Font Size
Line Height

Page 19 of One Night in Glasgow (The Scottish Billionaires #15)

CHAPTER TWELVE

SEAN

My fingers fumbled with my shirt buttons as I got ready for the standing monthly Sunday family dinner at my parents’ house, my mind a world away, still tangled up in Glasgow. The weight of it all, of Beth, had been a constant companion since I’d returned.

Reaching for my watch on the dresser, my hand brushed against something small and delicate.

Beth’s bracelet. I picked it up, the thin silver chain a tangible link to our passionate night, her mischievous smile flashing in my memory.

Then, just as quickly, the image shifted to our last, raw encounter on the street–her tangled hair, the anger and pain in her eyes as she’d accused me of wrecking her life.

My gut twisted. I hadn’t meant to cause her harm, but she’d practically shoved me away when I tried to understand.

With a heavy sigh, I opened my dresser drawer and gently placed the bracelet inside, trying to close the door on the guilt, the regret, the damned attraction. “It’s over. Let it go,” I muttered to my reflection, but the words felt hollow.

As I drove through the familiar San Ramon streets, my thoughts remained a jumbled mess.

I hoped Dad would have some advice; he’d always been my anchor for tough decisions, and I was definitely adrift now.

The usual Sunday racket was missing as I pulled into their driveway; the house felt unusually quiet.

Alec was in Seattle, Xander in London, the rest of the family scattered, a far cry from the joyful chaos I’d grown up with.

I let myself in, the scent of Mom’s cooking a familiar comfort. “Hello?” I called.

“In the kitchen, honey!” Mom’s voice sang out, easing some of my tension. She was her usual whirlwind, putting the finishing touches on a feast.

“Hey, Mom,” I said, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “You know it’s just me, right? You didn’t have to go all out.”

She swatted me playfully with a dish towel. “Nonsense. My boy’s home, and he’s going to eat well. Now, make yourself useful and set the table.”

Dad appeared as I was laying out the silverware, his eyes lighting up when he saw me. “Sean! Good to see ye, son.” We shared a quick hug.

Around the dining table, the house felt less empty. Mom, as always, had outdone herself. “So, Sean,” Dad said as we started to eat, “how’s life treatin’ ye? Any exciting stories from yer travels to Glasgow?”

I nearly choked on my water. Tell them? About Beth, the scandal, the utter clusterfuck? The words caught in my throat. “Oh, you know,” I managed, forcing a casualness I didn’t feel. “Same old, same old. Giving speeches, inspiring people. The usual. ”

Mom beamed. “We’re so proud of you, honey. You’re doing such important work.” Guilt twisted inside me. If only she knew.

I found myself watching my parents, their easy intimacy, the unspoken language of their long partnership.

My mind drifted to our unconventional, blended family of blood siblings, stepsiblings, cousins raised as siblings, a testament to my mom’s huge heart in taking in her sister’s kids after tragedy struck.

“Ye okay, Sean?” Dad’s voice broke through my thoughts. I’d been pushing food around my plate, lost again. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just...thinking.” Mom reached out and squeezed my hand. “You know you can talk to us about anything, right?” I nodded, a lump in my throat. “I know, Mom. Thanks.”

The conversation flowed around me, updates on Alec and Xander. Mom sighed about everyone being scattered, but my father, ever the optimist, reminded her, “They’ll all be home for Christmas, dear. You’ll have your hands full then.”

After dinner, helping Mom clear the table, the weight of my dishonesty pressed down.

They deserved the truth, but the thought of their disappointment was a heavy burden.

Mom went to tackle the dishes, and Dad headed for the back porch.

The crisp evening air felt good as I followed him out.

He leaned against the railing, gazing at the darkening sky.

“So, son,” he said, his Scottish brogue calm and soothing, “how are ye really doing? And don’t give me that ‘same old, same old’ nonsense ye fed yer mother.”

I hesitated, my fingers drumming on the railing. The pressure inside me felt unbearable. “Da,” I began, the words raw, “I’ve really fucked up.”

Dad turned, his eyes filled with concern, but no judgment. “Aye, I thought as much. Tell me about it, lad. ”

And so I did. The words tumbled out of me like a dam breaking…

I spilled my guts about Beth and the whole messy affair. From our steamy night of passion to the shitstorm that followed, I laid it all out for Dad. I confessed my conflicted feelings. How I couldn’t stop thinking about her even though she’d done everything she could to shut me out.

“I don’t know what to do, Da,” I finished, scrubbing a hand over my face. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, but the whole situation is one big screwed up mess.”

Helistened intently, his eyes never leaving my face. When I finally fell silent, he let out a long, slow breath. “Ah, Sean,” he said, his voice soft with understanding. “Love’s never simple, is it?”

He turned back to the railing, his gaze distant, as if looking into the past. “Did I ever tell ye about how I met yer mother?”

I shook my head, curious despite my turmoil. Dad’s voice took on a nostalgic tone as he began his story.

“It was right before Christmas, and I’d taken a trip to San Jose for business. I wasn’t looking for love, mind ye. I was still grieving for Alec’s mother. But then I met your mum.”

His eyes lit up at the memory, and I leaned in, captivated by the passion in his voice.

“She was newly widowed herself, with four children. But the moment I saw her, I knew. It was like a bolt of lightning. I couldn’t explain it if I tried, but I knew I wanted to marry her.”

My father chuckled, shaking his head. “We had a whirlwind romance—your mother and I. Married six months after we met. Can ye believe it? Everyone thought we were mad.”

I listened, enthralled, as he recounted their story. How they’d blended their families, bringing ten children under one roof. How I and Xander had come along less than a year later, adding to the beautiful chaos.

“It wasn’t easy, mind ye,” Dad continued, his voice growing serious. “Blending families, dealing with grief, starting a new life... we faced our fair share of challenges. But we faced them just the same, and that made all the difference.”

He turned to me then, his eyes twinkling. “And let me tell ye, son, I’ve never regretted a single moment. Not one.”

“But how did you know, Da? How were you so sure it was the right thing to do?”

His’s laugh was warm and full. “Oh, I wasn’t sure at all.

I was terrified, if I’m being honest. But sometimes, Sean, ye have to take a leap of faith.

When ye find someone who makes yer heart race and yer palms sweat, someone who challenges ye and excites ye in equal measure. .. well, that’s worth fighting for.”

He fixed me with a serious look then, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder. “You’re a grown man, Sean, and I can’t tell ye what to do. But I’ll give ye a piece of advice. Whatever ye decide, ye better make it quick. Life’s too short to be wasting it on regrets.”

I nodded, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me. “Thanks, Da,” I said softly. “I... I’ve got a lot to think about.”

My father squeezed my shoulder. “That ye do, lad. That ye do.”

As we turned to go back inside, I felt lighter somehow. The problem wasn’t solved, but sharing it with my father had eased some of the burden.

The evening slipped by faster than I realized, and suddenly, it was time to say my goodbyes. Mom hugged me, making me promise to visit again soon. Dad’s embrace was brief but meaningful, his eyes conveying understanding and support.

As I drove home, the quiet of the car was filled with my racing thoughts. My father’s words circled in my mind, mixing with memories of Beth. Her laugh, her fiery spirit, the way she’d looked at me like she could see right through to my soul.

But then I remembered our last encounter, her anger, her pain, the way she’d pushed me away. Was it really worthwhile to go chasing after Beth?

Then again, hadn’t Dad taken a chance on love when it seemed impossible? He and Mom had faced challenges I could hardly imagine, yet here they were, still deeply in love after all these years.

I chewed on that for a bit, mulling over my career.

Sure, I’d busted my ass to become this motivational guru, spouting off about living your best life and all that jazz.

But was I actually walking the walk? Or was I a fraud, cowering behind this shiny, perfect front I’d built?

I was supposed to inspire people to grab life by the horn, and I couldn’t even sort out my own shit. The irony was thick enough to choke on.

As I rolled into the parking lot of my apartment complex, my brain was still a freaking mess.

It felt like there was a goddamn cage match going on in my head, with my emotions beating the shit out of each other.

But I couldn’t keep living in this limbo, torn between my emotions and what my head said was sensible.

I stepped into my apartment, the jangling of my keys echoing through the empty space like a lonely wind chime.

I couldn’t get the image of Beth’s smile from my mind.

That spark we had? It wasn’t just pulling at my heartstrings.

It was playing them like a goddamn fiddle, leaving me all twisted up inside .

I chucked the keys onto the counter with a clatter and kicked off my shoes, sending them flying across the room.

Dragging my sorry ass to the bedroom, I started an attempt at my bedtime routine.

But who was I kidding? I knew damn well I was in for another night of tossing and turning, my brain running laps while my body begged for rest. I was screwed, right?

My father’s words were like a broken record in my head, looping endlessly as I sprawled out on my bed. “Life’s too short to be wasting it on regrets.” The question was, which decision would I regret more? Chasing after Beth, or letting her go?