Chapter 15 Regan #2
Robyn had given him a photo I’d taken under her direction down on the beach.
It was a gorgeous black-and-white headshot of her looking at the water.
She’d almost backed out of the gift, thinking it was cheesy and vain, but I’d convinced her to stick with it.
Sourcing a frame that matched the interior of his office at work, she added the photo and wrapped it.
I was nervous for her because I could tell by the way she was biting her lip that she still had doubts. When Lachlan opened it, he just stared at it. She shifted uncomfortably in the large armchair beside him.
“It’s … I thought you could put it in your office or something … but it seems stupid now. I—”
“I love it.” He turned to smolder at her, and I felt a mix of happiness and envy.
Once again, I couldn’t help but think how amazing it would be to have a guy love me like Lachlan loved Robyn.
But deep down, I didn’t believe that would ever happen.
A guy might love me … but not like that.
Robyn was the kind of woman who inspired that kind of love.
“You do?” She still seemed unsure.
“You’re beautiful.” He stared at the picture. “I love it,” he repeated, and then frowned. “But who took it?”
“Regan.”
He smiled at me with his eyes. “You captured her perfectly.”
I grinned. “I know.”
Lachlan laughed softly and then leaned into Robyn to brush a kiss across her mouth. “Later,” he murmured, but we all heard him.
“Speaking of … I have another gift for you, but—” Robyn smirked at me, mischief in her gaze. “I left it in the bedroom.”
While the adults groaned at the insinuation, I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt. “It doesn’t bother me like it bothers you. But I appreciate the effort.”
“Damn you.” She narrowed her eyes, trying not to laugh.
“I have no idea what’s going on.” Lachlan turned to Thane for answers.
He shrugged. “Don’t look at me.”
“Just sister stuff,” Robyn assured Lachlan.
“So … is there another present in the bedroom?” He raised his eyebrows in expectation.
“Isn’t there every day?”
Lachlan grinned. “Yes. My mistake.”
Robyn gave him a sassy nod. “You know it. But yeah, there is actually another present in the bedroom.”
“Is it a cuddly toy?” Eilidh asked.
Shooting my sister a look for speaking in innuendo in front of the kids, she blanched and smiled apologetically before turning to Eilidh. “Yeah, sweetie. That’s exactly right.”
“I want to see!”
“Some other time, Eils.” Thane cuddled her close. “It’s Uncle Lachlan’s present, remember.”
“Right, well.” Mac stood and handed over a tall, slim gift bag to Lachlan and another to Thane. “What do you get the men who have everything?”
It turned out expensive whisky, which they both were extremely happy about.
More gifts were shared. Lachlan got a tie from me, a sweater from Arro, a kilt pin from Eredine, and new earbuds and an arm strap for his phone from the kids so he could listen to his music while running.
It was Lewis’s idea, I informed Lachlan, and his nephew couldn’t look more pleased by how “chuffed” his uncle was.
Lastly, Thane gave his brother a compass.
“It was Dad’s. Do you remember? He said it belonged to our great-great-grandfather. I found it in the attic a few months ago when I was clearing stuff out. A guy in Inverness restored it.”
The gift obviously blew Lachlan away, and the brothers did that guy thing where they were all gruff about their emotions and battered each other on the back when they hugged to lessen the sentimentality of it all.
It was kind of adorable.
And then it was Thane’s turn. He got a matching kilt pin from Eredine (which I thought was cute), a different sweater from Lachlan’s from Arro, a swanky beard grooming kit from Robyn, and a fancy watch from Lachlan.
“For your new start back at work. Turn it over,” his brother said.
Thane did so and read, “Novis Initiis.”
“New beginnings,” Lachlan explained.
As he looked at his brother, Thane’s eyes brightened. Something only they seemed to understand passed between them. “It’s great. Thank you.”
Now my gift seemed weird in comparison. Instead of handing over the entire gift bag, I delved into it and took out the present from the kids. I gave it to Lewis to give to Thane.
“Happy Birthday, Dad.” Lewis hopped off the couch to lean into his dad’s legs. “It was my idea.”
“Mine too!” Eilidh frowned deeper than any human had ever frowned before. She turned to her father with that ferocious scowl. “Mine too, Daddy.”
Thane kissed her forehead. “I know, Eilidh-Bug. Now let’s have a look and see what it is.”
“It’s LEGO,” Eilidh announced, squirming excitedly, and we all couldn’t help but chuckle. “Can I play with it too?”
Desperately trying not to laugh, Thane nodded as he ripped open the wrapping. “Of course.” He studied it, his eyebrows lifting. “It might be a wee bit difficult.” He looked at Lewis. “I didn’t even know LEGO did this stuff.”
It was adult LEGO. A complicated set with plans for a contemporary, all-white architect’s studio. “I thought it would look great in your office once it’s built. And it’s supposed to be a stress reliever.”
Thane flicked me a look. “Right.”
“Ree-Ree might have helped with the idea too,” Lewis admitted.
Their dad gave me a vague look of thanks.
I tucked his gift from me behind my legs.
Thane and Lachlan swapped stories about their misdemeanors as teenagers; Lewis and Eilidh were in Arrochar’s TV room watching a movie because they’d gotten bored with the adults. Mac helped Arro clean up the kitchen. Even Eredine joined the warm conversation between my sister and the brothers.
I wasn’t really in the mood. Abandoning my spot on the sofa, I thought I’d go check on the kids and passed through the hallway to do it.
A glance in the kitchen, however, stopped me in my tracks.
Arro and Mac were standing near the sink, side by side, but they were pressed together, heads turned to each other, murmuring in conversation.
Mac stared down at Arro with such tenderness, I felt like I was intruding upon something.
Their body language was not the body language of two friends.
Oh my God.
How the hell had I missed that?
Probably because you’re obsessed with your asshole boss.
Hurrying away before they caught me watching them, I tucked this revelation away and considered asking Robyn about it later. Or maybe I shouldn’t. Maybe no one else knew. Maybe I was making something out of nothing.
Peeking into the den, I found Lewis sitting cross-legged in front of the TV, engrossed in a Marvel movie while Eilidh slept on the sofa.
Not wanting to disturb them, I closed the door softly and pondered my next move.
I couldn’t go into the kitchen to help Arro and Mac because it definitely seemed like I’d be interrupting.
And I didn’t want to return to the sitting room because Thane’s insistence on making me feel like I didn’t exist was …
Well, it was horrible.
Looking down the hallway, I noted the side entrance that probably led to the backyard. It was cold out, but it was dry.
And I could do with some fresh air.
THANE
Regan disappeared fifteen minutes ago and hadn’t come back. At first, I’d thought she’d gone to the kitchen to help Mac and Arro, but they’d returned with drinks for everyone and she wasn’t with them.
I noted Robyn frowning at her empty spot on the couch, more specifically at the floor. I peered around Mac’s legs and noted the gift bag.
When I looked up, Robyn stared intensely at me.
I squirmed with guilt.
“Where’s Regan?” Eredine asked, cutting through Lachlan and Mac’s conversation about security plans for the Hogmanay ceilidh at Ardnoch Castle.
“I don’t know.” Robyn moved to push up off the large armchair she shared with Lachlan. “I’d better check.”
“Let me.” I stood. “I need to look in on the kids, anyway.”
Regan was probably with them.
A muscle ticked in Robyn’s jaw, but she nodded and lowered beside Lachlan.
Robyn’s strange intensity worried me. Had Regan told her sister about … the incident? Damn it. It was nothing. Something that shouldn’t have happened.
Or maybe she’s just picking up on the fact that you’re being an absolute bastard to her sister.
Guilt rode my every step. Once I’d put up my guard with Regan, I hadn’t known how to stop for fear I might cross the line with her again. And it was more than that. That man’s appearance last week had put me in the foulest of moods. Had I taken it out on Regan?
Remorse sharpened in my chest.
I’d been so lost in my concerns about that man and Eilidh that I hadn’t been paying attention to what I was doing to Regan.
Forced to socialize with her now, it was glaringly obvious that beyond the teasing between her and her sister, Regan had lost her sparkle. She didn’t want to sit around and laugh with them, and that was out of character. Regan was an optimistic, happy person who lit up any room she was in.
Had I dimmed her light with my behavior?
I’d acted like a typical fuck boy, flirting with her for weeks, touching her … and then icing her out. I hadn’t been a dick like that to women even in the arrogance of youth. It was appalling I’d do it now.
Was that why Lewis had clung to Regan so much this past week? He sensed Regan’s unhappiness?
Was my boy worried she didn’t want to be with us anymore?
What if she doesn’t?
Who would want to stick around for a boss who treated her like a mere servant?
If any other man did that to a woman I cared about, I’d have more than a few strong words for him.
The idea of Regan returning to the States made my pulse race with panic.
Eilidh and Lewis needed her. Our lives were running so much smoother with her here, and she made us happy.
Robyn had mentioned something about an ancestry visa a few weeks back, and it had given me hope perhaps Regan might stay on as their nanny for longer than six months.
We were already in month three of her stay, almost halfway through.