Always You (Adair Family 3)

“I’m not going to flirt with another woman in front of you.”

“It’s never stopped you before.”

I grimaced. “We both know it was just out of habit. But … things are different between us now. I would never do that to you.”

“Mac, we’re not …” Arro shrugged unhappily. “I don’t know what we are. I came here because I want to at least try to be friends again, for our sake and everyone else’s, but anything else … You shouldn’t change yourself for me.”

I mimicked her unhappy shrug because I was already changed. There was no going back.

“Your Americano.” Flora reappeared and dumped it on the table. “Anything else?”

At her snippy tone, I inwardly sighed and smiled up at her. “No, Flora. Thank you very much.”

She softened a little and muttered, “No problem.”

Once she’d left us, Arro’s mouth twitched with laughter.

“What?” I asked, unable to drag my attention from her lips.

I watched them move as she replied, “You can’t help yourself. When you smile at someone. It’s … affecting.”

“I only care that it affects you.”

Arro shook her head. “Are you going to say things like that to me all the time now?”

“Aye.”

She chuckled, and the sound made me smile, made me itch to touch her. “Well, at least you’re honest.” Tilting her head in thought, she asked, “Speaking of which, how is …” Her gaze darted around the café as if to make sure no one was listening, and then she leaned in to continue quietly, “How is therapy going?”

Taking advantage of the need for privacy, I lifted my chair and placed it right beside hers so that when I sat back down, our knees touched. Ignoring Arro’s raised eyebrows, I leaned in, inhaling the floral perfume she’d worn for years. “It’s ongoing. Iona is great. And the methods are working, I think. It’s tiring sometimes. But I definitely feel different. Better. Lighter.”

As if she couldn’t help herself, Arro wrapped a hand over my forearm and squeezed. “I am proud of you, Mackennon.”

Her words were a pleasurable burn in my chest. “That means a lot. Thank you.”

At my gruff reply, she gave my arm another squeeze and then withdrew.

“How have you been? That wee prick at work still giving you a hard time?”

“No, I’ve barely seen Duncan. I’ll probably see more of him as we move ahead with the new project, but that won’t be for another few weeks yet.”

We made small talk for ten minutes or so, but then Flora approached to ask if we needed anything else. Ordering two more coffees and a couple of scones, neither of us missed the way Flora’s gaze deliberately bounced between us and the fact that I’d moved my chair closer to Arrochar.

“That’s all,” Arro said pointedly.

Flora lifted her chin haughtily and walked away. Glancing around, I noticed a group of older villagers near the front counter gawking at us.

“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered under my breath.

Arro noticed the villagers’ attention.

I sighed. “Maybe I shouldn’t have sat so close.”

She snorted. “Yeah, for my peace of mind. Not for theirs. Let them look. Bloody busybodies.”

Arro grew up in this village, and I knew she was used to everybody meddling in one another’s business. She’d long decided the only way to get through it was not to give a shit what they thought or said about her. I’d always admired that attitude and shared it.

“I can move,” I offered.