Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 120838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
“Your mum needs to chill.”
“She needs things to do to keep her occupied.”
I twisted in my seat to look at him. “Sometimes it’s better to think things through, Dair.”
“She can think and do at the same time, lass,” he returned. “But she’s always been a busy person. Even during holidays, she’d find reasons to bustle about. It’s her safe space.”
“Oh.”
“If she wants, let her cook tomorrow for our last night.”
Their last night.
Why did that sting?
I sat forward and mumbled, “Of course.”
He drove for a while before he asked, “Hear from your superhero friends?”
“Yes. They don’t mess around. Mission complete. Apparently, Mum’s already gone. But they checked anyway and sent pictures. All is in order.”
“That’s good, lassie,” he murmured.
It was.
Actually, it was a huge relief.
“Do ye ken where your mum went?” he asked.
“No, I don’t know. I also don’t care. Just as long as she’s leaving Alex and Rix alone.”
“How long are they gone?”
“They’ll be home the Sunday after next.”
“Good long honeymoon, then,” he muttered.
“Yes,” I confirmed.
There was small talk the rest of the way into town, mostly about how we spent our days, and Dair found a precious parking place close to the popular restaurant.
I picked Farm Provisions, and I was surprised he could get a reservation at such short notice, because it was so popular. Maybe it was because it was a weeknight. Maybe it was because of his deep voice and accent, and the person who took the booking was gay or a female.
What it wasn’t, was romantic.
Then again, I hadn’t had any reason to scout romantic restaurants in Prescott.
But it was delicious food, locally sourced with a busy, bustling vibe that I enjoyed.
And it was bustling, so how Dair scored a table inside was a miracle.
We sat. We ordered drinks. We perused the menu. We ordered food.
As the server was leaving, Dair turned a serious face to me.
Damn.
Here we go.
But he led into it sweet. “We have a lot to talk about, baby.”
I cleared my throat and asked, “Like what?”
“We can start with what you said to me at the rehearsal dinner.”
So much had happened since then, I didn’t remember what I said.
Then it hit me.
Shit.
“You were kind of a jerk to me growing up, Dair,” I pointed out.
“You were a prissy wee miss, Blake. As a young lad, it’s a moral imperative to be a jerk to a prissy wee miss.”
For a second, I sat stunned.
Then I busted out laughing.
I only stopped when Dair rumbled, “Jesus Christ.”
He was staring at me like…
Like…
I didn’t know.
But it felt great.
So I asked, “What?”
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. But when you laugh, I see a wee bit of that little girl I knew, except she isn’t unhappy like she was always unhappy.”
I was utterly shocked he thought I was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
I was not unaware of what I looked like. I knew I was attractive.
But he’d dated models and actresses (and, I’d noted, had one particularly long stint with a pop star).
It was the “always unhappy” thing that freaked me.
“I wasn’t always unhappy,” I denied.
“Lass, I think we can validate and set aside the fact your mum was a shit mum.”
“Yes,” I agreed, because…obviously.
“So ye won’t be taking any offense when I note she was a horrible mum to you girls.”
“She didn’t attempt to hide it,” I confirmed.
“No. She didnae. If ye were up at our place, Alex would tramp out and do her own thing. But it’d take forever for Mum to get you settled in. Then you’d be in the kitchen with her, making stews or pies. But I think that was the only time ye seemed really happy.”
God, I’d forgotten about cooking with Kenna. The last time we’d done that was so long ago.
I didn’t do much but peel vegetables or roll out dough.
But I remembered liking those times a whole lot, even if they were rare.
This made me consider the idea this was the reason why I loved cooking so much.
Because Kenna gave it to me.
And Dair was right.
Working in her kitchen with her made me happy.
“Your mum has always been lovely with me.”
“My mum has always fretted like fuck over you and Alex.”
This was awful, and I wished she hadn’t had to do that, but it didn’t surprise me.
She was her own woman and had always seemed capable, together and no-nonsense, but when it came to her children, she was all mum, openly, even effusively loving and nurturing, but when needed, strict and disciplined.
On this thought, I remarked, “You’re very lucky, Dair.”
“Aye, I ken. This is why I worry about what marks Helena made on ye.”
I shrugged. “I’m not the only kid in the world who had a crappy mother.”
“I’m not sitting across from some other grown kid from out in the world, Blake.”
Argh.
I didn’t want to talk about this. There was nothing to be done about it.