Love.
Pfft.
I waved off the thought.
I was not in love.
I’d find my person. I would! It just wasn’t going to be Sebastian Thorne.
My attention shifted to Callan and my curiosity sparked. He’d been staring at Beth earlier with longing and affection. Now his expression was completely blank. He didn’t look at anyone, instead stared into his glass. He was giving off very weird vibes. It was like he’d disappeared inside himself. I looked over at Beth to see if she’d noticed there was something wrong with her boyfriend, but Baird was monopolizing her attention.
I glanced around and noted my aunt Joss’s focus on Callan. She watched him with taut features as if she knew something I didn’t. Had something happened while I wasn’t looking? I hoped not. Beth seemed so happy. The happiest I’d ever seen her.
When Callan excused himself before dessert, I watched curiously as Aunt Joss followed him out of the room. They were both gone for a wee while and Beth left the kitchen to check on them.
“You’re Lily, right?” Baird asked once Beth had disappeared between us.
My cheeks heated. I might not be interested in the goalie, but my goodness, he was attractive. He flashed me a white-toothed, cocky smile. “I am.”
“Baird.” He gestured to himself.
“I know.”
“So, is your family part of some weird experiment?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You’re all gorgeous. If I wasn’t so good-looking myself, I might feel like a melted welly in comparison.”
Chuckling at his charming nonsense and that he’d basically called me gorgeous, I blushed inwardly. “Something in the water, I guess.”
“You’re the podcaster?”
“I am.”
“You know if you’re looking for fresh material, I am ready and willing.” He spread his arms as if to say,“Here I am, come get me.”
I almost choked on a swallow of water.
“No,” a gruff voice said from behind me.
Baird peered past me as I turned to find Uncle Cole glowering at Baird. Uncle Cole was Aunt Jo’s younger brother. He was also over six feet, covered in tattoos, and a judo champion.
Oh, and extremely overprotective.
“No?” Baird quirked an eyebrow.
“No, as in look at Lily again and I’ll end you, mate.”
“Fair enough. I respect that.” Baird was completely unfazed by the threat in Uncle Cole’s voice. In fact, he leaned past me, eyes on the sleeve of artwork on Uncle Cole’s left arm. “Like the ink. I thought mine was good, but the art … man. Where did you get it done?”
“I’m part owner of INKarnate. The tattoo studio in Leith. I’m one of the artists.”
What he didn’t say was that he’d won a ton of awards over the years for his tattoo artwork.
“No way!” Baird was so loud, I eased right back so he could talk to Cole. “I pass that place all the time. Fuck. I should have gone to you last time.”
Just like that Uncle Cole relaxed, and they started chatting over me. Men were weird.
