Chapter 7 Eredine
EREDINE
Iloved my house.
My little lodge in the middle of the woods was my haven, surrounded by trees, with potted flowers scattered around the porch to add color in among all the heavenly shades of green.
While I knew some of my girlfriends disliked the idea of me being out here alone (and so did Lachlan and the rest of the men in the family), I’d never felt afraid, until Lucy.
After her arrest, Lachlan installed cameras and the alarm, so I was back to enjoying the house for the sanctuary it was.
I wasn’t a misanthrope who needed to be far away from people, but I’d always enjoyed silence and privacy.
Now I wrapped both around me like a security blanket.
My days off were every other Saturday, alternating with Thursday, and every Sunday.
On Sundays, I spent most of my time with the Adairs.
I also babysat for Regan and Thane a couple times a month, which I loved, even if Arran had taken to hanging around.
If I was being honest with myself, I didn’t mind his presence at all.
This Saturday, however, my day off, I wanted nothing but to curl up with a good book in my small lodge with no one but the chirping birds for company.
Alas, it wasn’t to be. Morosely, and perhaps a little ungratefully, I gave my living room a sad face before I stepped outside and locked up.
Regan had been working to start a book club for a long time now and had finally gotten us to agree to meet at Arro’s for our inaugural meeting.
Every member would take turns picking a book, and the first week had been Regan’s choice as club founder.
The thought made me smile as I got into my car.
It all sounded so very middle school. However, Regan’s pick had been as far from middle school as one could get.
As a voracious romance reader, she’d chosen a contemporary novel that was extremely emotional and spicier than anything I’d ever read. Enthralled upon finishing it, I proceeded to buy a bunch more titles for my e-reader. Regan would be so proud. I couldn’t wait to tell her.
What I wouldn’t be telling her, however, was that the romance novel had only made me miss sex more. It wasn’t like I hadn’t gone through periods of missing sex in the last eight years—of course, I had. But it had never been this insistent, and I was trying not to overanalyze the timing.
Sighing, I concentrated on driving. I was more than used to the crazy Scottish weather that could change from sunshine to snow in a second, so this weird week of summer temperatures in spring didn’t surprise me.
Today was another gloriously warm day. Last week I’d been wearing my winter jacket and boots, and now I wore a thin, long-sleeved T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers.
To be fair, we wouldn’t consider this hot in California, but my blood had acclimated to the Scottish temps. And when the sun came out in Scotland, so did the skin. Had to grab our vitamin D while we had the chance.
Smiling at the fact that I now considered myself part Scottish, I hummed along to the radio, enjoying the smell of sun lotion and the shade of my sunglasses.
Arro lived with Mac in a midcentury bungalow on the northern outskirts of Ardnoch village. Once their new house was built in Caelmore near Lachlan and Thane, she planned to rent the bungalow as a holiday let. Arran was building a house near Arro too. A big house. A family-sized house.
I ignored a panicky, fluttery feeling at the thought of my friend settling down with some faceless woman. It would be bye-bye friendship, then, wouldn’t it? No wife would allow her husband such a close friendship with another woman.
Mood somewhat soured, I turned up the radio, blasting “Wrecked” by Imagine Dragons to drown out my feelings.
I lowered the volume when I slowed into Arro’s residential area. As I pulled into her cul-de-sac, I noted Robyn’s Range Rover and assumed she’d driven Regan here since they were neighbors.
Disconnecting my phone from my car after I parked, I noticed a text message from Arro.
Too nice to sit inside so we’re in my back garden. See you soon!
Just like that, I didn’t mind so much leaving behind my peaceful little lodge.
I enjoyed Arro, Robyn, and Regan’s company.
They seemed to accept me for who I was and never pushed me to give any more than I could.
My sixth sense told me from day one of meeting each of them they were good people, all unfailingly kind.
Kindness was a big factor for me in choosing friends.
Kind friends, plus a day outdoors, sounded good.
Walking quietly around the side of Arro’s house, I heard the American-accented voices of Regan and Robyn. It was more than nice to have fellow Americans as friends in Scotland. It made me feel more at home.
But then I caught the sound of my name and stopped, staying hidden.
“We’re all worried about Eredine,” Arro said, her brogue carrying across the yard.
I frowned, leaning against the side of the house.
“I’m just saying maybe we shouldn’t be sitting on that,” Regan replied.
My heart rate picked up speed. Sitting on what?
“Or maybe we should,” Robyn spoke, her tone stern. “Thane told Lachlan that you did something with Arran the other night. Set it up so he was there when Ery came over to babysit. What’s with that?”
What? I gaped. I hadn’t even asked why I was there if Arran was around to look after Eilidh and Lewis. I’d just been happy he was.
Argh. Regan!
“What?” Regan huffed. “They are good together.”
“You know there’s something there with Brodan,” Robyn argued.
“I’m sorry, but Brodan would have already gone there with Eredine if he was serious about it, and Thane told me Brodan is extremely commitment phobic.”
“That’s true,” Arro added.
A year ago, that might have hurt.
Now I saw it for the truth.
“Brodan or Arran or the man from Timbuktu, it doesn’t matter. Eredine has shown no interest in a romantic relationship beyond an obvious crush on Brodan.”
I flushed. Obvious?
“She’s a grown woman, and if she wants a relationship, she’ll go after one. You are not butting into her life that like.”
Thank you, Robyn. Voice of reason!
“I have to agree, Regan,” Arro said.
I heard a heavy sigh. “I wasn’t trying to cause trouble. I just … I was thinking about it, and Ery has been here, what, eight years? And in that time, have you ever seen her with anyone?” Regan asked.
Arro answered, “No. No one.”
“That’s eight years without sex. Eight loooooong years. That is too long for a woman to go without.”
Scowling in embarrassment, I considered getting back in my car. So, eight years was a long time. I knew that! I didn’t need other people to remind me. Not that she knew she was reminding me, since they were talking behind my back.
Hurt pricked me.
So much for unfailingly kind.
“It’s none of our business,” Robyn reiterated. “Ery doesn’t cross me as the type who does casual sex, so if your plan is to throw Arran at her to douse her dry spell, forget it. She’ll never do that.”
For some reason, that made me glower even harder.
“Aye, definitely not,” Arro agreed. “I can’t imagine Ery ever having a one-night stand with someone.”
How did they know I hadn’t? Hmm? I could have had casual sex!
I hadn’t.
But they didn’t know that for a fact.
They’d just pegged me as Miss Prude or something?
“You don’t know that,” Regan said, alleviating my annoyance. “None of us really know her.”
And I was annoyed again.
Because that stung.
A lot.
Mostly because it was true, and I hated it was true, but I didn’t know how to lower the walls that would make it not true.
Tears of frustration stung my eyes.
Sometimes I wished I were someone else. That I could break free of the chokehold that kept me frozen in place, never moving while everyone else whirled around me, evolving, becoming more.
It might have been irrational, but it hurt that my friends saw me that way too.
“I know enough,” Arro said, her tone firm. “She’s kind and sweet and clearly loves this family. That’s all I need to know.”
Her words soothed the ache.
“Now, let’s talk about something else because she’ll be here soon, and I don’t want her to overhear us talking about her like this. It’s not nice.”
“Guys, I only mentioned it out of love, I promise,” Regan said, sounding remorseful. “I adore Ery.”
“We know,” Robyn assured her. “But let it go, sweetie.”
I leaned against the side of the house, listening to them change the subject to Arro and Mac’s new place and how it was coming along. Checking the time on my phone, I waited a couple minutes before stepping into the garden with a smile painted on.
The ladies looked happy to see me, and I tried to shrug off my annoyance with them for chatting about my love life and for assuming things about me. I couldn’t really blame them for assumptions, since I never shared anything of personal substance. All they could do was guess.
Still, was I really some Mary Sue to them? A boring, sexless creature?
Ignoring that horrible thought, I asked, “How are you guys? Pregnancy treating you kindly?”
Arro and Robyn shared a look, and Robyn turned to me first. “We’re opposites. I haven’t had an ounce of morning sickness, but I can’t sleep at night …”
“While I’m sick every morning,” Arro continued, “and sleepy all the time.”
“Neither of you are showing yet.”
“Oh, there’s a little bump there.” Robyn smoothed her T-shirt down, and I could see a slight swelling in her lower abdomen.
Arro stood and turned to the side to do the same with her shirt, and I could see her small swell. “Just a wee bit.” She caressed her stomach protectively.
“And how are the menfolk?” Regan asked, eyes bright with amusement. “Thane told me he hovered constantly over Fran when she was pregnant with Lewis but was more laid-back with Eilidh.”