The dog in question trotted around the side of the cottage when I pulled the car up, the gate to the drive sliding closed behind me. I’d installed a doggy door so he could come and go as he pleased while I was at work, and he knew where his bin of food was when he was hungry. The only thing I couldn’t provide for him on my long days away at work was companionship, but he’d repeatedlypromised me that, like me, he enjoyed his alone time as well.
Seeing him, I forced my thoughts away from Faelan, as she was an enigma I wasn’t going to solve in this moment. Or over a date, either, since she hadn’t yet taken me up on my offer.
“There’s my wee pal. How’d you get on today?”
“Well enough.”Oban bumped his nose against my hand, and I reached down and scooped him up into my arms, having no qualms about giving my buddy a cuddle.“Kept the rabbits out of the garden.”
“Och, they’re tenacious, aren’t they?”
“They’ll stay back. I consider it my duty to protect your plantings.”
I smiled as I carried him inside, flipping on a few lamps, and putting him on his favorite cushion by the fire.
“It’s late. Are ye wanting your tea or did you see to it yourself?”
“I wouldn’t say no to a wee bite.”
I smiled. Oban never said “no” to a snack. But he was an active dog, and in good health, so I never minded giving it to him. After a quick shower, I changed into comfortable clothes, and I turned my Sonos on and ordered up a chill playlist to listen to while I cooked. I’d picked up some salmon fillets the day before that would be perfect with a little lemon and olive oil in a pan. Digging them out of the fridge, I also grabbed some fresh asparagus and a few potatoes. A simple meal, easy enough to prepare, and nothing that took too much energy after a long day. Filling a pot with a little water, I tossed the potatoes in to boil, and thenpulled out two pans, one for the fish and the other for the asparagus.
I enjoyed cooking, when I had the time to do so, and preferred simple, rustic meals. I didn’t eat meat, fish only, so that limited some of my choices, but made life easy for me.
Would Faelan let me cook for her?
I’d enjoyed having her in the cottage that one night, looking delectable in my shirt, cozied at the table. She’d kept her distance from me, wary, and rightfully so. She wasn’t heedless, which was another reason she was avoiding my invite to dinner.
“Have you heard from Faelan?”
Oban joined me in the kitchen, his pointy ears jutting to the side as he tilted his head at me in question. I chuckled.
“Nope. It’s only been a few days, but I’m going to follow up. If it’s a firm ‘no’ then I’ll have to back off.”
“Och, that must sting.Women don’t usually turn you down.”Oban made a soft huffing sound, his grunty wee laugh, and I slid him an annoyed look.
“We have chemistry. I can feel it.”
“Maybe it’s one-sided.”
I shook my head. It was my job to pay attention to people, to see if they were in pain, or hiding something. I’d felt, hell, I’dseenthe spark of energy between Faelan and me.
“I don’t think so.” I added more water into the pan before dropping the asparagus in to cook. “But you may be right. I’m not going to creep on her if she doesn’t want to go on a date. I can accept rejection, you ken?”
“Not well.”Oban did his grunty wee laugh again andthen took off across the room when I lunged at him, pretending to chase. He skidded to a stop, butt in the air, paws down, ready for a chase.
“One time, mate.Onetime.”
“You cried.”
“Och, I’ll get you for bringing that up.” With that I chased him around the house, and he took off running, looking over his shoulder with a cheeky doggo grin. I skidded to a stop by the stove where the asparagus sizzled.
“You’re lucky I have to cook, you clarty bastard.”
“Like you could catch me anyway.”Oban lolled on his cushion, watching me with his tongue out.
Laughing, I shook my head and turned to the stove. Oban wasn’t wrong, but he was a wee shite for bringing up the one time I’d been head over heels for a lass I worked with. She had left me all pie-eyed and tongue-tied around her. I’d felt like a schoolboy all over again, with a crush on the prettiest lass in class. We’d gone on two dates before the head of surgery had taken her on a helicopter ride over Edinburgh, and then she had been finished with me. And I hadn’tcried. There’d just been a speck of dust in my eyes is all.
It didn’t much matter.
It wasn’t like I could have brought her home to my family.
