Always You (Adair Family 3)

“We are. We’re taking each day at a time. Though … kind of at warp speed. We’re spending nearly every second together outside of work.”

“That’s nice.” Ery leaned into me. “I’m glad you gave him another chance. Mac’s one of the really good ones.”

“I know that. And thank you again for being there for me when I needed someone to talk to.”

“I’m always here for you,” she promised.

I curled my hand around her wrist and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You know I’m always here for you, too, right?”

Eredine swallowed hard, something grim and unsettling flashing across her eyes. Her lips parted, her breathing increasing a little as she said, “Arro—”

“We need juice!” Eilidh cried out as she rushed into the house. “Energy boost!”

I looked back at Ery, but her expression had closed down. “I’ll get it, Eils,” she said, moving around the kitchen.

Frustration filled me because I suspected my friend was about to tell me something important.

I tried to catch her eye again, but she hurried after Eilidh out into the garden.

Sighing, I forced myself to let the moment go. Once I had the tea and coffee ready, Mac helped me carry everything into the living room.

“Tell us, Mac,” Thane said as he sipped his coffee, “any word on Kilmany?”

Mac shook his head. “In jail until his court date. It’ll be a few weeks yet until we hear. For now, he’s denying all charges. The police still haven’t tied him to Frickle, Kenny or Jamie, but they have the car tied to Bryan’s murder, plus Arro’s and my witness accounts.” He looked at me. “I asked to visit him.”

I raised an eyebrow. This was the first I’d heard of it.

Mac shrugged despondently. “I wanted to talk to him. To explain what happened.”

“He’s a murderer, Dad,” Robyn whispered. “You don’t need to explain anything to him.”

“It’s for both our sakes,” Mac said. “But it’s a moot point because he denied visitation as well as the charges. Arro and I will probably be called in to make statements again soon, and then we’ll have to take the stand in court.”

Something I was not looking forward to, but I would do it to put the dangerous arsehole away for good.

“He still denies leaving the notes for Arro?” Thane prodded.

“He denies everything.”

“I still don’t understand why he went after Arro instead of directly after you.”

“We’re talking about someone who is mentally unwell,” Robyn said. “Let’s not look for reason where there is none.”

“And let’s talk about something happier,” Regan suggested.

“Say, for instance, you getting into the MBA program at the University of the Highlands and Islands,” her big sister said with a proud smile.

“Seriously?” I asked Regan.

She shared a look with Thane, who appeared just as proud if not more so than Robyn. “I want to open a preschool here. There’s only one, and it’s kind of depressing. The kids don’t really seem to get much stimulation there. But I thought I better do the work before embarking on something so significant as opening a business.”

Excited for her, I offered without thinking, “You should do it in Caelmore. We own lots of land here. I’m sure we have the perfect spot where you could build something specifically designed for your needs.” I stiffened as soon as the words were out of my mouth; I shouldn’t have just willy-nilly offered her Adair land without my brothers’ input.

However, Thane slid his arm around Regan’s waist and glanced between me and Lachlan. “I’ve already spoken to Arran about this, and he’s on board. I just need the go-ahead from you two and Brodan. I want to give Regan a plot of land here, and I’ll help her build the preschool.”

Regan opened her mouth to protest, and Thane hushed her.

“We have the land,” he told her sternly, then looked at us. “You can say no, though.”