Thankfully, Sylvie was there to pick up the slack and she kept us entertained during lunch. I didn’t run away this time, even though I wanted to. We finished eating and I walked them out of the hospital. Aidan offered to drive me home but I insisted I liked to walk, not wanting him to see where I lived.

We parted ways, and as I watched them drive away in his black Range Rover, I felt more than a pang of regret. I’d been rude to Aidan. If he would stop peppering me with personal questions, I wouldn’t have to be rude. But the damn guy seemed intent on figuring me out.

A few days later I was at Apple Butter working—eyeing a preppy ivory cardigan with a little gold bicycle stitched above the left breast, wondering if Leah would let me pay for it over time—when the door opened and I turned to find Roddy stepping into the store. He wore a gray T-shirt covered in dust and grime, jeans that were in much the same condition, and construction boots on his feet. He’d obviously come from work.

I put the cardigan back and hurried over to him, my pulse starting to race. Roddy would only be here if there was bad news. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

He frowned at me. “Nothin’. It’s lunchtime. Thought ye could get off now so we can grab lunch together. Ye ken, now that ye’er no avoidin’ me.”

Although I blushed at being called out on it, I was too relieved that nothing was wrong to care about his dig. I played it off, rolling my eyes. “Wait here.”

Glancing around the store at all the pretty, feminine clothes, Roddy replied dryly, “Aye, like am gonnae venture any further in.”

Chuckling, I hurried through the archway that led to the small accessories department to find Leah on her knees, reorganizing a jewelry stand. “Leah, can I take my lunch early?”

“With the man with the very deep voice?” She peered up at me, a curious smile on her face.

“He’s just a friend.”

She leaned back on her heels to see past me, disappointment dimming her expression when she didn’t catch sight of him. “Is he as hot as his voice?”

“Far sexier than that,” Roddy’s voice rumbled through to us, making me snort.

Leah laughed. “Ooh, I like him.”

“You’re practically engaged,” I reminded her.

She pouted in response and then waved her hand at me. “Shoo, then. Go have your lunch break with the man with the delicious voice.”

After thanking her, I grabbed my purse from the back and ushered Roddy outside before my boss decided to come and check him out.

“So, this is a surprise,” I said as we strode up Cockburn Street.

“We’re workin’ on flat renovations off the Mile,” he explained.

After deciding to grab something as close by as possible, we found a table at the Royal Mile Tavern for some pub grub. Our talk was small as we ordered food and waited, and there was silence when our fish and chips arrived because Roddy never spoke until he’d had a few big bites of food. Once he got the “I’m no longer a hungry caveman” look on his face, I said, “So, are you still dating your barmaid?”

Roddy smirked. “Her name is Petra.”

“Petra? Where is she from?”

“She’s Croatian.”

“Huh. Seonaid never mentioned that.”

He grinned at his food. “Seonaid wouldnae.”

I sometimes wondered if he dated a certain type of woman simply to piss Seonaid off. “Is it serious?”

“When is it ever?”

“Don’t you want it to be? Eventually?”

Roddy sighed heavily, and I knew the conversation was making him uncomfortable. Roddy did not do feelings. “One day, maybe.”

“Does Petra know it isn’t serious? Because Seonaid thinks she’s angling for it to be.”

This time he huffed, throwing me a drop-it look. “Aye, she kens.”

Thinking of my predicament with Aidan, I wondered if maybe Roddy might be able to help me out. “So, how do you avoid telling her anything personal without coming off rude and pushing her away completely?”

His response was a stony expression.

I smirked. “I’m actually looking for some advice.”

“About fuck buddies?” His eyebrows nearly hit his hairline.

I flushed, mortified that Jim’s best friend would think I’d come to him for advice about having sex with a new guy. “No. God, no!”

“Why the ‘God, no!’? It’s okay if ye want tae move on, Nora.”

Even though he appeared to genuinely mean it, I ignored the comment. “No, it’s not that. It’s just there’s this kid at the hospital and I’ve grown fond of her, but her guardian—her uncle—he’s pestering me with all these questions about myself. I get it, because I’m spending time with the kid once a week, but I’m not comfortable divulging information about myself to this person. We have lunch after my time with the kids, and he interrogates me. I’m trying to avoid it but I’m coming off totally rude. I thought maybe you might have some advice on how I can be vague without making him want to stop Sylvie—his niece—from spending time with me.”

He studied me thoughtfully. “What age is he? The guardian?”

“Thirty-four. Why?” A knowing glint entered his eyes and I shook my head. “It’s not like that.” Even to my own ears, it sounded like a lie. But it wasn’t. Aidan Lennox was not attracted to me like I was attracted to him.

Roddy’s gaze drifted over my face. “He tryin’ tae spend time wi’ ye?”

“His kid is, so he is.”

“He doesnae have tae, though.”

“She lost her mom. His sister. He’s protective.”

“Aye. But anyone can dae a wee bit diggin’ tae get pertinent information about the person spendin’ time wi’ their kid. He doesnae need tae have lunch wi’ ye and ask ye.”

Roddy had it all wrong. “It’s not like that.”

“Nora,” he seemed aggravated, “it’s you, so I’d be surprised if it wisnae like that. Ye want tae ken why Petra kens it isnae serious wi’ us? First, I told her if she wanted in ma bed, it wis temporary. And from that point on, I never ask her any questions about herself other than ‘Did ye have a gid day at work?’ ‘Dae ye want a drink?’ and ‘Dae ye want me tae fuck ye harder?’”

I scowled at his bluntness. “You’re a real prince, Roddy.”

“Whit I’m sayin’ is, a guy doesnae ask a woman about herself unless he really wants tae ken. And he usually only really wants tae ken because he also wants tae ken what she sounds like when she comes.”

This was Roddy unfiltered, without Jim there to smack him across the head for talking like that in front of me. Weirdly, it was nice that Roddy could be his wonderful, uncouth self around me, and it be okay. That we could be truly comfortable with each other.

I immediately felt guilty for enjoying it.

Roddy misunderstood my expression. “Ye’er allowed tae want that, Nora. Tae move on. There’s nothin’ wrong wi’ lettin’ this guy get tae ken ye. Answer his fuckin’ questions if ye want tae.”

“It’s not like that,” I insisted. “Aidan is older, cultured, experienced. I think he looks at me as this strange kid he’s worried his kid is spending time with.”

My friend’s gaze dropped to my chest in an undecidedly friendly way before moving back up to my face. “He doesnae see ye as a kid.”

“How do you know?” I huffed at his arrogance.

“Because I’m a man. I ken these things.”

Exasperated, I shook my head. Coming to Roddy for advice was a bad idea. His blunt honesty and male perspective had only confused me.

I changed the subject. “Seonaid is dating someone new. Zach. He’s your age.”

He stared determinedly at his food, although he couldn’t hide the flex of his jaw muscle as he ground his teeth. After a few seconds, he gritted out, “Another nice guy?”

“No, I think she’s taking a break from nice guys. Zach is for sex. Lots of stamina, that one.” I smiled to myself as I watched his fingers curl tightly around his fork and knife. Maybe it was mean of me, but Roddy Livingston was the most straightforward guy I’d ever met. There was absolutely no excuse for him not to tell Seonaid how he felt about her. If he didn’t want other guys sleeping in her bed, then he needed to man up and do something about it.