Page 60 of The Wedding Engagement

Despite her proximity to him, it felt as if she was a world away. Out of his reach. But he reminded himself that the main thing was that she was there for Jayce. Even if her new relationship put a damper on her spending time with him, Jayce would still get to see her for a few hours every day at nursery school. At least there was some comfort in that thought. Though it didn’t appease the hollow feeling in his chest.

“You sure you’re okay after Douchebag Dave’s reappearance?”he asked her quietly. He’d messaged her to ask the same thing and she’d replied to say she was fine. But he didn’t believe it.

Her expression clouded. “I’m fine, thanks. All good.”

“Miss Lib!” Jayce shouted from the play area, and Arran winced.

“Sorry,” he told Liv with a pained expression. “I tried to tell him he needed to call you Miss Holland while he’s at nursery school, but he’s having trouble with the concept.”

She laughed, and he admired the way her green eyes sparkled. He could watch her smile and laugh all day. “That’s okay. I like it. Perhaps I’ll get them all to call me Miss Liv.”

“I’m not sure Mrs. MacKay would approve,” Arran said, remembering the chastising arched eyebrow.

“Ach, don’t worry about her. She’s just a stickler for old-style rules,” Liv said.

Creepy Married Dad appeared in the doorway, eyeing Liv again and making Arran all the more determined to hog her time. It made him think of Brodie, which in turn caused his heart to sink. “Looking forward to the weekend?” he asked her, his jaw clenching.

Her eyes lit up. “Yeah. It’s going to be a good laugh.”

He nodded, resolving to back off and let her get plenty of time with her new love interest when the time came.

—

Agnes’s cornflower-blue eye peered athim through the gap in the door. “Hi, son.”

She let him in and he dutifully followed her down the hallway, carrying the shopping bags. Wordlessly, he began the process of putting everything in its proper place, not even bothering to give Agnes any lip back when she criticized him for putting a can of baked beans with the kidney beans.

She surveyed him through narrowed eyes. “What’s wrong? Why’s your face tripping you?”

He glanced over as he closed the last cupboard. “Nothing.” He took the tea she pushed toward him, lifting it to blow on the surface.

“Hmm. Looks like you’re lovesick to me.”

He managed a weak smile. Lovesick felt like a good description, given that he felt nauseated whenever he thought of Liv and Brodie together.

Agnes graced him with a sympathetic look. “Aw, son. What’s happened?”

He ran a hand over his hair, letting out a breath. “She’s dating someone else.”

She nodded slowly. “I see. And this is despite you telling her that you liked her?”

He shook his head. “I haven’t told her.”

Agnes frowned. “Well, that’s where you’ve gone wrong. I’m sure she wouldn’t be seeing someone else if she knew you liked her. I’ve seen the way that lassie looks at you.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Really? You mean through yourbird-watchingbinoculars?”

She sipped her tea silently, a smile on her face. “Listen to me. Stop being a numpty and be honest with her. You don’t know how she really feels about either of you unless you have a conversation about it.”

Arran fiddled with his mug. “I don’t want to spoil things for her.”

“Nonsense. You’re just trying to save face.”

He opted to stay silent because there might have been a kernel of truth in that remark.

She sighed. “You youngsters. Wasting time over barriers you’ve created in your own minds.”

A change of subject was called for. “What’ll you be doing while I’m away to Skye? Raving it up?”

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