Page 75 of Unexpected Entanglement

“Anyway, let’s get some breakfast,” Alex said. “Oliver has a quiche in the oven waiting for us.”

At the offer of food, Kieran happily followed Alex. Rowan wasn’t as enthusiastic as Kieran, though she had had nothingsince she’d called him to meet her at the barn. She looked exhausted.

Chris felt a tug at his heart.

“Come here.” He gathered her into his arms.

Rowan went into his embrace and laid her head on his shoulder. “Who the fuck is messing with us?”

Chris heard her frustration in every syllable and felt it in the tenseness of her muscles as he rubbed her back. He could think of one person trying to mess with the Kellys, but would he break the law to do it?

“I don’t know,” Chris replied, kissing the top of her head. “But we’ll show them it won’t stop us. Okay?”

Chris felt a prick at the back of his neck and looked up. He found Kieran studying them with an unreadable look. After a couple of seconds of staring Chris down, Kieran walked inside.

Great.

It felt natural for Chris to offer Rowan some comfort when she obviously needed it, and he hadn’t thought about how it might look to her brother. Now Kieran probably believed Chris was taking advantage of his fake engagement to Rowan, which Chris couldn’t technically deny. Rowan and he had taken advantage of each other for release and comfort. They were two consenting adults. There was nothing wrong with that.

But why do I feel like I’ll soon be at the wrong end of a shotgun?

Rowan felt terrible she had little appetite to enjoy the meal Oliver had prepared. But dealing with a break-in and police first thing in the morning would do that to you. It also killed the conversation around the dining table. Nobody was talking except for Alex, trying to fill in the silence.

“We should do something fun today,” Alex suggested. “It’s Sunday. I think we all could use a break.”

“You guys go ahead. I have some paperwork or Frankie will have my head tomorrow morning. Thanks for breakfast.” Kieran got up and added, “Rowan, a word.”

Without waiting for her response, Kieran headed out. Rowan frowned at Kieran’s brusqueness, but it wasn’t out of character.She met him on the porch, looking out at the view of the cove. When she closed the door behind her, he spoke.

“What’s going on between you and Chris?”

Surprised by the question, Rowan didn’t know how to answer except, “Nothing.”

“A man doesn’t hold a woman that way if there’s nothing between them,” Kieran said.

“What do you know about holding a woman, Kieran?” Rowan crossed her arms at her chest. “I believe he was expressing empathy. When was the last time you showed a woman that?”

Kieran turned to her, but he didn’t rise to her bait. “You’re a grown, capable woman, Rowan. I won’t tell you what you should or shouldn’t do. I’d just advise you to take care. Remember why he’s here.”

Rowan wasn’t in the mood for a lecture, but she didn’t have a quip to throw back at her brother. He hadn’t said anything she hadn’t told herself about sleeping with Chris. She was aware of the limitation. Heck, she’d been the one drawing the boundaries.

“Don’t worry about me. I can—” Rowan answered simply.

“Take care of yourself,” Kieran finished her sentence. “I know. But when it comes to an unexpected complication like Chris Sullens, I worry. He isn’t one of us. He’s only here for another week. And you may start thinking he’s here for you, but he isn’t. He’s still here for Rae.”

Rowan swallowed. “I know why he’s here.”

Kieran studied her face to assure himself. He nodded, then turned to leave. Rowan blew a breath and felt the heaviness on her shoulders return after the temporary unburdening with Chris on Friday. She felt the craving for that release again but knew Kieran was right.

I gotta find another way to relax.

Then an idea occurred to her. She went inside and announced to her friends, “Alex is right. We should do something fun today.”

“What do you have in mind?” Alex asked excitedly.

“I need a change of scenery. Let’s pack a picnic and go to Booth’s Quarry.”

“What do you do there?” Oliver asked.

---