“And what is that supposed to mean?”
“It means you are a rare find, Mr.MacAlester.”
“Dinna call me that either.”
“I could call you what Jessa and I named you when your photo popped up on that app.”
A heavy groan escaped him.He couldn’t help it.There was that feckin’ word again,app
“What?”Emily frowned.“Did Jessa already tell you we named you Mr.MacSexy?Surely you didn’t find that offensive.”
“Mr.MacSexy, eh?”As a matter of fact, he did not take offense at that name.He grinned.“Whilst I find it verra flattering, perhaps it would be best if ye called me Grant, aye?Do ye not think Jessa would prefer that?”
“Probably.”Emily went quiet and fixed her attention on Jessa and Mairwen across the way, where they were carrying on quite a robust conversation.“You know I don’t want her to stay in this time, right?”
“I nay thought ye would, but would ye mind telling me yer reasons other than missing her in yer time?”
“Of course, that’s the main reason.”Emily shifted with a heavy sigh, then shook her head.“I just feel like if she stays here, chances are she’ll die long before she would die in our time.”
“Are ye a seer, then?”
She tore her worried frown from Jessa and fixed a scowl on him.“Well, no.But you know what I mean.In the future, we’ve improved upon a lot of things that kill people right now.”
“So, there are no dangers at all in the future?None that might take her from the world long before anyone is prepared to see her go?”
“Maybe I will call youarsehole,after all.”
“Ye know what I am saying, lass, and ye ken well enough that it be true.We die when we are meant to die.No matter what century in which we find ourselves.”
“Predestination as opposed to free will?”she said.“No matter what choices we make, whatever Fate says will be—will be.That’s what you believe?”
“Aye.The only thing free will affects is how miserable or happy we are during the days between birth and death.”
“Interesting viewpoint.”Emily kicked a small clod of dirt across the cobblestone courtyard.“I still don’t want her to stay.”
“So, Mairwen lied to me yet again?”He had known it all along, felt the truth of it searing a hole through the pit of his stomach.
“I promised Mairwen I wouldn’t talk Jessa into coming back to the future without giving you a chance,” she said, “and I never go back on a promise.”She slowly shook her head while eyeing Jessa, who stood shaking a finger at the old witch.“I just wish it were different.”She sniffed, then turned away so he couldn’t see her face.“I can’t imagine life without Jess.”
“Neither can I, lass.Neither can I.”
* * *
“I trusted you.”Jessa was so angry with Mairwen that she couldn’t think of anything else to say.“I trusted you!”she repeated even louder, hating the shrillness of her tone.The old witch, as Grant so aptly called the woman, had turned her into a snarky bundle of nerves.
“I had yer best interests at heart, lass,” Mairwen said quietly.
“Bullshit!All you care about is your Highland Veil mumbo jumbo.Grant told me so himself.”
“So ye feel nothing toward him, then?”The irritatingly calm elder arched a silvery brow.“And afore ye lie, remember two things: I am quite adept at reading minds, and ye have a tell.”
“A what?”
“A tell,” Mairwen said.“Ye would be a horrid card player.Whenever ye feel uncertain of yerself, not only do ye chew on yer bottom lip, but yer fair skin takes on the heady blush of the reddest rose.Telling lies is not one of yer strengths.”
“I do not belong here.”
“That is not what I asked ye.The question was: do ye feel nothing toward him?”
