I saw where this was going.
“True.”
“And Beth’s Uncle Logan, he’s done some time. In prison.”
I tried not to let my surprise show as the bearded blond directly on my left glared at me sullenly.
Adam blew out a breath between his lips. “Aye, between the seven of us, I’d say we’re proficient in knowing how to kill a man, bury the body, and get away with it.” He nodded at the men who all considered this and nodded back in casual agreement.
I tried not to laugh because I knew they were serious and could probably actually kill me. But I liked that Beth had this. All these people who cared enough to want to protect her.
“Duly noted.” I raised my glass to them. “There’s a Dalmarnock player I hate with a fucking passion and one day … knowing you all might prove useful.”
Marco’s lips twitched. “I like him,” he decided before wandering off to slide in beside a tall, curvy blond woman whom Beth had introduced as her aunt Hannah.
“Aye, he’ll do.” Nate clapped Braden on the shoulder and he, Cam, and Cole raised their glasses to me in turn before backing off.
Braden looked at Adam.
Adam apparently was not so easily assured. “We’ll see.”
To Baird’s disappointment, Beth’s cousin Maia was not in attendance, but he still managed to piss off Beth’s uncles by flirting outrageously with all their wives. He also pissed off Beth’s brother’s boyfriend. Her brother Luke’s eyes lit up at Baird’s presence. Turned out Luke played amateur football and was a Caley United supporter. Baird was his favorite player. Andhe flirted outrageously with my mate. Even though Baird only swung one way, he was not averse to compliments. He flirted back for fun.
Afonso looked ready to commit murder, so it was a good thing when Braden approached me and Baird before dinner was about to be served and asked to talk to us in his study.
It turned out he’d been thinking on our plans and was so impressed with our proposal that he wanted to partner up with us to turn Blantyre Castle into a hotel and spa. It wasn’t what we’d discussed, but I could tell Baird was excited at the thought. Honestly, it would probably be stupid not to take Braden up on the offer. Not just because we could use his financial investment, but because we could use his expertise, experience, and contacts taking on such a massive project.
If there was a question mark over my head about whether it was smart to get into business with my girlfriend’s dad, I didn’t let it show. But as we returned to eat dinner, the worry plagued me.
As I took my seat at the table, more than that gnawed at me. It was crowded with Beth’s aunts and uncles and a few of her cousins. There were four younger kids, and they were the noisiest. A couple of teens talked among themselves. Beth said not all the teens were there, only the younger ones. But her cousin Lily who ran the podcast at the uni was there with her sister January, and the girls were a stunning mix of their parents.
It shocked the fuck out of me that the Lily Beth said was shy with men was an absolute knockout. I’d expected someone mousier, but the Lily at the table fit the voice behind the podcast better than the person Beth had built up in my mind. They were close, she and Beth. Beth sat chatting away to her and her sister with ease, and the way the sisters looked at their cousin was akinto hero worship. I got that. I kind of fucking hero-worshipped my girlfriend too.
Pressure built in my chest.
I’d never had this level of family before, but I’d had a family who sat around the dinner table, laughing and joking. And I knew what it was like to have it abruptly snatched away.
It seemed almost masochistic to let myself be pulled into Beth’s family (and they were doing their best to make Baird and me feel like family, despite the earlier threats from the men), knowing if I lost her, I lost all this too.
I found myself withdrawing, even though I didn’t want to, even though I knew Beth could feel it and I could sense her hurt and anxiety.
Fuck.
Just before dessert, I excused myself to use the bathroom.
I tried to get myself together. To shake off my fears. I slapped cold water on my face and towel-dried it. “Get your shit together,” I snarled at my reflection.
Then I stepped out of the bathroom to find Joss Carmichael leaning against the opposite wall.
“Hey.”
I frowned. “Hi?”
“Can we talk?” She nodded toward a doorway on her right, and I reluctantly followed her into the study I’d been in earlier with Braden.
“Everything all right?” I asked, slowly drawing to a stop as she turned to face me.
Joss leaned against the desk, body language casual, expression neutral. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”
