Something was broken inside Raven and it enabled Gillian to see past the devil-may-care abrasiveness and into her heart.

“Do you hate me now?”

“Of course not. Raven—is that your real name?”

Raven grinned. “And they say I’m blunt. My full name is Beautiful Raven Haired Baby Girl. So, you can see that I had to make a choice. My mother was apparently quite the hippie with delusions of New Age–ism.”

“Wow.” Gillian didn’t fail to notice the reference to Raven’s mum was past tense. “Okay then, as I was saying, I can see why Adrian feels the way he does. Brody is his brother. He’s nothing if not loyal. And I imagine you feel like a right prat for letting a man like Brody slip through your fingers.”

“That sucked, yes. Especially when Elise showed up and I realized Brody never, ever looked at me like that. But I do love him, and over time I’ve come to really like Elise. Rennie is a force of nature like Erin. I dig that kid.”

Adrian looked across the lawn to where Gillian stood, her skirt swirling around her ankles and the boots he’d given her the week before. He knew she needed them. Miles had pointed them out as ones like his mum had been drooling over. As if he could resist giving her something to keep her feet warm.

She’d hesitated when she’d unwrapped the box but had relented and he’d felt like a king for being able to do for her. She had no idea, but when she allowed him to spoil her even in small ways, it made him happier than if she’d given him something instead.

She spoke with Raven, who towered over her by at least six inches. They couldn’t have been more different. Raven was in-your-face pretty. Snug clothes to show off her body, makeup always applied. No doubt she was a looker.

But Gillian, well, she stood there looking like something that belonged on a shelf for precious things. Feminine. Beautiful with very little makeup.

His beautiful woman.

“I like how you look at her.” Jules approached him. “She takes care of everyone else. It’s her nature. But you, you want to do for her. Protect her. She needs that.” She started to speak again but closed her lips.

“No, please, go on.”

“I don’t want to divulge any confidences. She trusts me and I’d never hurt her that way. But she fights you on the money stuff because she grew up with a woman who routinely let loser after loser into their lives. They’d be flush every once in a while but mainly broke cause guys like that don’t work and her mother couldn’t be bothered. I know she told you about Candace and that’s why I feel okay in sharing this part.”

He was relieved this woman had been part of Gillian’s life for so long.

“Thank you for that. I just want to provide for her. I have it and she doesn’t. She makes it difficult, though she is getting better.”

“Bet you never met a woman who balked when you tried to buy her stuff.”

Adrian snorted. “Yes. Well. Gillian’s not most women.”

“Glad you understand that. I want you to also understand that we’re her family too. We’ll share her and Miles with you, but we’re not going anywhere.”

His back got up until he realized that comment was not a result of Gillian telling any stories to Jules about moving and their fight. She just wasn’t like that, even with her best friend.

Which meant he was being obvious about it and mucking that up. “I can’t apologize for wanting to be with her and my son more often. But I get your meaning. Miles has a family in you all, so does Gillian. I’d never stand in the way of that. She tells me herself, so trust me, I hear you and I respect your relationship with them.”

And the truth was, every time he saw her with her friends, he saw the softer side of Gillian. She laughed more and seemed more relaxed than she was with him and his family.

“It took Gillian three years to tell me about her sister. I know you’re looking at her now and thinking about how it seems like she’s closer with us and you wonder why she isn’t as open with your family. I like your family, by the way. I think in thirteen more years, she’ll have the same openness with you all. But Gillian doesn’t throw around her affections or her trust idly. Give her time and realize it’s not personal.”

“You know her pretty well.”

“I’ve had some dark times in my life, and for thirteen years it’s been Gillian who has always been there for me. She is the sister of my heart and I’d do anything for her. I’m pleased to see her falling in love, and you certainly seem worthy. But she’s not easy. She won’t suddenly be tomorrow either.”

“I can think of lots of words to describe Gillian with; easy wouldn’t come up.” He grinned as Gillian looked up and met his gaze. He waved and she blushed, waving back. “I’ve had enough of easy. She’s worth it.”

Jules grinned. “She totally is. Don’t f**k up or I’ll kick you in the junk.”

“You’re all a vicious cabal of junk kickers over here, I’ve noticed. It must by why my sister likes Gillian so much.”

He watched Gillian with her friends and gained new appreciation for this woman he’d come to love in such a short time. It seemed impossible to remember a time when he couldn’t pick up his phone and hear her voice, or a day when he couldn’t get on the ferry to see her and touch her.

And that was only a part of it. Miles had ties to these people. Adrian considered them his in-laws, because they were all clearly family. He’d ceased to be jealous of Miles’s closeness with Ryan and Cal Whaley and had let himself get to know both men enough to understand why his son liked them so much.