Good Girl Gone Plaid (24 page)

Crap
. First Ian had thrown the perfect caber toss, and then thrown
them
both past the point of no return.

What had driven him to do it?

Ian ignored Colin’s questioning gaze and kept his attention on Aleck, who was taking his turn in the toss.

Even though he watched his brother, his mind was on Sarah. He’d kissed her in front of everyone. He’d been on a high from such a successful toss. And everything male and primal inside of him had wanted to celebrate it by kissing his woman.

His woman. He’d officially started thinking of Sarah as his again. When? After learning about Emily? No, it had been before that. Even if he’d tried to deny it to himself.

He slid his gaze away from his brother and looked at Sarah again. She was looking right back at him and shaking her head. Her look clearly screaming
what the hell was that
?

The bouncing figure of his daughter caught his attention next. Her face was plastered with a huge smile, and she kept pointing his way. When she noticed him watching, she waved and then gave a thumb’s-up.

Apparently Emily approved of the kiss. Which might not be a good thing depending on what decision Sarah chose to make about their future.

He gave her a thumb’s-up and grin, before watching Aleck make a fantastic toss of the caber. Colin went next and did equally well.

The rest of the day passed quickly. After the Parade of Clans he explored the grounds with Emily and Sarah. To his surprise Emily didn’t say one word about the kiss—which he assumed meant Sarah had instructed her not to.

“Can I have a sword?” Emily plucked a play sword from a stand at one of the vendors and waved it in the air.

“I’ll get it for you.”

Sarah arched a brow and leaned toward him. “Spoiling her already, I see.”

“Of course,” he whispered back, not that Emily would’ve heard them with the way she was swinging her sword around at an invisible opponent. “I’ve got a lot of years to make up for.”

He’d meant it to be a joke, but the flash of guilt in her eyes made him realize it had been kind of a crap thing to say.

“Sorry.”

“No need to apologize. You’re right.” She gave a brief smile. “And she’ll love the sword.”

He’d just finished paying for the toy when someone slammed into him from the side.

“Well hello, young lovers.” Aleck’s booming voice drew several glances from people nearby.

Not about to let the friendly attempt to knock him down go, Ian gave him a forceful nudge right back, but his brother didn’t move an inch.

Ah, but then he hadn’t been caught off guard.

“You did great in the caber toss. All you guys did.” Sarah’s tone bordered on shy, as if she were a bit embarrassed with the visible shift in her and Ian’s relationship.

All because you kissed her
. Ah well, it wasn’t as if his family hadn’t known he and Sarah were heading in that direction, right?

His brother’s attention turned to Sarah. “Well thank you, luv. I’m glad you could make it out today. You brought Emily, I trust?”

Ian nodded and gestured to Emily, who stood a few feet away, swinging her sword at a metal pole holding up a tent.

“Emily, come meet Aleck.”

She lowered the foam sword to her side and bounced over.

“Hi.” She lifted her head to stare up at him. “Who are you?”

“I’m your uncle.”

Shite
!

This time Ian did succeed in shoving his brother hard enough to stumble.

All the while Sarah’s mouth hung open a bit and she’d lost a shade of coloring.

“My uncle?” Emily repeated, looking from Aleck to her mom. “No you’re not. I don’t have any uncles.”

Aleck cleared his throat. “Uhmm…”

“You just told a lie, and that’s totally not good.” She laughed and rolled her eyes, before skipping back to look at the tent full of goodies.

“We’ve not told the lass yet, you daft idiot.”

Aleck’s brows rose as he glanced between Ian and Sarah. “You haven’t? Any reason why?”

“We wanted to give her an afternoon to get to know you all without any pressure,” Sarah explained. “To let her see what the McLaughlins were about.”

Aleck grinned. “Beyond whisky and troublemaking you mean?”

“Aye, beyond that.” Ian glowered at his brother. “We’ll tell her soon, though.”

“I was thinking tonight would be good,” Sarah murmured.

Ian hadn’t been sure she would be ready yet, but one glance in Sarah’s eyes showed her resolve.

“Tonight? You’re sure?”

“Yes. I’d like to have you back for dinner. Chicken Tikka Masala? It’s an Indian dish we love.” She lifted a shoulder in a shrug, an impish smile flitting across her face. “Though I cheated and made it in the crock pot this morning since I knew we’d be gone most of the day.”

“It sounds amazing, and I would love to come back for dinner.”

“Ian’s coming for dinner?” Emily bounded up to them again. “Awesome! My mom’s a good cook, you’re going to love it.”

“I know I will.”

“Did someone say Indian food?” Colin joined the group, rubbing his belly. “If so, how do I get an invite?”

“You don’t.” Ian cast him a warning look.

“And who are you?” Emily asked.

“Are you teasing me already, kid? I’m your—”

Ian drove his fist into his twin’s side. “Colin. This is Colin. He’s my brother.”

“He looks exactly like you. Except you got that funny line running down the side of your face.”

“Emily!” Sarah’s admonishment was laced with horror.

Unfazed, Ian murmured, “Aye, I do. I was a naughty youth and found myself in more than one fight.”

Emily’s eyes rounded. “Did you win?”

“Some of them.”

“But not that one, huh?”

“Actually, yes, even this one. It’s hard to best me.” He broke off into a gasp as this time Sarah’s elbow drove into his side. When he glanced at her her gaze clearly said it was time to shut up. “But fighting is bad. Quite bad, actually.”

“Well duh. Everyone knows that. Except you, I guess.” Her nose crinkled. “I’m sorry you got hurt, though.”

“Thank you, Emily. I try not to fight anymore.” His gut clenched as a dark memory threatened to surface.

Colin squeezed his shoulder. “Aye, well sometimes there’s no choice, brother.”

“You guys all talk funny. I can tell you’re related.”

As are you, little one
. He bit his tongue, knowing that little tidbit would come out tonight with just the three of them. It was bound to be emotional and surely Emily would have a bundle of questions.

Colin seemed to have gotten the hint, just as Aleck had, that Emily hadn’t been informed yet.

“We’ll let you be then,” Aleck said. “But why don’t you all join us for lunch tomorrow at the pub? Say, eleven, before it opens?”

“Can I even go to a pub? Is that like a bar?” Emily asked.

Ian laughed, surprised she knew what either was. But then she was ten, maybe he shouldn’t have been. “Yes, somewhat. During the day children are more than welcome to come and have lunch.”

“Because at night the adults get drunk?” she asked. “That’s what Neil would do.”

“Emily.” Sarah shook her head, and gave their daughter a warning glance. “That’s not appropriate.”

Neil had been a drunk? Hmm. Ian scowled, and tried to meet Sarah’s gaze, but she wouldn’t look at him. This guy was sounding more and more like a piece of filth. Hadn’t Emily said something about him making Sarah cry too?

“Sorry, Mom.” Emily looked at the ground, kicking her sneakered feet into the dirt.

“So lunch at the pub tomorrow?” Ian confirmed. “That’ll work for me.”

Sarah nodded. “Us too.”

It was an unspoken acknowledgement that by then Emily would understand the McLaughlins were her family.

“Great. Tomorrow at eleven then.” Aleck reached down and ruffled Emily’s hair. “Nice meeting you, kid.”

If Emily was taken aback by Aleck’s gesture, her dismay grew visibly when Colin did the same thing and then winked at her.

Then his two brothers disappeared back into the crowd. Who knew where Kenzie had vanished off to.

Emily stared at their retreating backs. “I think I like them. But I’m not sure yet.”

Ian laughed and resisted the urge to ruffle her hair too. Something about the two ponytails today made it so tempting.

Glancing at Sarah, he asked, “Are you ready to head out?”

She folded her arms across her chest, looking suddenly nervous. “Don’t you want to stay for the closing ceremonies?”

“Generally, I’d say aye. But not today.”

The truth felt like a heavy weight upon his shoulders, and more than anything he wanted everything out in the open. He wanted to be back in Sarah’s house, just the three of them. Enjoying a lovely dinner, and a much-needed conversation.

Understanding flickered in her gaze, and she nodded. “Then we should go.”

“Is it all right if I catch a ride with you? I drove with my brothers.”

“Of course.” Sarah glanced over at Emily. “Ready, kiddo?”

“Yeah. I wanna go practice my backward handsprings in the front yard again. That’s the best yard ever.”

They made their way toward the entrance and had just left the fair grounds when someone stepped in front of their path.

Son of a bitch
.

Knowing another confrontation was unavoidable, Ian faced it head on.

Chapter Seventeen

“What’s up, McLaughlin? You compete in the games?”

Ian’s demeanor chilled a few dozen degrees. “MacGregor. Aye, I did. Though we’re just leaving now.”

At the mention of “we” Curt’s attention switched to Sarah and Emily. He did a double take when he looked at Emily, before lifting his gaze and arching a brow at Ian.

“I didn’t know you had a kid?”

Sarah’s indrawn breath was clearly heard, and Ian balled his hands into fists. Anger pounded through his blood and he had to draw in a slow calming breath.

A quick glance showed Emily slipping behind her mom, but clutching her hand. If Curt’s words had registered, she didn’t show it.

Ian ignored the question. “We’re on our way out. If you’ll excuse us.”

As they moved to walk by, Curt wrapped a beefy hand around Ian’s shoulder.

“I need a minute of your time, bro.”

Slowly, Ian pried each finger away. “I know what you need, MacGregor, and you should well be aware of my answer by this point.”

“Well maybe I don’t like your answer.”

“We’ll meet you at the car, Ian.” Sarah’s gaze slipped to the ground as she tightened her grip on Emily’s hand. “We’re near the front of the lot.”

Once they were gone, Ian was done holding back. “I told you to leave me the fuck alone.”

“There’s a few things I realized I forgot to sell you. I’ve got this big—”

“We’re done, got it?” Ian lunged forward and grabbed the other man by the shirt. “You stay the hell away from me and my family.”

Curt’s lips twisted into a sneer. “I knew that chick wasn’t just an acquaintance like you said. And you didn’t say nothing about a kid when we were serving time, bro.”

“It’s not any of your business, and I’m not your bro.” Ian shook his head and released him. “I’m done, MacGregor. I’ve come a long ways from the man I was back then. We’re clearly in different worlds now. Go your own path, I’ll go mine.”

“This is fucking bullshit.”

Ian turned and walked away, ignoring the rants that Curt let fly after him.

He joined Sarah and Emily in the car a moment later. She started the car and didn’t say a word. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel so hard they were white, and her gaze stayed on the road in front of them as she drove out of the fairgrounds.

He knew he needed to say something, because it was clear she was ill at ease with what had happened. “Sarah?”

She shook her head. “Not now.”

Did she intend to ignore him the hour drive home? Shite, it was going to be a long hour. He settled back against the seat and closed his eyes.

How the hell was he going to convince her that MacGregor was a fluke in his life and she wouldn’t have to worry about him?

Crap. He heaved a sigh and tried to calm his temper.

“Ian, are you really my dad?”

He stilled at Emily’s quiet, serious question. So she’d not only heard Curt’s assumption, but had taken the time to process it and consider it.

Trying to be inconspicuous as possible, he stole a glance toward Sarah for how to proceed. Maybe she would know the best way to stall her until they got home. But she wouldn’t look at him.

“Yes, Emily, he is.”

Damn
. She’d just blurted out the truth without even trying to communicate with him first. He didn’t look away from her—couldn’t figure out what the hell he could even say next. All he could do was wait for Emily’s response.