Only You (Adair Family #5)(69)

I scowled at the formal tone of the text.

This was what I’d feared.

That even if I could convince Roe to give me another chance, my fame might be too much for her to handle.

Giving the approaching women a quick nod of hello, I hurried past them to Sloane’s stall. She was cleaning up for the day. Word had obviously gotten around about her amazing baking. “Hi,” I said.

“Oh, hey. We’ve got your boxes. Can you carry them all?”

“Pile them up.” I held out my arms.

Sure enough, they towered right up to my nose. I could just see over the top, and I left with Callie giggling at how ridiculous I looked as I tried to walk carefully down the street. The upside was that the boxes disguised me as I slowly made my way down Castle Street to Monroe’s. I had to kick her door in lieu of a knock.

What felt like forever later, she opened it.

“What on earth?” Roe asked from beyond the boxes.

“Grab your stuff and come with me.”

“Brodan—”

“I know you’re not sick, Roe. I’m sorry about the fair.” This was ludicrous. “Look, I can’t talk to you when I can’t see you. Just get your stuff. Please.”

To my utter relief, Monroe did as I asked. “Now to my car.”

“Let me take a few of these.”

“Nope. They’re hiding me.”

She chuckled as we skirted the fair to get to my SUV that I’d parked outside the Gloaming. It was a miracle I hadn’t dropped any of the boxes. Once they were loaded, I pulled out a bunch of notes from my wallet and handed them to Roe. “I’ll wait here. You go back and buy some mulled wine and as many hot chocolates as you can carry.”

“Where are we going?”

“My family hasn’t shown up yet, so we’re taking the market to them.”

“Brodan—”

I stepped into her. “It’ll be like this for a while. But the fame will die down now that I’ve retired. It won’t be as bad as this.”

Roe sighed. “Brodan—”

“Just … today we were supposed to spend time together as friends. I don’t want it to be ruined. So let’s just go bring a wee bit of Christmas cheer to some very exhausted new parents.”

She considered this and then nodded. “Okay.”

I deflated with relief, watching her walk away before I climbed into the Range Rover. Then I called Regan to tell her to gather everyone at her place. She loved the idea because she loved being surrounded by family. The two of us had that in common.

Not long later, Monroe returned with an impressive load of mulled wine and hot chocolate. “Your family knows we’re just friends, right? And they’re good with that? Eredine is good with that?” Monroe fired at me as I swung the car out of the space and took the side road that would lead me out of Ardnoch.

“They know, and they’re good with it. Eredine is good with it. She just wants me to be happy, and being your friend makes me happy.”

Roe groaned. “You are a silver-tongued devil, Brodan Adair.”

I grinned. “Oh, there’s—”

“Do not make an innuendo about your tongue.”

Laughter shook through me. Because damn, she knew me so well.





26





Monroe





There was only one week of rehearsals left before the kids put on their Christmas musical for friends and family. That meant that soon there would be no real excuse to see Brodan twice weekly.

I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel myself softening toward him. That I didn’t enjoy that familiar feeling of camaraderie and affection between us. When we’d taken the baked treats, hot chocolate, and mulled wine to Thane and Regan’s, the Adairs swept me up in their easiness and good humor, despite two sets of parents’ exhaustion. They were grateful we’d brought the fair to them.

Thane lit the firepit in the back garden, and we all bundled out there with the sea as our view, this spectacular home filled with an extraordinary amount of love. I was happy that Brodan had this and felt a bit melancholy for myself that I didn’t. But I enjoyed being welcomed by the Adair family. Arran swept me up in a massive hug, seeming genuinely delighted to see me. Lewis was watchful at first, trying to make sense of my relationship with his uncle, I think. Soon, he relaxed and enjoyed a game of football with his uncles, sister, and stepmum while I chatted with Arro, Robyn, and Eredine.

Eredine, whom had been stiff and unwelcoming in the past, was like an entirely different person. She was reserved but kind and seemed truly interested in my job. I also got to hold Arro’s and Robyn’s baby daughters for a while and tried very hard to hide my abject longing.

Looking up at one point, however, I caught Brodan watching me with a thoughtful expression on his face. Did he sense what it felt like for me to hold a baby, believing I’d probably never have a child of my own? My kids at school would have to fulfill that emptiness.

Despite the sadness I kept to myself, it was a lovely afternoon that turned into a fun evening. We ordered takeout, and I got tipsy on the mulled wine. Brodan drove me home, teasing me the whole time, and then the opportunistic bastard carried me into the cottage and upstairs to bed. He’d taken off my jacket, hat, and scarf, then my boots, and tucked me into bed. I remembered his kiss on my forehead before I passed out.