The perimeters are well guarded. The guests are warned upon check-in that photography of anyone except their own party is strictly prohibited, which offers me a freedom I’ve never had in the States. Another plus on the list of ever growing pros of moving to Ireland.
Ambling out the castle doors, I walk straight into my brother and two of his security. Despite the long flight, he looks as smooth as usual.
Steely eyes assess the place we once called home. Expressionless, he soaks up every detail.
Abandoning his luggage, his hands rise, palms upturned to greet the light flurry of festive snow that has been steadily falling all day, now tumbling in perfect rhythmic timing with the brilliant festive lights.
‘I’d forgotten how nice it is,’ he admits with a gruff reluctance, his breath clouding the air before him.
‘Nice doesn’t cut it. Nice doesn’t sell records.’ I shoot him a grin.
A smirk curls his lip as he recognises his own words being thrown back at him. ‘Christmas is meant to be cold. I never got used to that barbeque Christmas bullshit,’ he confesses.
I slap him on the back in a welcome, not chancing the man hug after the last time. ‘How was the flight?’
No one was more surprised than I was when he called yesterday to say he was boarding a plane. I don’t doubt we have plenty to discuss but surely it could have waited until after Christmas?
Then it dawns on me. He’s single again. Christmas is next week. I’m here. He’s probably fucking lonely.
No scratch that, this is Jayden we’re talking about. He’s probably bored and looking for fresh meat.
‘She’s done a great job maintaining the place.’ Thick black eyebrows arch as he admires the castle objectively. ‘What is she? Twenty-eight?’
‘Yep.’ Pride swells in my chest when I think about all she’s achieved alone. ‘I still can’t believe her parents are dead. You know she lost us all in the same day?’
‘Unbelievable. I had no idea. You know, all these years I watched you pine for her. I knew why you couldn’t settle for anyone else. It was written in every single song you produced, finely ingrained between the lines, or in the notes of those eternally haunting melodies.’
‘Yeah?’
Jayden’s emotionally intelligent side rarely rears its head, so I keep my mouth shut and see what else he might come out with.
‘I was so fucking mad at her, you know…’ He trails off and shrugs.
‘You were mad at her? Why?’ She mentioned she thought Jayden didn’t like her, but I explained he’s like that with everyone, so this is news to me.
He swallows hard before answering. ‘I suppose in my mind she had it all. This super fabulous, wealthy family. Parents who adored her. You adored her. And then the one time you could have been doing with some support, with her support, she didn’t come. You handled sleeping on the streets better than you handled the loss of her. And even when we did make it to the big time, she still featured in every song you wrote in some subtle capacity. There was always a reference to that lost love, or first love. I felt like she had some kind of hold on you.’
‘I never knew you felt that way.’ My palm grazes over my stubble. ‘And what about now? Now you’ve met her again.’
Gazing at me squarely in the eyes, he places one hand on my shoulder and squeezes. ‘Now I know you have every bit as much of a hold on her as she does on you… You know I’m not the romantic type but even I can see the two of you are fucking head over heels in love.’
A stupid boyish grins spreads across my face, heating me from the inside out.
‘The only problem is, what are you going to do about it? Like, do you intend to shack up here as lord of the manor for the rest of your days? Or is she going to become Evangeline Araceli’s new BBF? Logistically, how the fuck are things going to work?’
‘That’s something we’re still figuring out, but no matter what, I’m going to make it work.’ It’s almost a growl. ‘Do me a favour… she thinks you hate her. Cut her some slack.’
‘I will.’ He nods earnestly. ‘Look, I get it.’ His expression is sincere. I’m actually touched at his unexpected empathy.
‘Is that why you’re here? Did Diamond Records put pressure on for tour dates?’ I lead him towards the castle doors.
A frown flickers across his tanned face. ‘Not exactly.’
‘Just missed your little brother at the most wonderful time of the year?’ My elbow connects with his rock hard abs. That fucker works out even more than I do.
‘It’s Dad.’
A heavy sigh reverberates between us.
