AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Since when do we compare notes about our sex lives?”
“Mine is an open book.” He said it with the smug satisfaction of a man who was getting laid on a regular basis.
“Fine. Yes. I slept with Ian. Is that a crime?”
Finley leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. His troubled expression unsettled her. “I was serious when Finley first arrived and I told you I wasn’t matchmaking. He’s a great guy. I like him a lot. The thing is, though…” Now it was Finley’s turn to search for words.
“What? He’s married? He’s a convicted felon? You might as well tell me the worst.”
Finley shrugged, his gaze unhappy. “He’s a genius, no question… and a stand-up guy. But he’s not emotionally available.”
Bella narrowed her eyes. “Since when does my biker brother throw around phrases like emotionally available?”
“McKenzie has reformed me.” His grin was rueful. “Honestly, Bella, I don’t want you to get hurt. You have this huge heart and a capacity for emotional depth that’s pretty damn amazing considering that Dad and I were your main role models growing up. I don’t think you know how to protect yourself, because you believe people are basically kind and decent.”
“You’re saying Ian is not kind and decent? For a man who claims to be his friend, that’s low.”
“I’m trying to tell you he’s unpredictable. Those same brain cells of his that come up with incredible new ideas are focused somewhere other than the people around him. You deserve a man who puts you first.”
She blinked, stunned to hear her brother articulate the very thing she had told herself not so long ago. Was it wrong to want that from Ian when he had so much to offer the world at large?
“I’ll be careful,” she said, climbing off the mattress and kneeling beside Finley to rest her head against his knee. Her brother stroked her hair, the same way he had done when she was nine years old and woke up from a nightmare. In many ways, he had been more like a father than a brother to her.
Finley sighed. “You know, Bella, you can stay with us as long as you want. McKenzie and I have discussed it. We enjoy having you around. The house is plenty big. Ian probably won’t be here much longer.”
The truth in that statement depressed her. “Thank you,” she said. “I’d like to linger for another week or ten days. Even though I’ll be headed home soon, maybe I can come back for Christmas.”
“Or who knows, McKenzie and I may be in Atlanta. We’ll keep our options open.”
When a yawn caught her by surprise, Finley took the hint. “Good night, kiddo. Get some sleep. Everything will look better in the morning.”
* * *
After resting barely at all the night before in Edinburgh, Bella was out cold in no time. She slept hard and deep. Snatches of dreams lurked in her memory when she awoke the next morning, but she wasn’t able to piece together a single coherent scene. Even so, the feeling she had was one of distress.
Shaking off the unknown wisps of mental struggles, she showered and dressed. The other three were already seated around the kitchen table when she appeared.
Finley held out her favorite mug. “Coffee, Sis?”
She nodded. “Oh, yeah.”
Ian had showered and shaved and was wearing his usual khakis and a navy cotton shirt. His expression was guarded, but she might have been the only one who noticed.
“I have some news,” she said. She’d spent hours mulling it over. Now seemed as good a time as any to spill the beans.
McKenzie lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t keep us in suspense.”
“I had an e-mail from my faculty advisor yesterday. Two professors in the history department have left unexpectedly for health reasons. The university has offered me a teaching position. It’s a non-tenured spot, but it would cover the cost of my remaining dissertation fees and give me income while I do the work. The letter was very flattering.”
Finley smiled broadly. “That’s great. They know talent when they see it.”
“You might be a tad prejudiced,” Bella said wryly. She shot Ian a sideways glance. “I have to give them an answer very soon. It seems like the sensible thing to do.”
Ian sat stone-faced. “What about your novel?” he asked abruptly. All eyes were on him suddenly.
“Novel?” Finley frowned in confusion.
Bella flushed. “It’s only something I mentioned to Ian in passing. A bucket list item. Right now I need to finish my dissertation and move on with my life. I’ve been puttering around too long.”
