Chapter 13 Monroe
MONROE
Ibumped into Arrochar Adair Galbraith in Golspie, of all places.
After spending all of Friday morning with Brodan, I’d been desperate to flee Ardnoch and everything it represented.
So I drove up the coast Saturday morning and walked around the quaint neighboring town of Golspie.
I considered driving just a bit farther out to spend the morning at Dunrobin Castle because I hadn’t been there in years, but I’d situated myself in a coffee shop just off Main Street and was enjoying my latest book too much to leave.
The proprietor happily kept my coffee filled, not caring if I’d glued my arse to one of her small bistro chairs.
It was peace.
A lovely distraction.
So imagine my surprise when the bell tinkled above the door and in came Arrochar, pushing a pram.
My pulse raced as our eyes connected. I didn’t know how Arro would respond to my being home.
In fact, it was a miracle we hadn’t bumped into each other yet.
Now here we were, in another village, staring at one another.
To my shock, Arro’s face split into a beautiful smile. “Roe!”
My eyebrows sprung upward. “Arro.”
She pushed the pram toward my table, and my eyes dropped as I heard a baby making gurgling noises from within.
Arro’s wee girl. My goodness. Sometimes it felt like time hadn’t passed, and then I was reminded that it absolutely had.
Arro pushed the pram into the corner by my table, and I stood to greet her as she wrapped her arms around me.
The smell of her perfume enveloped me, and tears sprung to my eyes as she squeezed me hard.
“I’ve missed you,” she said, sounding a little hoarse.
I cleared my throat. “You too,” I whispered.
When she pulled back, she didn’t release me.
Arro stared down at me, studying my face as I studied hers.
She hadn’t changed much. In fact, she glowed, her blond hair lighter than it used to be, her eyes that same striking pale blue as Brodan’s.
Happiness radiated from her, and I was glad.
When I’d first discovered she was married to her sister-in-law’s father, I didn’t know what to make of it.
Then I saw Mackennon Galbraith in the village one day, and I could certainly see the attraction.
He’d had Robyn very young, so the age gap between him and Arro didn’t seem so drastic in reality.
Especially considering Arro was a mature woman in her thirties.
Still, what a complicated family tree the Adairs were growing.
“I can’t believe we bumped into each other here. Since I heard you were back, I have been waiting to see you. I actually called the school for your number, but they wouldn’t give it to me.”
Shocked by this revelation, I had to force back fresh tears. I was so sure Arro was mad at me. But no. “They wouldn’t? I’m sorry.” I blushed with frustration at myself. “I … I just assumed you didn’t want to hear from me. That’s why I never …”
Arro gave my arms another squeeze and stepped back. “It’s all water under the bridge. Do you mind if Skye and I join you?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to reject her, just as I’d rejected Arran the numerous times he’d tried to engage in friendship.
But after the way Brodan had treated me in rehearsal—in fact, since that first day in Flora’s—I was done acting like I had done something wrong.
I was sick and tired of hosting all the blame for the deterioration of our friendship.
Why should I make myself miserable for someone who didn’t exist anymore?
Brodan wasn’t the kind, protective boy of my childhood.
He was a complete and total wanker.
My attention moved to the pram, to the adorable baby girl inside staring up at her mum. “Oh, Arro, she’s beautiful.”
“Thank you. Let’s settle in, and you can hold her if you’d like.”
An ache tore through my chest. “I’d like that.”
“Can you watch her while I order a coffee?”
“Of course.”
“Do you want anything?”
“I’m good.” I was reeling. This felt surreal on so many levels.
As Arro waited to be served, I leaned over the pram. “Hullo, Skye,” I greeted the baby softly.
Her blue eyes moved to me and she raised her fists, giving me a smile in return.
The pain of longing intensified.
I thought I’d have children, plural, by now. Maybe even one already in high school.
Life didn’t turn out how I’d expected. I wondered if it did for anyone.
When Arro returned to her seat, I asked, “What brings you to Golspie?”
“They needed Mac at the estate for some security system update today.” She shrugged before taking a quick sip of coffee.
“And honestly, I just wanted to have a gander with Skye without bumping into someone every five seconds.” Realizing how that sounded, she placed a hand over mine.
“Not you. This is different. I’m so glad we bumped into each other. ”
“No, I get it. Why do you think I’m here?”
Arro chuckled and then shook her head as she held my gaze. “You haven’t changed a bit.”
“Neither have you.”
“You’re too kind.” She smoothed a hand over Skye’s blanket. “I’ve changed since this wee drop of stardust fell into my life. I haven’t had a full night’s sleep since, for a start.”
“Well, you would never know. You look beautiful.”
Arro gave me a soft smile. “Forever kind, as always, Roe. Goodness, I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to see you.
” Her smile dropped. “Though Arran tells me you’re staying in Gordon’s caravan.
That won’t do, Monroe. Not over the winter.
One reason I wanted to bump into you was to offer you Mac’s cottage on Castle Street.
We’ve been renting it as a holiday let, so there’s no current tenant.
We can rent it to you for the same as whatever Gordon’s renting the caravan. ”
Which would be a crazy discount. I flushed at her generosity and the fact that I required it. Pride made me shake my head. “I appreciate that, but I’m fine, really.”
She opened her mouth as if to argue, so I hurried to ask, “May I hold Skye?”
A minute later, I had a warm, sweet-smelling baby in my arms. “How old is she now?” I asked as she made little baby sounds and blew raspberries at me.
“Six weeks, nearly seven. I don’t know where the time has gone.” Arro stared adoringly at her daughter. “Other than waking up through the night, she’s so good. So chilled out.”
“She must get that from you.” I always remembered Arro being laid back.
“And Mac. He doesn’t look it, but he’s very chill.”
“Are you happy?” I blurted out.
Arro met my gaze and answered sincerely, “I wish everyone could have what I have. The world would be better for it.”
Emotion stung my eyes. “I’m glad for you, Arro.”
Concern wrinkled her brow. “Are you happy, Roe?”
I knew what she was thinking. She was one of the few people who’d known my simple dreams of the future. Teaching, marriage, babies.
At least I had one of those.
“I will be,” I answered, hoping it was true.
brODAN
Never google yourself. Rule number one.
I broke the rule.
Now, as you’d imagine, what I found pissed me off.
Not at the rumors swirling about my whereabouts, my retirement, “the end of Brodan Adair” as we know it, but at some lying scummy social media influencer called Harriet Blume.
She had five million followers, and while I wasn’t the focus of all her gossip and lies, she certainly seemed taken with me.
She’d wracked up millions of views on a video of me with a pregnant Robyn that she’d taken while in Ardnoch.
Blume had insinuated nothing. She’d let the video do the work.
People thought I’d gone home because I’d gotten someone pregnant. Thankfully, folk who paid attention had rushed to the comments to fact-check and tell others that Robyn was my sister-in-law. But it was obvious the brat had posted this for views.
I tried not to let it get to me.
Blume was no longer in Ardnoch. She could post nonsense about me and other celebrities, and it should not bother me one whit.
A text message dropped onto the screen, so I tapped out of the platform, vowing to delete the apps, and opened the message.
It was from Rachel Wilde, an actor I’d made my first big movie with. We’d slept together during the making of the movie and whenever she wasn’t in a relationship. According to rumor, she’d just broken off her engagement to some nephew of a billionaire businessman.
Apparently, it was true.
In Paris in December for a week. Could use some company.
I would quite like to get laid sometime soon with no complicated strings.
To my indignation, an image of Roe’s face flashed across my mind.
Strings? She was a fucking museum of strings.
Before I could answer, a knock sounded on my door. Perhaps it was housekeeping. “Come in.”
To my surprise, my sister strolled in, her cheeks flushed with the November chill. And she was alone.
I frowned as I stood. “Where’s my gorgeous wee niece?”
“Downstairs with her dad. I just thought I’d pop up and see you before we leave.” Arro looked around my suite, a frown furrowing her brow. “I wish you’d move out of here and in with one of us.”
“This is still home to me, Arro.” I sat on the edge of the bed. “It might be filled with strangers, but this is where we grew up.”
Sighing heavily, Arro sat in a chair across from me. “Speaking of … I bumped into Monroe in Golspie today. We had coffee.”
My pulse picked up. “And?”
Arro studied me carefully. “I didn’t get a lot out of her. It’s hard to catch up on eighteen years over coffee with a baby in hand, but I saw enough.”
Curiosity pricked at me. “I’m not interested.”
“Aren’t you doing the school musical with her?”
I shrugged. “We’re not really interacting.”
Concern filled my sister’s eyes. “She didn’t say it, but she’s not happy, Brodan. I’m worried about her.”
“You speak to her for all of five minutes, and you’ve deduced that much?”
Arro scowled. “We talked for an hour, and she was very good at being vague about her life and her feelings. Something you two have in common.”
“Arro,” I warned.
“Don’t you care? She used to be your best friend in the entire world.”
“Christ.” I pushed off the bed, walking away from her toward the window. “You sound like Arran.”
“Well?”
“Well what?” I spun on her. “Arro, I don’t know that woman anymore. She’s nothing to do with me, and I wish my family would stop trying to make it into something it’s not. I couldn’t care less about her. She’s a stranger to me now.”
My sister stood up, glaring at me. “I’m going to pursue a friendship with her.”
“Do what you like.”
She scoffed and shook her head. “It’s funny you should say Roe’s a stranger to you now … Because, honestly, I feel that way about you.”
Her words hit hard. They fucking hurt. “What does that mean?”
Arro shrugged sadly. “Just that I don’t know you anymore.
My funny, charming, affectionate, loving brother came back this autumn a guarded, aloof man hiding behind a false smile.
I see it, even though you think I am too busy as a new mum to notice.
You’re not happy, Brodan, and you won’t admit it. You won’t talk to me about it.”
I smirked to hide the way her words struck a nerve. “You said it yourself—you’re busy with Skye.”
“Not too busy to talk if you need it.”
“I don’t.”
Arro sighed. “That’s what I mean. You’re lying to me right now.”
“What do you want me to say?” I snapped. “That my fucking life is in the toilet? That I don’t know what I’m doing or what I want? That life didn’t turn out the way I thought it would and seeing fucking Monroe Sinclair every fucking where takes me back to a place that kills me!”
The words rang through the spacious room, shocking us both.
Arro took a step toward me. “Yes, Brodan. I want you to tell me those things.”
“I can’t,” I said between gritted teeth. “Because if I don’t keep it together, I’m afraid …”
“Afraid of what?”
“That I won’t be able to pick up the pieces.”
My sister rushed me, throwing her arms around me. I hugged her back, holding on to her slight frame as if she were a lifeline.
“Talk about the things that bother you, Brodan. Or it’ll all explode out of you one day in a way you don’t want it to.”
I nodded. Though I wasn’t ready to talk, I shuddered, holding her tighter.
Arro rubbed my back. “It’s okay, big brother. Just know I’m here when you’re ready to let it all out.”