Grace dropped her head, staring at her boots, considering various possibilities. She wanted to be a good friend, and it meant so much to her that she’d found Bobbi and Brian after all this time. “When are you thinking?”

“Tonight and tomorrow,” Bobbi said, hope filling her voice. “The surgery is later today.”

Grace exhaled, her shoulders heavy. “Oh, Bobbi, I’d do anything to help you, but I can’t right now.” Adare needed her, and he had to come first. They had to get settled into the cabin so he could heal, and he’d just worry if she wasn’t there. His protectiveness was kind of sweet, and she had to make sure he was all right before leaving him for the baptism.

“Why not? I really need your help,” Bobbi said.

“I know, but I have to be somewhere else,” Grace murmured. “Adare has been, well, ill, and he needs me right now.” The stubborn Highlander would deny he needed anybody, but she was going to care for him whether he liked it or not. “The same way Brian needs you.”

Bobbi sighed. “Well, I can’t argue with that. I hope Adare feels better. Keep me in the loop.”

“You, too. I know it’ll all go well. Give me a call after the surgery.” Grace said her goodbyes and then slipped the untraceable phone back into her pocket.

Adare opened the front door and snow swirled in around his boots. “Are you ready to go?”

She slung her pack around her shoulder. “Definitely.”

* * * *

Adare finished setting the security at the cabin while Faith and Ronan settled into Benny’s suite. Benny had taken different transport to meet with his family about the new split between the Realm and the Seven. Many of his family members worked for the Realm, but others didn’t, and Benny wanted to keep the family from splintering. He wasn’t confident of his chances.

Satisfied that all of his security measures were at full go, Adare skirted the kitchen and headed through his quarters to the master bath. He’d designed the shower himself, years ago, so it was wide and tall enough for him, in addition to being surrounded by natural rock that held in heat. A wide bench ran along one wall, and he liked to sit there when the steam unit was going.

He dropped his clothes and turned on the spray, stepping beneath instant heat and letting out a low groan. His blood moved sluggishly—he’d have to talk Ronan into sparring later to speed up the healing process.

The swish of clothing being dropped warned him the second Grace strode around the rock wall, buck assed naked.

His slow-moving blood turned hot and fast, really quick. He drew her under the stream, watching as the water sluiced over her body to land by her tiny feet and circle the drain.