Yeah, neither do I.
Ignoring him, I drag my hand over my face. “Did you know my parents are going to be gone for six months?”
“Figured as much,” Lachlan says. “That’s what was in the advert—didn’t you read it?”
Apparently not well enough.
“They’re headed to Europe,” I say. “Traveling around from country to country by train.” At least, that’s what they told me. I twist the empty tumbler between my hands, recalling the vague details I dragged out of them.
I can still feel the palpable silence in my parents’ house as we all ate together, the forks clanging on crockery plates, the heavy weight hovering above all of us, the unspoken truth of what’s really going on in our family. We’re falling apart. We’ve been falling apart for years, and no one is willing to step up and fix things.
After this whole holibags shite, I’m sure as hell not.
“Sour you’re not going with them?” Lachlan asks.
“No,” I shoot back. “Irritated they didn’t tell me until the night before they were planning on leaving.” I look around the pub, making sure no one is paying our conversation any attention before I lower my voice. “Have you heard anything around town about my da’s health?”
“No,” Lachlan answers.
“Why?” Leith asks, turning serious. “You worried about him?”
“Just doesn’t seem like his full self. He’s weak, frail looking. Maw says he’s on a diet, but I don’t buy it. He never walks around town anymore. God forbid he’d talk to me about it, though. The man would rather die puffing his chest than let me in on any fault he might have.”
“He seems like he’s lost weight,” Lachlan says. “But I thought he was just eating healthier, like your maw said. Haven’t seen him in the pub at all, or at the Admiral.”
Aye. Another warning sign.
Da loves this town, loves everyone who lives here, and thrives off talking to as many locals as he can.
I’m the exact opposite.
“Christ,” I sigh just as Isla, Lachlan and Leith’s younger sister, steps up to the table. “Hey, Isla.”
She hands out another round of drinks and takes a seat at the table with us. “Saw your maw today, Rowan. She told me all about the new lesbian in town.”
Hell.
Thank God Isla is smirking. My maw is blunt as fuck and has no boundaries to speak of. Makes living in a small town difficult.
“Said I should go make her acquaintance. Ask her out on a date.”
“One of the Americans is a lesbian?” Leith asks.
“Yes, well, according to Finella. She said Dakota—that’s her name—is recovering from a bad breakup.”
“How uncomfortable was that conversation?” I say, shaking my head.
“Not as uncomfortable as the conversation we had after she found out I was gay. Progress.” She winks.
“Is the other one a lesbian?” Leith asks, seeming far too eager at the prospect.
“Bonnie,” I say, staring down at my glass. “Her name is Bonnie St. James.”
The table falls silent as all three Murdachs stare me down.
“Och, do we know this Bonnie?” Isla asks.
I tip back my glass of whisky, though I barely let the liquid wet my lips. “Ran into her at the cottage.”
“And . . . ?” Leith asks. “Care to elaborate?”
I take another sip. “She tried to attack me with a broom but barely even tapped me. Tiny thing.”
“Everyone is tiny compared to you,” Isla points out.
“Thinking on asking her out?” Lachlan asks.
“No,” I answer, and I mean it. Yeah, her eyes are unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and behind her angry, furrowed brow, I spotted the softest of smiles, but I have zero interest in getting involved with an American, let alone one who’s only here temporarily. “She’s running the coffee shop—I don’t foresee us crossing paths.”
“Have you forgotten where you live?” Lachlan asks. “I’d be shocked if you don’t run into her at least once a day.”
“Trust me. I stay out of this town’s way.”
“Uh-huh.” Leith laughs. “Ten pounds says you see her first thing tomorrow morning.”
CHAPTER FIVE
BONNIE
Cake consumed: Zero, and I’m going through withdrawal.
New job: One—not what I want to do for life, but it will do for now.
Days since last male-induced orgasm: Seventy-two, but my dreams were pretty naughty last night.