They’d stepped back, allowing him to be with Miles, but didn’t stop being part of his life. Which was important. It showed Adrian they loved his son as much as he loved them.
If he had to miss the first thirteen years of Miles’s life, at least he had the knowledge that he’d had family who loved him.
She couldn’t deny how totally impressed she was by all she’d seen that day alone. First-class plane tickets. A limo that also contained their bodyguard picking them up at the airport. That had been odd, but she’d understood why he had one. Especially when they’d been approached several times by fans and autograph seekers since they’d left his house earlier that morning.
But this house . . . dizzied her. It hugged an emerald-green patch of front gardens and back lawn with a dock and a huge boat. The pool had been inside, which had surprised her until he’d explained how often paparazzi would fly over to get pictures of his friend and his boyfriend as they used the pool.
Adrian read a note the guy had left. Brandon, his name was. The lead guitarist in a very large alternative rock band.
“He says he’s made sure the pantry is fully stocked and offers his cook should we want her services.” Adrian took her hand and Miles trailed behind them, gawking as surely as Gillian was. “You’re in here, Miles.” He opened a door down a wide and bright hallway, revealing a huge bedroom. “Says it has a balcony you should feel free to use. Extra blankets in the chest at the foot.”
“This is off the chain,” Miles breathed out. “Brandon Federson’s house.”
Adrian grinned and walked across the hall. “And this is our room, English.”
The room had a full view of the water, glistening in the sun, dotted with boats and other watercraft. “This is a guest room so he says we should feel free to get wild and not worry about it.”
She blushed.
“He’s just kidding. He’s a good guy. We’ll get the bags in, and then would you like to go out on the boat?”
Which is how she found herself sunning on the deck of what Adrian had laughingly referred to as a boat. The thing was massive. She barely felt the water as they sliced through it.
She’d allowed herself two bathing suits. The one she had on was a teal blue, a color Jules had assured her made her look fab. It was flattering and fit her perfectly, keeping her bits covered. Most of the suits she’d tried on were either far too revealing or those swim dresses some women wore. But she was determined to find that middle place between showing her areola and wearing a long-sleeved dress with pants to her calves beneath.
“I should tell you that suit is gorgeous. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen this much of your legs exposed out in public.” Adrian was above her, navigating expertly. Of course he could also captain a boat. There hadn’t been much she’d seen him not be excellent at right away.
“That’s because she doesn’t,” Miles called out. “Mum doesn’t flash her knickers in public. This boat stuff is awesome.”
“I’ve been considering buying a boat. Want to come with and help me pick one out?” Adrian asked Miles, a smile on his face. Gillian wanted to sigh but couldn’t bear to be bristly over it.
“Where would you keep it? You can’t off your house.”
“There are several marinas near enough. Or I can buy a house with a dock. What do you think, Miles?”
“I think you should buy a house on Bainbridge. Have a big studio built. You could have a boat dock right there.”
Adrian cocked his head and took Miles in carefully. Gillian held her breath because she’d been thinking the exact same thing but hadn’t wanted to bring it up in the wake of their stalled conversation about living together.
“Would you like that? For us to live in the same place?”
“Duh!”
“Miles, what did we say about duh?” Gillian let the heat soak into her bones as she cracked an eye open to take in her boy.
“Aunt Erin says it.”
“Your aunt is an adult and your mother just told you not to do something. That’s enough, Miles.”
Well.
Miles was just as surprised at Adrian’s fatherly interruption as Gillian had been. But probably didn’t react the same way she did. It made her all flustered and flattered that he’d parent with her that way. And it made her proud that he’d reinforced one of her rules.
“Sorry, Mum.” He ducked his head a moment in a perfect Brown mimicry.
Adrian clapped his son on the shoulder. “Mistakes happen. Now you were going to tell me how you felt about us living in the same house.”
Nicely done, Dad.
“I like seeing you all the time. But when I’m at your house on the weekends I miss practice with the band and miss my friends. It’d be cool if you lived nearer.”
Gillian sat up straighter, but didn’t interfere.
“Yeah, that’s a good point. But the good part is, we can agree on the living together thing?”
“I’d like that a lot.” Miles looked up to the man he resembled so strongly. His grin was huge, reminding her that he had an ortho appointment before they were to go to Whistler.
“Your mum seems to like the idea too.”
She liked that Adrian used the word mum when he referred to her. It was a silly little thing she knew, but it still meant something. Made it feel like a family.
“I do.”
Miles turned his smile to her. “Yeah?”
If he had to miss the first thirteen years of Miles’s life, at least he had the knowledge that he’d had family who loved him.
She couldn’t deny how totally impressed she was by all she’d seen that day alone. First-class plane tickets. A limo that also contained their bodyguard picking them up at the airport. That had been odd, but she’d understood why he had one. Especially when they’d been approached several times by fans and autograph seekers since they’d left his house earlier that morning.
But this house . . . dizzied her. It hugged an emerald-green patch of front gardens and back lawn with a dock and a huge boat. The pool had been inside, which had surprised her until he’d explained how often paparazzi would fly over to get pictures of his friend and his boyfriend as they used the pool.
Adrian read a note the guy had left. Brandon, his name was. The lead guitarist in a very large alternative rock band.
“He says he’s made sure the pantry is fully stocked and offers his cook should we want her services.” Adrian took her hand and Miles trailed behind them, gawking as surely as Gillian was. “You’re in here, Miles.” He opened a door down a wide and bright hallway, revealing a huge bedroom. “Says it has a balcony you should feel free to use. Extra blankets in the chest at the foot.”
“This is off the chain,” Miles breathed out. “Brandon Federson’s house.”
Adrian grinned and walked across the hall. “And this is our room, English.”
The room had a full view of the water, glistening in the sun, dotted with boats and other watercraft. “This is a guest room so he says we should feel free to get wild and not worry about it.”
She blushed.
“He’s just kidding. He’s a good guy. We’ll get the bags in, and then would you like to go out on the boat?”
Which is how she found herself sunning on the deck of what Adrian had laughingly referred to as a boat. The thing was massive. She barely felt the water as they sliced through it.
She’d allowed herself two bathing suits. The one she had on was a teal blue, a color Jules had assured her made her look fab. It was flattering and fit her perfectly, keeping her bits covered. Most of the suits she’d tried on were either far too revealing or those swim dresses some women wore. But she was determined to find that middle place between showing her areola and wearing a long-sleeved dress with pants to her calves beneath.
“I should tell you that suit is gorgeous. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen this much of your legs exposed out in public.” Adrian was above her, navigating expertly. Of course he could also captain a boat. There hadn’t been much she’d seen him not be excellent at right away.
“That’s because she doesn’t,” Miles called out. “Mum doesn’t flash her knickers in public. This boat stuff is awesome.”
“I’ve been considering buying a boat. Want to come with and help me pick one out?” Adrian asked Miles, a smile on his face. Gillian wanted to sigh but couldn’t bear to be bristly over it.
“Where would you keep it? You can’t off your house.”
“There are several marinas near enough. Or I can buy a house with a dock. What do you think, Miles?”
“I think you should buy a house on Bainbridge. Have a big studio built. You could have a boat dock right there.”
Adrian cocked his head and took Miles in carefully. Gillian held her breath because she’d been thinking the exact same thing but hadn’t wanted to bring it up in the wake of their stalled conversation about living together.
“Would you like that? For us to live in the same place?”
“Duh!”
“Miles, what did we say about duh?” Gillian let the heat soak into her bones as she cracked an eye open to take in her boy.
“Aunt Erin says it.”
“Your aunt is an adult and your mother just told you not to do something. That’s enough, Miles.”
Well.
Miles was just as surprised at Adrian’s fatherly interruption as Gillian had been. But probably didn’t react the same way she did. It made her all flustered and flattered that he’d parent with her that way. And it made her proud that he’d reinforced one of her rules.
“Sorry, Mum.” He ducked his head a moment in a perfect Brown mimicry.
Adrian clapped his son on the shoulder. “Mistakes happen. Now you were going to tell me how you felt about us living in the same house.”
Nicely done, Dad.
“I like seeing you all the time. But when I’m at your house on the weekends I miss practice with the band and miss my friends. It’d be cool if you lived nearer.”
Gillian sat up straighter, but didn’t interfere.
“Yeah, that’s a good point. But the good part is, we can agree on the living together thing?”
“I’d like that a lot.” Miles looked up to the man he resembled so strongly. His grin was huge, reminding her that he had an ortho appointment before they were to go to Whistler.
“Your mum seems to like the idea too.”
She liked that Adrian used the word mum when he referred to her. It was a silly little thing she knew, but it still meant something. Made it feel like a family.
“I do.”
Miles turned his smile to her. “Yeah?”
