Only You (Adair Family #5)(10)

I smiled at her in greeting, my attention dropping to her neat but prominent bump. She looked ready to pop. “How are you feeling?”

Robyn smiled wearily as she smoothed a hand over her belly. “Tired, mostly. Ready to meet her.”

“How long to go now?”

“Three weeks, give or take.”

In a bizarre twist of fate, my sister Arrochar fell pregnant at the same time and was due a couple days after Robyn. Even more complicated, she was married to Mac, Robyn’s father. My siblings were determined to make our family tree a talking point for generations to come.

“Get you anything?” Arran asked.

Walker slid into the seat beside me and nodded silently in greeting to my family.

“I’ll have a pint,” I said. “Walk?”

“Driving.”

I nodded and then turned to Eredine as Arran disappeared across the room behind the bar. Her gorgeous hazel-green gaze met mine. “How are you, sweetheart?”

She smiled her pretty smile, and it surprised me I didn’t feel the pang of attraction I once did. I guess now that she was firmly with Arran, I’d psychologically made the switch that she was off-limits. “I’m good.”

I knew that was an honest answer because for the first time in the seven years I’d known Eredine Willows, she actually seemed good. The air of sadness and worry had drained from her entire being. She glowed in such a way it was almost like looking at a new person. That probably had something to do with the fact that for years, she’d been in hiding from her twin sister’s murderous ex-boyfriend. He’d finally caught up with Ery, but Ery had fought back and won, and now the bastard was where he was supposed to be—rotting in jail, awaiting his trial, not just for the murder of Ery’s sister but for several counts of sexual assault. Several other women had come forward since his incarceration, including a US senator’s daughter.

The bastard was fucked.

Good riddance to him.

I gave her a quick one-armed hug. “Glad to hear it. My brother’s taking good care of you, then?”

“You know it.”

Looking at Lachlan, I gestured around to the pub that had been brightened with new plasterwork and furniture. It very much looked like the interior designer for Ardnoch Castle had been in here, and I had no doubt that was true. “It’s looking good.”

“It is,” Lachlan agreed. “Arran is doing an amazing job. There’s just a few more renovations to do upstairs, and then it’ll be done. On schedule, no less.”

“What are we talking about?” Arran placed the pint in front of me before taking his seat next to Eredine and draping his arm around the back of her chair.

“What a fantastic job you’ve done on the Gloaming.” I was proud of my brother, but I had to admit, I was also jealous. Not that long ago, Arran had been the lost one, drifting farther and farther from our family. I’d done what I could to keep him with us, and when he returned, he proved to himself he was not only capable of looking after his family, but of being a bloody good businessman. There was nothing but contentment around him, and as happy as that made me … aye, I was a bit envious too.

Arran grinned. “Thanks, Bro. How’s recuperating going?”

“Well”—I took a gulp of my lager and then relaxed back in my chair—“I made an important decision today.”

“Oh?” Robyn asked, seeming genuinely interested.

“This man here”—I clapped Walker hard on the back, and he glowered at me—“is making all my decisions from now on. Except for when I eat and take a piss, of course.”

“Charming.” Eredine wrinkled her nose.

“I live to be so.” I smirked at her, and she rolled her eyes.

“You are joking, right?” Lachlan asked wearily.

“Nope. And my Black Shadow is Walk’s if I fail to go through with whatever he tells me to do, so I have a vested interested in being an excellent employee.”

“You bet your Black Shadow?” Arran gaped at me.

I grimaced. “It was the only thing that would get the bastard to agree.” And they all knew I never backed out on a bet. Walker was using my sense of honor against me.

“I think you and I need to get to know each other better, Walker.” Arran chuckled. “You sound like my kind of people.”

Walker tipped his head toward Arran in silent agreement.

“A man of few words,” Robyn surmised.

Walker just stared at her.

And she stared right back, big, gorgeous hazel eyes unblinking, completely unintimidated.

Christ, Lachlan married a sexy woman.

I could tell by the way the corner of Walker’s mouth twitched as he continued to stare at her, he thought so too.

“So, the gossip mill was whirring today,” Arran said, drawing my attention. He was frowning, all humor gone. “Word is you bumped into Monroe in Flora’s and ignored her. What’s that all about?”

“Arran,” Lachlan murmured in warning. Eredine nudged her boyfriend with a frown.

My wee brother raised an eyebrow, not letting it drop. “Well?”

“It’s none of your business.” This was a reminder of how Ardnoch protected its celebrities behind the gates of the estate, but gossiped about each other like it was an Olympic sport.