Here With Me (Adair Family 1)

I dragged my eyes from her to Lachlan so I wouldn’t react to her presence. He looked up from chatting with Marci, saw me approaching, and his face closed down. Without even a nod in my direction, he turned to his guest and murmured something that made her laugh.

I walked past, stiff and outraged.

He’d completely ignored me.

That rude son of a bitch.

What a moron I was to have even let his mouth near mine.

As for living under the same roof, well, I was sorry to disappoint Mac, but it would be a cold day in hell.

20

Robyn

Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I veered between awed and disconcerted.

Never in my life had I ever looked this glamorous. Most of my twenties had been spent in uniform for work or barhopping in jeans styled with a cute top. Yes, I’d worn a prom dress senior year, and on the rare occasion I was invited to a wedding, I’d put on a dress. Nothing like this, though.

This was red-carpet worthy.

A huge part of me liked that I could still surprise myself. I’d never felt this overtly sexy before. Since arriving in Scotland, I’d experienced hurt, anger, confusion, fear, frustration, and I’d felt bruised, vulnerable, cautiously optimistic, and emotionally drained. I’d worn a detective’s hat, an abandoned daughter’s shield, and a literal and metaphorical pair of boxing gloves.

A sexy dress to feel nothing but sexy in was a nice change of pace.

Still, I worried I was overdressed for a ceilidh.

Or underdressed.

My legs looked particularly long in the short dress I’d borrowed from Lucy, and they had a shine to them because Jazelle from the salon had smoothed on some kind of oil. “The dress is too short, right?”

Lucy appeared by my side in the mirror. She wore a knee-length dress as tight fitting as mine. Except hers showed less leg. But way more cleavage. It was a dark green, perfect for her coloring, while my dress was black. “Gorgeous, you have the best pair of legs I’ve ever seen, and I’ve summered on the French Riviera. I’m kind of pissed at you for hiding them.”

I chuckled and fidgeted. “Dresses and heels aren’t my thing.”

“I don’t know why. You walk around in those like you were born to them.” She gestured to the strappy, high-heeled sandals Lucy’s stylist had shipped overnight for me. Unlike her dress, I couldn’t borrow shoes because hers were all a size too big.

“If this dress is short on me, how short is it on you?” She was about three inches taller than I was.

She grinned wickedly. “Daringly so, gorgeous. Daringly so.”

I laughed and then abruptly stopped because the glamorous laughing woman in the mirror was almost a stranger.

“Okay, stop looking at yourself or you might get stuck,” Lucy teased.

“I’m sorry … I’m just …” I flicked a hand at the mirror. “I’m worried I’m overdressed, and I barely recognize myself.”

“Well, I think you look just like your gorgeous self, except with more makeup. And, of course, those legs that have been hidden all these years like the century’s greatest travesty. And you’re not overdressed. If you’re overdressed, so am I.”

“But you can get away with it. You’re Lucy Wainwright.”

She cut me a strange look. “I look presentable, right?”

Shocked she even needed to hear it, I nodded. “Of course. You look phenomenal.”

Lucy preened. “Good. Come on, everyone will be waiting.”

Throwing one last look at the mirror, I turned, my high ponytail whipping around with the movement. The ladies at the estate salon did our hair and makeup for this evening. And since I was getting ready at the castle, it only made sense that I travel to the ceilidh tonight with Mac, Lucy, Eredine, and Lachlan.

Lucy handed me the clutch she’d loaned me. It was black, unadorned, and matched my dress, which was modest, except for its short hemline. The dress had long, tight sleeves, contoured to my body and a straight, high neckline. I didn’t wear any jewelry. I wasn’t a jewelry kind of girl.

“You look amazing,” I said to Lucy again, hoping I hadn’t upset her by not offering her the compliment in the first place. I’d just been so taken aback by my own reflection. Now I felt a little self-involved.

The girls styled Lucy’s luscious hair in vintage waves, and she’d paired gold stilettos with her green dress. Earrings that sparkled in the light hung from her lobes, and I was pretty sure they were real diamonds and emeralds.

I couldn’t imagine walking around with something worth that much money on my body. Which was why I didn’t ask her the value of the dress I wore.

“Thank you, gorgeous.” Lucy melted at my reassurance and caught me by the elbow. “This has been so much fun today.”

“For me too. You’ve been such a good friend to me. I appreciate it.”