He hefted the basket and headed to the door.“Coming, my love?”
The words jolted her, and it caused a bubble of hope to rise.She tried to chide herself, to remember his cruel words, but they grew distant and hazy with each passing moment.Leaving anxiety left in their wake.After he let her exit first, he took the lead and descended a few stairs to the meadow behind the packhouse.A blanket was already on the ground with about a dozen jar candles situated around it, casting a romantic hue over the area.Once he placed the picnic basket down at a corner, he took off his shoes then held out his hand to steady her as she did the same.Then they sat down and she watched him take out the food he had prepared and mix it all together.
“Steak salads?”
He nodded.“Prepared just like my cook, Jackie, makes.”
“Old dog, new tricks?”
“You calling me old?”
“Ancient,” she teased.“Speaking of ancient, how’s your gran?She’s still alive, right?”
“Aye, thank the goddess.”He threw her a quick glance.“And the next time I see her, I’m going to tell her what you said.”
Mairi laughed.“Oh, no!”
“Your own passed, right?”
“Aye,” she said softly, and took a deep breath.“It was her dying wish to see me married to you, and I ...well, we both know how that went down.A few weeks after the ceremony, she never woke up from a nap.”
“Your gran was a lovely woman.”He was quiet for a moment.“I’m sorry.”
The apology caught her off guard.“Thank you, but there’s nothing to be sorry about.”
“I meant for ...well, a lot of things.”He grimaced.“Not showing up for her funeral.Not showing up at our wedding and dismissing it through proxy.I was angry to be forced into marriage with a stranger.”
Stranger?Did he not remember they were childhood friends?She opened her mouth to question but his next words made her mind go blank.
“I have no excuse, but I want you to know it was never about you.”
“Really?Because I remember everything you said.”
“And I said a lot of bad shit.”
“Aye, you did.”She cleared her throat.“I’m excited to try this salad.”
Much to her relief, he followed her lead and changed the subject.“I’ve even brought wine.”
Then he pulled out two plastic cups.
“Wow,” she said, with a hint of laughter in her voice.“Going all fancy like.”
“Classy, eh?”He chuckled and proceeded to pour red wine into each cup.He handed her one, and then raised his.“To the beautiful moon, the beautiful setting, and to the beautiful lass joining me on this blanket.”
As she toasted with him, she had to admit he was completely charming, but was it all an act?Could leopards change their spots?That’s what she had to find out.
“You know, when I was a wee lad, I wanted to be Indiana Jones,” he admitted.
That caught her off guard and the wine went down the wrong hole.Coughing regurgitated the liquid out her nose and she grabbed a napkin, more than mortified by the inelegance of it all.
“I’m so sorry!”he cried, rubbing her back.
A few minutes later, she was able to breathe as the spasms passed.
“Well, that was embarrassing,” she said.
“Why?”
