“But back to you,” Catriona says, “things are wildly out of control, aye? Ya dinna know what’s going on half the time, ya dinna know who you can trust.”
“You have no idea,” I agree, rubbing my stinging eyes.
“Well, it’s nothing that’ll get sorted in one lunch,” Edin says, “but let’s make a good start, aye? This is why ya have family so ya can burden them with your issues and anxiety.”
That makes me laugh and they all join in. “Oh, we’re not joking,” Kenna says, “soon, you’ll be forced to hear about all of our woes. But today, it’s your turn.”
I look down at the grilled chicken salad the waiter just delivered. It looked simple, like it wouldn’t make me nauseous but this anxiety is worse than my hangover. “You’re all very kind to me, I just don’t…”
“Ya dinna trust us yet,” Catriona says matter of factly.
“No offense.”
“None taken,” she smiles and the other girls nod, too. “It’s weird as shite but eventually you’ll be comfortable with us. In the meantime, let’s do a deep dive into the man who made ya marry him, aye?”
“You know that?” I ask, half startled and half humiliated.
“Well,” drawled Kenna, “if it wasn’t so sketchy, you’d be married at the MacTavish estate. Since this was a sudden thing late last night with no one there but his right-hand man, yeah. We gathered as much.”
Catriona puts the bread plate in front of me. “Maybe start with something simple, it might settle your stomach.”
Meanwhile, Edin signals the waiter to bring another round of mimosas. “Ya want one, new cousin? Hair of the dog and all that?”
I put my hand over my mouth as my eyes water, and she nods sympathetically.
“Let’s start with the basics,” Catriona continues, “I can tell ya unequivocally, now that you’re married to Ethan, no one will touch ya. I dinna care who took the contract from your stepda-”
“How- how doyouknow?” I feel so exposed.
She gives me a sympathetic smile. “My brother Michael canna keep his mouth shut. I can drag any secret out of him.”
“Aye, that’s right,” the other girl chorus, sipping their drinks, “must be a twin thing.”
“So back to it,” Catriona says, “ya should know that Ethan is your living, breathing bulletproof vest. There’s not a crime syndicate in existence that would go after a MacTavish. Our Uncle Cormac established a very stern precedent about ‘two eyes for an eye’ if one of our own is hurt.”
“Is that why we had two SUVs following us with that giant cluster of bodyguards?” I look pointedly at a table three feet from us where four enormous men are perusing the menu and pretending they aren’t there for us.
Eilidh laughs, “Trust, but verify? Nah, that saying dinna work in this case.”
“Well, because that turns it around and makes it look like they dinna trust us,” Elin says seriously, “so no.”
“Well, I’m not sure Da does trust us,” Eilidh is still trying to make her point.
“Maybe don’t show up on campus skinny-dipping in the fountain in front of the President’s building?” Kenna suggests, signaling for another mimosa.
“That was one time!” Eilidh says crossly.
“Rein it in ladies, this is Sloan’s turn,” Catriona says. “Everyone, tell her somethin’ about Ethan.”
“He’s got a strong game with the ladies,” Elin offers, before looking appalled. “Ah, shite. Wrong compliment for the new missus. He’s very kind to children. The littles climb all over him at family dinners.”
“Unlike Cat’s brotherMichael, Ethan will come to pick ya up if you’re in a spot of trouble and fix it without yelling at ya,” Eilidh says.
Kenna pats my hand. “You likely know this, but the man is insanely strong without being a gym rat and hanging out by the weights all the time. I hate those sort, flexing and taking selfies in the mirror-”
“Oh, yeah,” Elin chimes in, “I canna stand those types.”
Catriona deftly drags the conversation back to me. “Here’s the most important thing we can tell ya. You’ve heard some of the horror stories about him, I can tell.”
