“Eilidh is getting cynical in her old age. And since when do you talk to Eils?”
He started scouring the menu. “She reached out after that video call. We text now and then.”
I considered the way he wouldn’t meet my eyes. “All above board, aye?”
Now his gaze flew to mine. “For fuck’s sake, Lew, what kind of question is that? It’s Eilidh. I wouldn’t touch her if she was the last woman on earth.”
“Good to know.”
The familiar voice had me whipping my head up in surprise. Now Eilidh stood at our table, her arms crossed over her chest. She smirked at Fyfe but the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “And for therecord, I’d rather have a love affair with my right hand than repopulate the world with you, Fyfe Moray.”
My friend gaped at her in shocked embarrassment, and I saved him from having to respond by sliding out of the booth to hug my wee sister. “What are you doing here?”
She melted into me, returning my embrace fiercely. “Weekend off. Thought I’d fly home to make sure you and Callie are okay.”
I pulled back. “You came all the way from Romania for a weekend?”
“I was worried, and my production team is great. They chartered a private flight for me in the early hours of the morning. Uncle Lachlan let us use the private airfield on the estate.” She rubbed my arm in comfort. “Are you okay?”
Grateful she’d made that effort, I smirked. “Weirdly wonderful and fucked at the same time.”
Eilidh chuckled. “I’ll bet. Mum knew I was coming and told me you’d be here, so I thought I’d stop in before I go home.” If I wasn’t mistaken, my sister was doing her best not to look at Fyfe. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“Join us.” I gestured to the booth.
“No, I should check in with Mum, Dad, and Mor.” Ever since our talk about Morwenna, I knew Eilidh had been trying harder to be there for our sister. Even on the days Mor made it difficult.
“Are you sure?” Fyfe asked. “You’re more than welcome to stay.”
Eilidh flicked him a look but didn’t meet his eyes. “Nah, I’m good.” She leaned up to press a kiss to my cheek. “I’ll stop by tonight so I can see the new house in person and check on Callie. That okay?”
“Of course.”
A few seconds later she was striding out of the Gloaming, only offering Carianne awave of acknowledgment before she was gone. Eyes followed my sister, people whispering to one another in excitement, a few of the tourists’ phones coming out to snap pics.
It was still so strange. I kept forgetting she was famous.
I sat back down across from Fyfe whose attention was on the door, looking lost in thought. He hadn’t seemed to notice the flurry of excitement Eilidh had caused.
“She’s fine,” I promised him.
My friend looked back, wincing. “I didn’t mean to insult her.”
“It’s Eilidh.” I gestured around the room at the people who were still buzzing that she’d been in their presence. “She’s got millions of people drooling over her on social media on a daily basis. She’s not bothered if you don’t fancy her.”
Fyfe snapped his menu up to his face, the action a bit aggressive. “Of course not.”
Thirty-One
LEWIS
Instead of taking Callie home, we ended up at my parents’ house, and Mum invited Callie’s parents and Harry over for dinner. If it made them all feel better to have us with them, then we could do that, but I did want Callie alone so I could get a finger on the pulse of what she was feeling.
The chance never really came. Mum pulled out the board games after dinner and even Walker played, though, as per usual, he didn’t say much. It was good for us. It brought out mine and Callie’s competitive nature, and it was funny to watch Harry and Mor act like a younger version of us, bickering and egging the other on. Honestly, it was just really nice to see Mor come out of her shell a bit. For once she wasn’t begging to leave so she could return to her book.
Callie was worn out by the end of the day, though, so much so we crashed in my parents’ annex. The next morning, after breakfast with my family, Eilidh accompanied us back to my place so she could see it in person for the first time. I saw her pride in Dad as she walked around the home he’d designed, and perhaps a bit of longing. An emotion she was quick to hide. She stayed through lunch, and when Fyfe unexpectedly showed up with his security guy, Paul, I was relieved Eilidh was no longer acting strange around him.
Back to her usual self, she teased Fyfe mercilessly and flirted outrageously with Paul who was not immune to a famous actor’s attentions.
