That morning, once they’d secured their car, Blake had rushed off, saying something about her urgent need to get to the grocery store.
He’d dropped Davi off at the square so she could find their mum, and he’d gone into the hotel and changed clothes, then met Judge for a five-mile hike.
Ned had been correct.
This country was beautiful.
After their hike, he and Judge shared a beer at Judge’s house, and Dair again got to spend time with their wee bonny son JT, who Chloe referred to solely as Jimmy, although no one else did.
He’d kicked it home when Blake texted her address (along with three scrolls’ worth of directions, something that made him chuckle). After she did, he’d Googled it and realized he didn’t have a lot of time to get back, shower, change, collect his mum and sister, and get to Ned and Blake’s.
As he walked down that hall, according to Google directions, they’d needed to leave two minutes ago.
And he was keen to get there, for more reasons than just the promise of steak.
His head had been a fucking mess all day. Shitty thoughts of his father, mother and Helena mingling with much better thoughts of Blake. Her hair. Her clothes. Her shite all over his bathroom. Even the way her nails were done, in short almond shapes with a sheer pink over white tips. They were feminine, but not garish. Classy. Stylish.
Blake.
And she could dig in and hold on with those nails.
On this thought and a quirk of his lips, he knocked on his mother’s door.
“Come in!” she called.
He came in and immediately flipped back the latch that kept it open. He understood why she did that knowing he was on his way, but if he was otherwise engaged, like away or in the shower, he didn’t like it.
His mum was rushing around.
Davina was sitting in an armchair and her attention came right to him.
“I’m almost ready,” his mum said as she disappeared into the bathroom.
He lifted his brows to his sister.
She shook her head.
Fuck.
He went to the open door of the bathroom to see his mother bent over the basin, looking in the mirror and putting on lipstick.
“Good day?” he asked.
She popped her lips together twice then turned to him. “This is a lovely town.” He got out of her way as she bustled out of the bathroom. “Many fine restaurants. Bonny shops, lovely jewelry, fantastic art. And Chloe’s store is fabulous. I waited for Davi to join me, and we had fun there.”
She said all of this and didn’t look at him once.
She was shoving her lipstick in her purse when he called, “Mum.”
She clicked her purse shut. “There. Done. We can go.”
“Mum,” he repeated.
She finally looked to him.
Jesus.
He went to her and pulled her in his arms.
