“Japan’s monarchy is way older,” a new voice interjected.
We turned to find Maia, my uncle Logan’s daughter, smiling at us in greeting. The three of us embraced, talking over one another as we did so.
Uncle Logan was Aunt Shannon’s brother. When Aunt Shannon hooked up with Uncle Cole, Logan became a part of our family. He hadn’t known he had a daughter until Maia showed up on his doorstep when she was fifteen years old. Maia kind of brought Logan and his wife Grace together. Grace had been his neighbor and she stepped in to help him through the process of sudden parenthood. Maia hadn’t had the best start in life, but she claimed Uncle Logan and Aunt Grace had changed her lifefor the better. She’d attended university in London and then returned to Edinburgh upon graduation.
Now Maia, at only twenty-nine years old, was a senior fashion buyer for one of Edinburgh’s most exclusive department stores, Pennington’s. She was also engaged to some financial bigwig I’d yet to meet. I don’t think anyone but Maia’s parents and her brother Lachlan had met the bloke.
Maia had grown into a striking beauty. She’d inherited her dad and aunt’s unusual violet eyes and in adulthood she’d tamed her thick dark hair so it was enviously sleek and shiny, lying so perfectly down her back I had to think there was some magic involved.
Because of her job, Maia always looked amazing. Her style was professional with a sexy, feminine twist. Today she wore wide leg pants, high heels, and a cropped oversized cashmere sweater.
“You didn’t bring the fiancé?” Beth asked, staring past Maia as if looking for him. “When are we going to meet him?”
Maia’s expression turned irritated. “Will was supposed to be here, but a work thing popped up at the last minute. At this rate, you all will meet him at the wedding.”
“I thought I heard your voice.”
I glanced up to see Baird had crossed the room and was smiling flirtatiously down at Maia.
To my surprise, she beamed back at him and gave him a familiar hug. The goalie embraced her and held on a wee bit too long to be merely friendly.
Beth shook her head, smirking, as I shot her a questioning look. I recognized her silent “I’ll tell you later” face.
“You look great. How are you?” Maia asked as she pulled away.
Baird remained in her personal space as he stared at her in a very nonplatonic fashion. “Much better. Especially now you’re here.”
“Stop it,” she admonished, giving him a playful shove.
Their eyes held for a tad too long.
Ooh, there was a definite spark there between my engaged cousin and the sexy football player.
“You two know each other?” I asked, my curiosity running rampant.
“I introduced them months ago,” Beth replied.
“And then Baird came into Pennington’s looking for a tux for some event or other.” Maia shrugged. “We started chatting.”
“Then Maia came to see me in the hospital.”
“She did?” Beth frowned. “You did?”
Maia nodded. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
“So, you’re friends?” Beth’s gaze darted between them. “Since when?”
Baird shrugged. “A while. Shouldn’t we be?”
“Does Will know?”
Frowning, Maia sighed. “I’m allowed to have male friends.”
“Callan would not be amused if I had a friend who looked like Baird.”
Baird scowled. “Eh, you do have a friend who looks like me.”
“You know what I mean. You’re more like a brother than a ‘male friend.’”
