me tighter than I’d normally have liked, and her enthusiasm confused the heck out of me.
Breaking the embrace she gestured for me to take a seat, and when she sat facing me, there were tears in her eyes. “What can I say?” she began, holding her hands palms up. “I suppose I should thank you.”
“I don’t understand,” I replied, confused.
She chuckled. “Since he came back from the recording session, I’ve noticed a difference in him. He enjoys doing what he does, but he’s the happiest he’s been in years. He’s usually horrible at keeping in touch, but these last few weeks, he’s called nearly every day and all he wants to talk about is you. Seeing the way he looks at you,” she popped one shoulder up, “I can see you’re exactly what he needs.”
“Thanks,” I replied, both relieved and excited that she didn’t call me a delusional gold digger or anything. “It’s early days really … well, since March, but with him being away, we haven’t had the time to really get to know what it’s like for him to come and go for work and me to run my pub on the other side of the Atlantic.”
Catrina frowned. “I get that he must have left you feeling abandoned, but Paddy told me he was convinced you’d forgive Jamie for that once you heard some of the songs he wrote about you. The guys think that material will take their band to yet another level. I’ve heard a couple of those numbers and I’d have to agree. They don’t leave much room to question how my brother feels about you.” She snickered. “Frankly, I thought if you didn’t match up to my expectations after hearing them, I’m not sure what I’d have done.”
I felt a little embarrassed with Catrina’s opinion, but I hadn’t realized how much I had needed someone close to her brother to confirm how Jamie felt about me. It convinced me that Jamie wasn’t just with me for fun, no matter how ridiculously surreal my situation had felt.
“It was his idea to bring you over for Thanksgiving. He thought it may be a good way for Bernie and I to help you understand the life that could lie ahead of you.”
“Our work commitments worry me,” I began, “The way I see it, there’s always going to be something that comes before our relationship. Trying to love someone who is famous and who’ll be leaving all the time isn’t going to make me happy. I already know that from how heartbroken I felt during the past few months. I’m not the type of girl that can accept what little time a man is willing to carve out of his schedule. I deserve more than that.”
“I’m sure that’s not what Jamie wants, either. For the past ten years of my brother’s life, he’s lived out of a suitcase, travelling the world … pouring his heart into his music and selling his soul to satisfy public demand. Until he met you, those responsibilities were his only focus. When he disappeared off the radar with you, I knew you had to be someone exceptional for him to even try to put you first. He told me he’d even considered walking away from everything. If it hadn’t been for the band …”
“He said something similar to me … about not wanting to go to do the album. I would have hated to have been responsible for him turning his back on what he loves.”
“I don’t think he would have gone back to his band at all, had it not been for how he supports me and my boys.”
Jamie had mentioned looking after them, but I didn’t know the full story.
“How so?” I asked, hoping for more information.
“Jamie feels obliged to look after us, which feels strange at times, because I’m his big sister and should be looking after him. Ever since I lost my husband, Jamie has tried his best to fill the boys’ father’s place. It’s expensive being the sister of someone famous. We had to sell up because we were constantly being disturbed and bombarded by fans and my home was burgled twice while Jamie was on tour. I think people think because my brother has money, I must have loads, as well.”
“I can’t imagine how that made you feel.”
“Right,” she agreed.
Her gaze lifted past me, and she had a far off look in her eyes, like she was remembering those times.
“The twins were only eight years old when