AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Or lost?”
“I swear on my bodyguard’s honour that nothing will happen to any of your family. Ye trust me, aye? I’m good to my word.”
He sat back somewhat easier, though I wasn’t convinced he’d bought it. The topic changed to his plans for the evening, and I hid a sigh. It wasn’t surprising that Finn was picking up on tension. He would miss school while we travelled through cities in Europe. Anticipation to get going held everyone in its grip.
One thing for certain was the strange feelings that had haunted me had gone. All week, I’d seen Mia here and there and felt fine. If I missed having her around, that was just because she was good company. The few days we’d shared the bunkhouse had been fun. Our antics around that even more.
Leaving the estate for a while would blow away any remaining cobwebs, and I’d be back to my normal self.
We drove on to the crofthouse, where Finn was to spend the evening hanging out with Cameron and his boy. I thumped on the door, and it was pulled open by a wee lass instead. Tobi, Mia’s girl, another child with her.
Tobi’s eyes brightened. “Valentine! Why are you here?”
I tipped my head at Finn who ran on inside. “Just delivering that one. Your ma here?”
Despite myself, I leaned to peer inside the home, hopeful for a glance of Mia.
“Nope. She’s on a night out,” Tobi informed me. “Did you like the cookies?”
Did she mean a date? Was Mia out with a man? I didn’t like it.
“I love cookies,” I mumbled back.
“No, I mean the ones we made for you. We brought them to the hangar.”
I squinted at the girl. “Ye did?”
Her shoulders slumped. “Didn’t you get any? I decorated them for you.”
“Fuck,” I swore, then clapped my hand over my mouth. “I mean fudge.”
The two girls cracked up, their expressions a mixture of amusement and prudishness at my curse word.
Cameron appeared at the door, wiping his hands on a tea towel. The calm and stoic man had previously been a bodyguard for Leo and had joined our planning sessions for the tour, so I’d got to know him. He regarded the cackling girls.
“Valentine said a rude word,” Tobi snitched.
I pulled a face. “Don’t tell your mother.”
Though I was reeling over the fact she’d left me a treat. What was that about?
Cameron shooed them inside, lifting his bearded chin to me. “Coming in?”
“With ye and four kids? Naw chance. It’ll be carnage in there.”
On cue, something smashed in the background, and the two boys howled in amusement.
Cameron winced. “A normal day in parenthood. Believe it or not, it’s easier with more. Just need a good set of headphones. You’ll find out one day.”
A single shake of my head was his answer. “Not me.”
“The way the mothers at the school drop-off ogle ye? You’re about to be hunted, so if you’re not down to be paired off, run, man.”
“For fuck’s sake. Lucky my school duties are almost over.”
Hanging out at the school hadn’t been the worst thing ever, though not because of the female attention. I’d volunteered for escort duties a couple of times—walking the kids places as an extra adult helper—and it broke up the day.
“Are ye coming back for Finn?” Cameron asked, his amusement at my plight clear.
