“But I wanna be downstairs!”
“Come on.” He lifted her into bed, pulled up the covers, and settled down beside her in one swift move. “I’ll read The Night Before Christmas to you.”
She harrumphed like an eighty-year-old but couldn’t resist snuggling into him as he slowly made his way through the Christmas book. Thankfully, despite her excitement, she was also an energetic five-year-old who needed her sleep. Her eyes closed, lashes thick and casting shadows across her chubby cheeks. Thane squeezed her closer, just watching her for a bit, preferring to feel the utter relief of knowing no one could ever take his daughter from him rather than dwell on the panic that one day soon, another female who had become precious to him would slip through his fingers like sand.
A while later, Thane came downstairs to find the adults—except for Arro, who was driving Mac home—had moved on to a glass of whisky. Brodan had somehow insinuated himself into a seat next to Regan. He had his arm stretched along the back of the couch behind her. Thane tried not to let it bother him, considering Regan was engaged in conversation with Robyn, but as he sat down at the end of the sectional, he couldn’t stop his eyes from moving to them.
Brodan was chatting with Lachlan but Thane’s eagle eyes caught his subtle movement. His brother started drawing circles on Regan’s shoulder.
His gut tightened with anger, and he was about to snap at Brodan when Regan suddenly launched herself off the sofa. “Sorry, have an itch behind my shoulder blades. Robbie, can you get it?” She crouched, and while her sister frowned at Regan’s randomness, she reached up to scratch her back.
“Got it?” Robyn asked.
“Yeah, thanks. I hate those awkward itches.” Regan grinned breezily but Thane recognized it for what it was—a fake smile. When she returned to the couch, she sat down next to him instead.
His gut unknotted.
He wanted to lay his hand on her thigh in an obnoxious, claiming gesture.
Not long later, Brodan’s cell rang.
“Damn.” He looked at the caller ID. “I need to take this.”
“At this hour?” Lachlan scowled.
“It’s my agent. He’s on LA time. I’ll just be a second.” Brodan got up and strode toward the bifolds that led outside. “Hey, what’s happening?” he asked as he opened the door.
Ice-cold air immediately encased them, and they all shivered. The door closed behind Brodan and the air warmed again.
Five minutes later, when he still hadn’t come back, Thane’s annoyance grew. It wasn’t just about his flirting with Regan; it was the fact that he hadn’t seen his family in half a year, and he couldn’t go one night without shoptalk? Aggravated, Thane got up and strode toward the bifolds.
“Thane,” Lachlan called in warning.
Thane waved him off and slipped outside onto the deck.
His breath puffed in the air as soon as he shut the doors behind him. It was fucking baltic. Shivering, he turned to find Brodan sitting on the stairs at the bottom of the deck. No phone in hand. Just staring out at the blackness beyond. While he could smell the sea and hear it lapping at the rocks below, he couldn’t see a damn thing, which was why the kids were never allowed out here in the pitch-black.
“What are you doing?” Thane sat down beside his brother, the icy wood seeping into the arse of his trousers. “It’s bloody freezing.”
Brodan shrugged. “I like it. I’ve been filming in a desert for months. This is refreshing. It’s home.”
The sound of longing in his voice made Thane frown. “Then why are you never here?”
“Because I have a life, a career.”
Thane made a huffing sound but didn’t reply.
“Anyway, you’re all doing well without me. I’ve never seen Lachlan so happy.”
“Aye, Robyn is good for him.”
“She’s pretty great.” He flicked Thane a smirk. “Her sister is tasty. Can’t imagine it’s a hardship having her around.”
That jealousy and anger flared inside him again. “You’ll stay away from Regan.”
Brodan snorted. “It’s just harmless flirting.”
“It’ll stop. You’re making her uncomfortable.”
“I’m making her uncomfortable, brother, or I’m making you uncomfortable?” All amusement fled Brodan’s expression as he stared into Thane’s eyes. “I’m not an idiot. Our family might not have noticed, but I certainly have. You watch her like a hawk. And she watches you back. A man doesn’t look at his brother like he wants to rip off his head for staring at a woman, unless he himself is fucking said woman.”
“Brodan,” he warned.
His brother held up a hand to cut him off. “I won’t tell anyone.” He stood and stared down at Thane. “But have you really thought this through, Thane? She’s a lot younger than you, she’s gorgeous, and she’s barely experienced life. I just …” he sighed heavily. “I don’t want you to get hurt. Watch yourself there.” He patted Thane’s shoulder and strode back up onto the deck to disappear inside.
Thane bowed his head, fighting a million emotions, few of them pretty. Finally, knowing they’d all wonder where he was, he took a deep, calming breath before he forced himself to return inside.
32
Regan
While our mom expected way too much from Robyn in all things, she expected very little from me. I didn’t know what was worse—the pressure, or the lack of faith?
What had started out as a joyous reunion at Inverness Airport, a giddy drive to Ardnoch, and a lovely dinner with our mom and dad had changed somewhat the next day. It was Christmas Eve, and while Mac would attend Christmas dinner with us, he’d decided to not be there on the evening of the twenty-fourth. He’d offered to not attend Christmas Day, too, because he didn’t want to make Mom and Dad feel weird, but Robyn put her foot down. It was her first Christmas with her father in years, and she wasn’t missing out.
Ery and Arrochar had also forgone Christmas Eve dinner with us.
Mom and Dad were, like almost everyone on the planet, charmed by Eilidh’s effervescent personality and Lewis’s reserved adorableness. At the dinner table, I sat next to Dad. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed his big, solid presence in my life. You only had to take one look at us to know where I got most of my genes. Dad was a good man. His work got to him more than I liked, but that was because he was honorable, and unfortunately, sometimes the justice system wasn’t. I know he often felt helpless, but he made up for it by being the best goddamn detective he could be.
I was proud of him.
Dad squeezed me into his side, telling me he missed me too. “You seem happy.” He grinned with those dimples he’d bestowed upon me.
“I am.”
“Good.” He kissed my temple and returned to his plate.
I knew that my being happy in Scotland must’ve been a scary prospect for Dad, but I believed he wanted the best for me, even if that meant there was an ocean between us.
“You’ll come stay the night with us at Robyn’s,” Mom said as we discussed plans for the next day, “after Santa’s arrival.”