“What is she doing now?” Emrys joined him at the window.
Caelan huffed with another low-throated growl. “I canna tell. Weeping probably. Whoever was on that phone of hers musthave been an arse.” He turned to the druid. “Can ye find them with a spell?” He flexed his fists. “I’d like a wee word with them.”
Emrys narrowed his eyes. “Ye ken well enough that I canna do that.”
Caelan tucked his shirttail into his jeans as he nodded at the window. “I’m going to go talk to the lass. Mayhap there is some way I can help with whatever troubles her.”
“Go carefully, Caelan. Ye have seen her past in the mirrors. She will be slow to trust ye, but ye must be patient. Handle her gently.”
Emrys crossed the room to the small kitchen, rattled a cup free of its hook, and filled it. “And remember, if she speaks of anything from this time that ye dinna quite understand, ye must quickly change the subject. It is entirely too soon to be introducing her to the many mysteries.”
“I am not so daft as ye might think.” Caelan headed toward the door.
“Ye’re dafter than ye ken, my laird. Ye are a man in love with a woman.” Emrys shook his head and dragged a stool over to the window. He settled himself comfortably on his perch and sipped his coffee as he eyed the scene outside.
“So, ye mean to sit there and watch as though we are an amusement?” Caelan stood with his hand on the doorknob.
Emrys smiled and lifted his cup in a silent toast.
Caelan shook his head, thundered down the stairs, and stepped outside. He noticed that when he slammed the sticking door to get it to stay shut, Rachel hurried to swipe her hands across her cheeks. Aye and for sure. The lass had been crying. Damn, that bastard on the phone.
She scrambled up from her spot on the porch and forced a calm demeanor he didn’t believe for a second.
“Good morning to ye, Miss Hawkins.” He nodded and offered her one of his most enticing smiles.
“It’s Rachel. You can call me Rachel. All right?” She cleared her throat and glanced around in every direction possible to avoid looking him in the eyes.
“I am glad ye allow me to use your Christian name. Sometimes, it’s hard for a foreigner to find a friend in a strange land.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and ambled closer. What could he do to put her at ease?
She twitched with a nervous shuffle and tucked her hair behind one ear. “I’m sure you’ll make lots of friends. Most of the people around here are open and easy to get to know.”
Ye are the only one I wish to know.But he didn’t say it aloud. Not the way she was fidgeting, as though barely able to stand in front of him. This was not going as planned.
“Is there something you need? Is everything in the apartment working like it’s supposed to?” She backed toward the door, looking like a trapped animal trying to work up the courage to escape.
“Everything is fine, lass, but I wondered if there were ways Emrys and I might be more of a help to ye around here? Something other than paying our rent on time.” He eased another step closer, praying she wouldn’t flee and would somehow find the courage to trust him.
She narrowed her eyes and hiked her chin to a defiant angle. “Rent is all I need from you. I appreciate the offer, but I can take care of this place all by myself. Always have. I don’t need anyone.” What she truly meant came across clear as day and stung like a slap in the face.
Lifting both hands, he backed up half a step and gave her a bit more space. “I meant no insult to your abilities, lass. I can see by the look of the place that ye love it and care for it well. ’Tis only the nature of a good Scot to offer a hand and find out if there is aught he can do to help a lady.”
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and bowed her head. After an uncomfortable moment or two, she lifted it and met his gaze. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s been a rough morning, and I’ve had a lot of people tell me I’ll never be able to manage because I’m a woman living alone. Assholes.” She flinched. “Sorry again. Theassholepart wasn’t directed at you.”
Her face crumpled, and she angrily swiped her hands across her eyes and tried to stop the tears before they hit her cheeks. “Damn! Damn! Damn!” she cursed softly, her voice breaking. “Look—I’ve had a terrible morning. The bank is hounding me to sell my land. My lawyer is nagging me to sell my land, and I’m getting tired of every male I come into contact with telling me what would be best for me to do!” Her purple eyes flashed like a raging storm, and her lovely bottom lip trembled. “And I realize the last thing you need is a crazy woman unloading all her problems on you when you don’t even know her.”
She wiped her face on her sleeve and sniffed. “I promise I’m not crazy, and I have a plan.” Another sniff hitched from her. “And I won’t do this to you again—I swear. All I need from you is rent. Nothing more. Nothing less, and trust me—you’d be doing yourself one hell of a favor by staying as far from me as you can get before the shittiness that is me and my life rubs off on you.” Whirling in place, she yanked open the screen door, stomped inside, and slammed it shut behind her.
Caelan pulled in a deep breath, widened his stance, and waited. She reminded him of an abused animal that needed patience, understanding, and love. He had plenty of everything except the patience part, and he could damn sure work on that.
She reappeared in the doorway just as he’d sensed she would. “Look I’m sorry. Again. If you’re brave enough to come inside for a cup of coffee, I’ll attempt to be civilized rather than ranting like some sort of loon.”
He slowly walked toward the door, allowing himself to offer her a sympathetic grin. “I believe ye will find I’m a verra fine listener, and I shall try my best not to tell ye what ye should do.”
“Yeah well, that’ll be a refreshing change for me. A man who’s not going to tell me what’s best.” She gave him a real smile this time while holding open the battered screen door.
He hurried to step through before she changed her mind. “Of course, I’d have to know ye much better before I could tell ye what’s best for ye,” he teased. “But I’d be sure to tell ye in such a way that ye understood I was speaking from my heart and not trying to hurt ye.” He couldn’t resist pressing the advantage, since he’d actually made it inside the house and was now sitting at the kitchen table.
Pulling two cups out of the cupboard, Rachel rolled her eyes at him, then filled them both. “You seem to be a very nice man, Caelan.” A heavy sigh shuddered free of her. “I’m sorry I went nuts on you. Things are just a little tough around here right now, and the dogs are usually the only ones around to listen to my ranting.”
