“Hey,” she finally says. I only had to call three times.
“How far away are you?”
“Callie...”
“In hours,” I say, circling a tree and pacing back to the front drive. “Preferably like one or none.”
“About that…”
A sick, swirly feeling starts in my stomach and stalls my feet. I look down at the loamy dirt between my shoes. “Don’t say it.”
“We haven’t left yet.” Her voice is apologetic, but I barely register it over the panic bubbling in my chest.
“Why would you do this to me?” My voice comes out as a whisper.
“Oliver was difficult this morning. By the time I got everything packed in the car and ready to go, he fell asleep, and I didn’t want to wake the beast.”
She has a nine-hour drive ahead of her…and that’s not counting the extra stops her two-year-old will require. But Luna isn’t the only person driving up today. My brother-in-law’s best friend is the reason we’re at this cottage. “What about Ruby and Hamish and their kids?”
Her pause doesn’t bode well. “They waited. We’re driving up there together. Hamish borrowed a van.”
“Luna.”
“I know you’re mad. We’ll leave soon and get there late tonight. If we can’t make it all the way, we’ll get there early tomorrow. It’s only one day without me. How bad can one day be? Gavin issoni?—”
“Don’t say nice. He’s not nice.” There’s more vitriol in the words than I mean to give them. It’s a little dramatic for the situation, but my pride still smarts with embarrassment every time I picture his face.
Luna can tell. She’s wary when she speaks. “What happened?” She rakes in a sudden gasp. “You kissed him already, didn’t you?”
“No, actually. I didn’t, and I won’t. I’m not interested.” Okay…so that last part might be a tiny fib. But there’s no way she’s buying it.
Luna scoffs. “Yeah, right. I’ve met him, remember? He’s your type.”
“Toxic and self-absorbed?”
“I don’t think we’ve met the same Gavin,” she says.
“Evidently not.”
Rhys speaks in the background, and I can tell I’m about to lose her. Luna says something to him before returning her attention to me. “Well, he’s your host for the day, so make the most of it.”
“I’m taking back your Christmas gift,” I shout into the phone, my last-ditch effort to control the situation.
“No, you aren’t.”
She knows me too well. “Drive safely,” I grumble before hanging up. I drop my head back, close my eyes against the blue sky and moan. Could today get any worse?
It’s official: Scotland double sucks.
CHAPTER THREE
GAVIN
Och,I’m a complete numpty.
I’mselective?
Try:I’m an imbecile. Callie looked at me like I’d thrown a puppy over a waterfall, and rightfully so. It’s bad enough I had to reject her mid-advance, but then to tell her it’s because she’s not my type? I could have picked a better lie.
