Hurt pricked me.
So much for unfailingly kind.
“It’s none of our business,” Robyn reiterated. “Ery doesn’t cross me as the type who does casual sex, so if your plan is to throw Arran at her to douse her dry spell, forget it. She’ll never do that.”
For some reason, that made me glower even harder.
“Aye, definitely not,” Arro agreed. “I can’t imagine Ery ever having a one-night stand with someone.”
How did they know I hadn’t? Hmm? I could have had casual sex!
I hadn’t.
But they didn’t know that for a fact.
They’d just pegged me as Miss Prude or something?
“You don’t know that,” Regan said, alleviating my annoyance. “None of us really know her.”
And I was annoyed again.
Because that stung.
A lot.
Mostly because it was true, and I hated it was true, but I didn’t know how to lower the walls that would make it not true.
Tears of frustration stung my eyes.
Sometimes I wished I were someone else. That I could break free of the chokehold that kept me frozen in place, never moving while everyone else whirled around me, evolving, becoming more.
It might have been irrational, but it hurt that my friends saw me that way too.
“I know enough,” Arro said, her tone firm. “She’s kind and sweet and clearly loves this family. That’s all I need to know.”
Her words soothed the ache.
“Now, let’s talk about something else because she’ll be here soon, and I don’t want her to overhear us talking about her like this. It’s not nice.”
“Guys, I only mentioned it out of love, I promise,” Regan said, sounding remorseful. “I adore Ery.”
“We know,” Robyn assured her. “But let it go, sweetie.”
I leaned against the side of the house, listening to them change the subject to Arro and Mac’s new place and how it was coming along. Checking the time on my phone, I waited a couple minutes before stepping into the garden with a smile painted on.
The ladies looked happy to see me, and I tried to shrug off my annoyance with them for chatting about my love life and for assuming things about me. I couldn’t really blame them for assumptions, since I never shared anything of personal substance. All they could do was guess.
Still, was I really some Mary Sue to them? A boring, sexless creature?
Ignoring that horrible thought, I asked, “How are you guys? Pregnancy treating you kindly?”
Arro and Robyn shared a look, and Robyn turned to me first. “We’re opposites. I haven’t had an ounce of morning sickness, but I can’t sleep at night …”
“While I’m sick every morning,” Arro continued, “and sleepy all the time.”
“Neither of you are showing yet.”
“Oh, there’s a little bump there.” Robyn smoothed her T-shirt down, and I could see a slight swelling in her lower abdomen.
Arro stood and turned to the side to do the same with her shirt, and I could see her small swell. “Just a wee bit.” She caressed her stomach protectively.
“And how are the menfolk?” Regan asked, eyes bright with amusement. “Thane told me he hovered constantly over Fran when she was pregnant with Lewis but was more laid-back with Eilidh.”
Fran was Thane’s deceased wife. I hadn’t known her as well as I know Arro, but I’d liked Fran. She was warm and friendly and had a great sense of humor. She’d died from an aneurysm not long after Eilidh was born. Thane woke up and found her in bed beside him, just gone. Imagining how that must have been for him always brought tears to my eyes.
I’d assumed Thane would never settle down again, but to be honest, I never saw passion between him and Fran like what I’d witnessed between him and Regan. With Fran, it was their quiet, affectionate contentment I’d envied. With Regan … his eyes barely left her if she was in the room. I’d caught them making out in his office one day, and the fire between them was something to behold.
In fact, although I’d told Arran there was something extra special about Arro and Mac’s relationship, now that I really thought about it, the Adair siblings all loved their partners with an enviable fierceness. It was unreal how epic their love affairs had been, but I guessed the fates were making up for all the stalking, kidnapping, murder, and mayhem also thrown their way.
Robyn’s expression abruptly changed. Her brow pinched tightly. “I’m worried about Lachlan. It feels a little more like hovering. He doesn’t want me to go anywhere without him, but he’s also really inside his head. I can barely get a conversation out of him.”
“Why is he so worried?” Regan frowned. “You’re young and healthy.”
Robyn flicked Arro a look before shrugging.
Arro’s expression shuttered a little. “It’s because my mum died after giving birth to me, isn’t it?”
A tense silence fell among us, and I wanted to reach a hand out to Robyn and Arro.