Huh. “Uh … this is Eilidh. Eilidh, this is Jared, Farmer McCulloch’s grandson.”
She nodded and lowered her eyes to the floor.
Surprised, I looked up at Jared.
He just grinned. “Shy one?”
Not usually. “Uh … what are you doing here?”
“Oh, just dropping off some produce for the kitchens. You showing the kids the castle?”
“Yeah. And having cake.” I ruffled Eilidh’s hair lightly. She still didn’t look up.
Jared searched my face for a second. “I was hoping we’d bump into each other again.”
I smiled noncommittally.
“I have to get back. I have other deliveries to make, but … can I have your number?”
Oh my God. I had not been expecting that. No messing around with him, huh?
Uh …
He gave me a sexy half smile. “I just want to take you out for a drink. No pressure.”
I thought of Thane waiting for me back in the tearoom.
About the tension still crackling between us.
Or was it all in my head? Thane had made it clear where we stood.
But once he apologizes, you move on. Thane goes back to just being your boss, and you take care of those kids. I remembered my sister’s advice.
Move on.
Right.
“Sure.” I grinned, nodding, even though my stomach was in knots.
Jared pulled out his cell, and I rattled off my number. He tucked the phone back into his work pants, stared at me like he had a lot more than a friendly drink in mind, and backed away. “I’ll call you.”
“Great.” I gave him a little wave and then led a strangely quiet Eilidh back to the tearoom.
“All good?” Thane grinned at us, and I felt a stupid prickle of guilt.
“Yeah.”
“Ready to go, then?” He stood. “I’ve already paid.”
I frowned. “I was going to pay for your birthday.”
He gave me a look as if to say “nonsense.”
Letting it go, we gathered our things and walked back to the car. I should have known by how quiet Eilidh was that she was stewing over something. But I was so distracted by what had just happened, I wasn’t paying enough attention. It wasn’t until we were all in the car and Thane was about to turn on the engine that Eilidh asked loudly and somewhat sullenly, “Why is that pretty man going to call you, Ree-Ree?”
I squeezed my eyes closed for a second as silence descended over the car.
Ignoring Thane’s stare, I looked over my shoulder at Eilidh, who looked confused and upset. She clearly didn’t understand what had passed between me and Jared, but she knew she didn’t like it. Shit.
“What’s Eils talking about?” Thane asked quietly.
I flicked him a look. “We bumped into Jared McCulloch in the hall. I gave him my number.” I met Eilidh’s gaze. “It’s what friends do, sweetie. We exchanged numbers so we can hang out.”
“Like you and me hang out?”
“Sure!” I knew my voice was too high with my lie.
She frowned. “But … I’m still your best friend. He can’t be your best friend.”
For some stupid reason, tears pricked my eyes. “My bestest buds in the entire world—you and Lewis. Promise. No one is replacing your spot as my besties.”
Eilidh side-eyed her brother. “I’m your bestest best friend. Lew is your best friend.” She looked back at me now that she’d asserted herself at the top of my priority list. “Daddy is your other best friend. So that man can only be a friend friend. Okay?”