“Och, it’s just that I miss you, my wee boy.”
“Mum, I?—”
“No, don’t you start. You need to do this. Ignore your father. He’s stuck in the old ways, Luch. You know that.”
“I wish he could see that there are … other options.”
“He will. Eventually. He did with me, didn’t he?”
I unhooked my gate and then made sure to carefully lock it behind me.
“But …” I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
“Och, not you, too. What happened to me is not because your father broke the rules, Luch. Honestly. How can I be surrounded by highly educated doctors of all things and yet you all still cling to this superstition?” Annoyancelaced my mother’s tone, and I winced, not wanting to upset her.
“You’re right. I know you are. Say, Mum, let me tell you about what Oban did the other day.” I launched into a story about how Oban had shredded a brand-new toy I’d bought for him, leaving so much stuffing around the house it looked like it had snowed inside, and by the time I ended the call, she was back to her ever-cheerful self.
Her laughter was enough to ease any lingering tension I had, and her faith in me for making the choice to leave home was the sole candle in the darkness of my family’s judgment.
And despite what Oban said earlier, I hadnotbeen stalking the lovely vet tonight.
But I also hadn’t been willing to turn down an opportunity to satisfy my desire to know more about one Dr. Faelan Fletcher. The problem, though, was now I felt like I’d only just scratched the surface. There were deeper forces at play here, and while I usually didn’t mind letting people keep their secrets close, I realized that wasn’t going to be the case with Faelan.
Her shy smile, flushed cheeks, and whip-smart mind intrigued me, and even if it made more sense to stay away … I already knew it would be impossible to do so.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Faelan
I’d barely made it to dinner in time last night before I’d been immediately put to work, helping to deliver a hedgehog’s babies. It had been a chaotic, albeit fun, evening, and I’d walked back from the castle with a smile on my lips and another date.
A date, that is, to meet with the American woman, Sophie, who had inherited MacAlpine Castle.
The castle itself was perched on a hill, a stately dame lording over Loren Brae, and where I’d expected fancy airs and polite conversations, I’d instead been treated to a genuinely cheerful evening. I hadn’t had much actual dinner, instead taking my food on the side while overseeing the birthing process, but various people had rotated through to chat with me while I had monitored my patient.
It turns out the dinner had been a baby shower for thehedgehogs. Their owners, Shona and Owen, were over the moon that Edith had gone into labor at the party and had been just as nervous as if it was their very own children. I can’t say I’d ever attended a hedgehog baby shower before, but everyone in attendance seemed deeply invested in the wee hedgies, and I, for one, always supported anyone that celebrated animals. If they wanted to throw a party for the new babies, why the heck not? The whole evening had been odd, unexpectedly relaxing, and I’d made some new connections.
I was also fairly certain there was magick at the castle.
I had been too distracted to delve deep into the sensations I was getting, but there was a certain buzz in the air, a vibration of sorts, which made me suspect that there was magick about. It had been that same energy that had pulled me to Loren Brae, making me hope this idyllic small town situated on Loch Mirren’s frothy shores would be a place I could finally call home.
I guess I’d find out more when I went back to the castle after work today.
“Are you staying up here today or having a wander about outside?” I asked Gloam as I ate my porridge and filled my travel cup with coffee. Gloam stretched on the couch and then padded over to me, bumping against my legs. Reaching down, I scratched his ears. His fur was extra soft today, as I’d given him a good bath yesterday to rid him of the mud from the storm. I’d even taken some adorable pictures of him wrapped in a towel in the bath, his nose sticking out of the towel, mouth hanging open in a smile. And even though they were the cutest photos ever, it was times like these that I missed Eriska the most. I didn’t havemy peopleto send them to, and that stung a little, as it always did.
So I’d slept in Luch’s flannel shirt.
Not that I’d ever tell him that. But his faint scent had soothed me to sleep, and I’d felt cocooned and comforted all night. It was the first really peaceful sleep I’d had since I’d arrived, and I’d even missed the 3:33 wake-up call that had been bothering me of late.
If his shirt was what it took to get a good night’s sleep, I might just hold on to it a while longer.
“I want to stay here. I like to sleep during the day.”
“Yeah, that makes sense. There’s water in the bowl, food, and all that. I’ve cracked the bedroom window as well.” I hated thinking about keeping Gloam locked in the flat all day, and I’d learned if I left the back bedroom window open, he’d be able to get out onto the small balcony and down the stairs from there. That would at least give him some freedom to come and go as he pleased.
“Will you meet with Luch?”
“Ah. Not sure.” I paused as I pulled the straps of my tote bag over my shoulder. I hadn’t yet decided if I’d go on a date with Luch. I mean, a part of me was encouraged by the idea—to ride that ride as long and as hard as I could, and then never call him again. But the more subdued, awkward side of me, couldn’t quite follow through on those thoughts. I’d always wished I could be a femme fatale, but the only person I was a real danger to was myself.
