“Earth to Gideon?” Rowan squeezed Gideon’s arm.
He seemed taken aback, confused. “Sorry. I, erm, no, that’s fine. Hugs are fine.” He lowered his hand and despite his words, his body stiffened beside Rowan as he was pulled into an awkward one-armed hug by Momo.
“Well, it’s lovely to meet you too. Feel free to call me Momo, but Jodie is just fine.” She quirked an eyebrow as she patted his shoulder. “My you’re a…solid young thing.”
“Stop being a dirty old lady, or I’ll tell Mom,” Rowan warned.
Momo shrugged. “We’ve been together for nearly forty years. You think she doesn’t let me look every now and again.”
“Oh my God.” Rowan pressed his hand to his forehead. Why did I think bringing Gideon here was a good idea? He lowered his hand in time to see Momo cupping her hands in front of her chest.
“Besides, even now Mom still has the best—”
“Oh wow, I’m parched. How about you, Gideon? Shall we get a drink?” Rowan tugged on Gideon’s arm, making it a few steps when the one who he lovingly considered the Bringer of Chaos Number Two, Momo being Number One, emerged.
“Did someone say drink?” Ava leaned around the kitchen door. She held an empty wine glass loosely between her finger and thumb and was wearing a ruby-red hooded cardigan. The hood was pulled up, its thick fur trim framed her face, and stitched dog ears hung down either side, flopping and swaying as she ran in small steps and jumped at Rowan.
“Ro.” She giggled and smushed her face to his before planting a sloppy kiss on his lips.
“Geez, you stink.” Her perfume, mixed with the strong smell of alcohol, hit the back of his throat, and he honestly thought he was going to gag. “Are you drunk already?”
“It’s Christmas,” she slurred, her legs seeming to give out as Rowan was left supporting her weight.
“Geez. Momo?” He looked at her for help.
“Yes, yes.” She hooked her hands under Ava’s armpits. “At least let him get through the door properly.”
“Boo,” Ava said with a pout as she was pulled off him. “I want Ro. Ma bro. Bro-Ro.” She snorted a laugh and squirmed free, finding her feet.
Rowan glanced over his shoulder at Gideon. Rowan wasn’t sure he could describe Gideon’s expression. Amazement, complete and utter disbelief. He was probably regretting agreeing to tag along. “She’s not usually this bad. I swear.”
“I’ve had my heart broken.” Ava roughly prodded her chest. “Ow,” she mumbled and rubbed the spot she had poked.
“Lloyd’s an idiot. Rowan and I need to have a word with him.” Kevin was behind her rubbing her head through the hood.
“We do?” Rowan remembered Lloyd was a bodybuilder type, built like an outhouse and fond of trying to lift Bear, or so he’d been told.
Kevin pulled Ava into a hug. “Gotta look after our little sis,” he teased.
“I’ve got your back,” Rowan said and then stepped back dramatically to hide behind the door.
“Whatever, little brother. Ava, come on, how about we get you some water and one of those cookies.”
Ava curled down her bottom lip and sniffed. “Okay,” she said, sounding small and pathetic.
Oh boy.
Rowan’s family home was a far cry from the expensive sophistication of Gideon’s offices, from his fancy suits and everything having its own place. In this family, organization was scored in the negatives then throw in some dogs, and it was a bubbling pot of emotions and insanity. But it was also a home of love and warmth and everything Rowan had needed growing up, and still did now.
In small doses. Very small doses.
“Are you okay?” Rowan asked Gideon. “I know you’re here now, but if you wanted a timeout we can go and check out the cabin instead.”
Gideon shook his head and pulled the scarf from around his neck. “No. It’s fine. As you said, we’re here so we should make the most of it.” His gaze seemed different. Brighter?
“If you’re sure.” Rowan shrugged off his jacket and held out his hand to take Gideon’s.
“I’m looking forward to it.” A genuine smile spread across his face. “I’m sure we’ll have fun.”
“So, did you have fun?” Rowan asked as he dropped down on the bed. He stared at the ceiling light and listened to the sound of running water.
“I can’t talk…just…give me a minute.” He was in the bathroom cleaning vomit off his suit pants. Not his vomit, which kind of made things worse.
Rowan laid back and rested his arm over his face and grimaced. “Feel free to add it to your fee.”
“I think I’m going to be sick.” Gideon’s voice was strained.
“Do you want me to do it?” He lowered his arm, glancing at the bathroom door.
“No.”
Rowan sighed. “I thought you’d be used to things like this. You’ve cleaned up after Kimi before, right? She’s a cat. They cough up all sorts, don’t they?” He closed his eyes.
Gideon turned off the faucet. “It’s not so much the sick as it is the volume.” He huffed a breath as he came back into the room. “Was Ava okay?”
“Embarrassed mostly. Kevin was putting her to bed.”
“Is she in a cabin too?”
Rowan breathed in deeply. “No, she’ll have one of the spare rooms in the main house. Sarah and her kids will take the others. Kevin is in the next cabin ready for when Esther and his daughters arrive.” Rowan licked his lips. “Ah, I’m withered.”
“What?”
“Like a plant on a sunny day.”
Gideon moved closer. “I get that. I guess your family is a bit like the sun.”
“Yeah, hot and bothersome.”
“I was thinking bright and warm.”
Rowan opened his eyes as Gideon sat in the chair beside the bed. He held his suit pants in his arms, a dark patch up the legs where he had tried to clean them. Rowan’s gaze drifted from Gideon’s socks then up the dark hairs on his bare legs to the boxers showing beneath the bottom of his dress shirt.
“I’m really sorry,” he said and looked away. “If you want to go back, I’d understand. We might be able to get you a flight.” He lifted his hips and fished his phone from his pocket. “I’ll check for you.”
“There’s no need,” Gideon insisted.
“Really?”
Gideon nodded. “I am rethinking my luggage, however.”
“It’s all suits, isn’t it?” Rowan laughed.
“Not all.”
“Well, lucky for you Kev is your size, and I’m sure we can find something for you to borrow if it comes down to it.”
“I guess. But ignoring clothes for a moment. I’m not sure you’ve realized the more pressing matter at hand.”
Pressing matter?
Rowan lifted his head. “What’s wrong?”
Gideon folded his arms and gave him a firm look.
“What did I do?”
“Nothing.”
“Then, what’s the problem?”
Gideon leaned forward. “You’re lying on it.”