A Highland Family Affair (Highlands #3)

Chapter 10

10

Kerr was excited when Olivia told him she was going to push ahead with taking the nursery on and, as suggested, he had been working with Ali for the weekend and had arrived home on both Saturday and Sunday with ruddy cheeks and a wide smile on his face.

‘It’s exhilarating, Liv. It’s exhausting too but in a good way. And I love being outdoors all day in the fresh air but knowing I have somewhere warm to come home to…’

She had almost forgotten about his stint of living on the streets of Glasgow. ‘I’m so glad you’re enjoying it. But the question is, do you think you’ll carry on enjoying it? Or will the novelty wear off?’ As the words fell from her lips, she regretted them, realising they were rather patronising. ‘What I mean is, it’s totally different from anything you’ve ever done.’

He warmed his hands in front of the drawing room fire. ‘I think this is what I’m supposed to do. I never realised I was an outdoorsy type until now but I’m loving it. And I’m sleeping so much better too.’

His enthusiasm was evident in his smiling, bright eyes. He hadn’t looked this well for a while. ‘That’s really great. Innes and Ali are putting the finishing touches to the sale details on Monday so at the end of the Christmas season we’ll take over the business.’ She frowned as realisation began to sink in. ‘It’s all happened so fast.’ She blew air through puffed cheeks. ‘I can’t quite believe it.’

As if trying to divert her thoughts, Kerr asked, ‘Will I start officially as an employee when the castle takes ownership?’

Olivia nodded. ‘I think that’s the plan. You’ll be the one managing it and we’ll see if you need to employ any other staff in addition to Judd from there. Ali says he’s great with the plants and that he’s a conscientious worker, but if we’re going to look to expand the business in the future, we may need extra people.’

‘He seems like a nice guy. The female customers seem to like him.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘Ruggedly handsome and all that.’ He chuckled. After a brief pause, he continued, ‘I remember when we were kids and we used to go to choose our trees and me and Ali’s son, Stewart, would chase each other around the rows playing hide-and-seek. I’d have been around nine at the time, so you’d have only been wee. Who’d have thought back then that we’d be taking it over?’ He paused a moment, lost in thought. ‘Thanks for taking me seriously on this, Liv. It means the world to me. Oh, and I’ve signed up for the tree surgery course. Innes said there was funding available because I can work on the trees in the grounds so it can be part of the sustainability grant.’

‘Brilliant. You’re really making some positive things happen,’ Olivia said, thinking how proud she was of him.

He stared at the flames, deep in thought for a while. ‘There’s something I’d like to ask you, while we’re talking.’

‘Oh, yes? What is it?’

Kerr cleared his throat. ‘I think I’d like to ask Charlotte out on a date.’

Olivia raised her eyebrows. ‘Oh, I see.’

‘I really like her, and I get the feeling she likes me too. We’ve chatted a few times when she’s been on coffee breaks and there’s just something about her. I can’t put it into words, but I’d really like to ask her out and to get to know her better. But with her being your PA, I wanted to get your approval first, obviously.’

Olivia smoothed down the fabric of her skirt over her knees while pondering how to answer. She was surprised that he even asked for her thoughts on the matter. Eventually she said, ‘I really appreciate your consideration, Kerr, but… I’m not too sure about that, if I’m honest. Yes, she’s my PA and I don’t want to lose her if things go wrong but also, you’re in AA and I’m worried that if things did go wrong, you’d risk relapsing.’

He sat beside her on the sofa. ‘I knew you’d be worried about that. And I can understand it. But I honestly think I’d be okay. I’m doing really well, Liv. I’m focused, I’m attending meetings, I think I can handle it. And I’d be so annoyed if she met someone else in the meantime. She mentioned to me that she’s tried online dating.’

Olivia wanted to believe he would cope but there was such a lot at stake. ‘Could you maybe leave it a little while longer? Give yourself time. Let Charlotte have the chance to settle in here, and give yourself the opportunity to get stronger. I know I can’t stop you asking her out, you’re an adult, after all, but… I’m concerned about both of you. And to be honest, I’m concerned about the castle. I’m going to Skye soon and I need to know I’m leaving the place in safe hands. I don’t want to be put in a situation where I lose her and have to cancel the trip. It’s really important to Brodie.’

He went quiet for a few moments. ‘I get it. I do.’ He stood and sighed deeply. ‘But I’m looking forward to the day you feel you can fully trust me. I feel like I’m in a kind of limbo until that happens. But I do understand. I have a long way to go before I earn that trust again, if I ever had it in the first place. Well… I’d better go and feed Sir Lancelot.’ And with that he left the room.

Olivia didn’t see Kerr for the rest of the day and guilt niggled at her, so she talked things through with Brodie.

‘I think you’re right, Liv. The last thing he needs is a new relationship when he’s getting sober. They say to avoid things like that, don’t they? Or is that just in movies? I don’t know. But what I do know is that you employed Charlotte to work for you, not to date your troubled brother.’

‘I feel like I’m treating him like a child, though, Brodie. I don’t want to do that but I’m still so wary of everything connected to him. Innes thinks he’s genuine but even he still thinks we should err on the side of caution.’

‘Well, there you go then. Innes is a good judge of character.’ He pulled her into his lap. ‘And you worry too much. Don’t forget he has to earn your trust and he knows that.’

She rested her forehead on his. ‘Thank you… for everything. For being you, for believing in me, for listening… just everything.’

He pulled her down to kiss her and shivers travelled her spine as his hand gripped her hair. ‘I love you, Olivia MacBain, always have, always will.’

The weekend had flown by, and it was Monday again. Olivia rolled over in bed to snuggle up to Brodie. He was naked and the feeling of his warm skin against hers turned her insides to jelly. She would never tire of this.

‘Mmmm, morning, beautiful,’ he mumbled as he wrapped her in his arms. ‘What’s on the agenda for today?’

‘I’m having a break from admin and going out for coffee with Skye. Charlotte is in and there’s nothing major going on today, so I think I’m okay to escape for a couple of hours. What about you?’

‘I have a meeting with a builder to discuss the old barn renovations. He’s going to do a full measure up and complete some quotes, so we know what we’re dealing with. Then I’m going to help Dad tidy up the walled garden for a bit. It’s been neglected in favour of the public areas, and I want to make sure it’s somewhere we can continue to go and sit when we want to. Somewhere just for us that the public don’t share.’

She propped herself up on her elbows and kissed his chin. ‘You’re so sweet.’

‘I am, aren’t I?’ He chuckled and rolled her beneath him. ‘But so are you.’ He kissed her neck and she sighed, closing her eyes to fully relish the sensations buzzing through her body. ‘I wish we could just stay here, like this, instead of adulting out in the real world.’ He continued with his ministrations. ‘I’m sure we could find plenty to entertain ourselves.’ He kissed a trail along her collarbone. Then suddenly he sat. ‘But alas! We have a castle to run!’ he said before jumping from the bed and dashing to the en suite, leaving Olivia a jellified mess.

Charlotte was already in the office when Olivia finally arrived downstairs. ‘Sorry I’m a bit tardy. Are you finding everything you need?’

Charlotte nodded. ‘I sure am. Between you and Bella, you’ve kept a very tight ship. It’s all very easy to follow. Another stallholder for the Christmas Countdown Fayre has paid their fee this morning so there’s only one more to pay.’

‘Brilliant. I was wondering, is Will looking for a Saturday job at all? Ali Gordon at the nursery is looking for help and I thought of him.’

Charlotte smiled. ‘Well, he wasn’t, but there’s no harm in him having one. I’ll mention it to him. Thank you, Olivia.’ She placed the documents down that she had been working on. ‘Are you all set to take it over now?’

Olivia nodded. ‘My Uncle Innes is finalising everything today.’

‘Exciting times. The castle business is really taking off.’

Olivia gave a nervous laugh. ‘Tell me about it! I can’t quite believe how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time.’

‘Erm… is Kerr enjoying being back at the castle from his travels?’

‘I think so. He’s definitely enjoying working outdoors with the trees and plants.’

She smiled. ‘He certainly is, it’s very clear. Will and I went to get a Christmas tree on Sunday, and Kerr served us. He seemed to be in his element.’

‘Yes, I think he is. Has he… has he mentioned anything to you about…’

Charlotte narrowed her eyes. ‘About what?’

Olivia shook her head. ‘Oh, it’s nothing, forget it. Right, I’m going to head out for a couple of hours if you’re okay here?’

‘Absolutely. Plenty to do. Go and enjoy yourself. No need to rush back.’

‘Livvy!’ Skye said as she ran towards her, arms open. ‘It’s been far too long since we had a girls’ date!’

Olivia hugged her friend. ‘You’re so right. I’ve missed it. It’s a shame Bells can’t be here, though.’

Skye pouted. ‘I know, I miss her so much.’

Olivia giggled. ‘Me too. Don’t tell Bella but Brodie has booked a little break for us to go and visit as a surprise!’

Skye’s eyes widened. ‘I’m so jealous! We’re hoping to go in the spring, I think. Money’s a bit tight just now with the new house.’

Olivia nodded. ‘Understandable. I’m excited to see her new place. From her messages she sounds so happy.’

Skye grinned. ‘Oh, absolutely head over heels. And she deserves it after her run of disastrous arsehole boyfriends.’ She clamped her mouth shut. ‘Shit, I didn’t mean?—’

Olivia laughed. ‘Kerr? You did and you know it. And he was an arsehole back then.’

‘From your texts, you seem to think he’s changed, though?’

Olivia twisted her mouth for a moment. ‘Well… he seems to have turned over a new leaf.’

Skye scoffed. ‘He needed to turn over a whole bloody tree if you ask me.’

‘I know. And I’m really trying to believe that he has but I’m still so wary.’

Skye snorted. ‘No bloody wonder! After everything he did to you and how he treated Bella and that older woman, I think it’s amazing you’ve given him another chance. But he’s family so…’ They ordered coffees and a selection of mini cakes to accompany them as they continued chatting and catching up.

‘Kerr has the hots for my new PA,’ Olivia said with a wince.

‘Oh, no! I hope you’ve put a stop to that. The last thing you need is another woman being treated like crap and scared off by him.’

‘I did sort of tell him I’d rather he didn’t ask her out, but I felt pretty crap about it. He’s an adult and I can’t really be dictating his love life.’

‘Under normal circumstances maybe not, but this is a very unique situation, Liv, and he’s caused so much trouble in the past. Can you really trust him not to mess her about so she leaves and you’re in the shit again?’

Skye did have a point but, even so, Olivia felt a jolt of protection for her older brother. ‘People do change, though, Skye.’

Skye gave a half-smile. ‘They do. And I hope he has.’

‘Anyway, enough about my family. How are things going at the new house?’

‘It’s amazing! It’s so exciting to get up every morning and know that it’s our own place, you know? We can do whatever we want with it without restrictions. No more landlord to tell us the walls have to stay boring magnolia. I chatted to Bells about my ideas, and she made me a Pinterest board on each room with colours and styles that I like. We’re working towards that now which is so helpful. Although Ben still wants a La-Z-Boy chair like bloody Chandler Bing on Friends .’

‘Trust Ben.’ Olivia laughed as she imagined him and Brodie on a matching pair of chairs, beer bottles in hand. ‘So long as he doesn’t decide to get a chick and a duck.’

Skye almost choked on her coffee. ‘Whatever you do, don’t mention that! He can do without the encouragement!’