Ivery rarely ever took time to people-watch or take in my surroundings, but knowing I was about to face Baird for the first time since my freak-out over a song, I needed a minute. Instead of eating lunch at my desk, I’d gone out onto Princes Street to a coffee shop just along from Pennington’s. Now I stood outside that shop, my back to the window, sipping my to-go cup and watching the world pass by.
Trams and buses paused on the long stretch of wide road, temporarily blocking my view of the gardens and the rocky volcanic base of Edinburgh Castle, the medieval fortress perched over the city, a majestic, everyday reminder of the history here. It drew the tourists who passed me, making Edinburgh the second-biggest tourist city in the UK after London. It was even voted the fifth-most beautiful city in theworld. It made me proud to live here, to work here, and I knew the tourism was one of the few reasons Pennington’s had survived.
The sounds of chatter in multiple languages filled my ears, along with traffic, the beeping of crosswalks, and thedistant wail of a bagpiper. It was hot and humid today, and the locals were showing lots of skin in full summer wear, whereas the tourists, expecting Scotland’s typical mild climate, were caught unawares in their rain jackets and jeans. Especially as it had rained yesterday.
Deciding I wanted air-conditioning enough to face Baird, I sighed, chugged the last of my coffee, and dumped it into a recycling bin before heading back to Pennington’s. My heeled sandals clicked on the pavement, and I dug in my purse for change to drop in the cup of the two homeless people who sat on their sleeping bags outside of an empty store.
“Thanks, gorgeous.” The guy grinned a yellowed smile at me after I dropped the money in.
I nodded and continued on my way. When I first moved to Edinburgh to be with my dad, there had been homeless people just like there were in any big city. But it was definitely worse now. As were the graffiti tags, the litter, and many commercial buildings that sat empty. It was a miracle Pennington’s had survived.
But I guess that’s what the campaign was for. To assure they stayed relevant. To assure their survival.
I felt heavy with emotion and knew it was partly hormonal. I was on my period. However, I was also incredibly confused about Baird. He’d looked after me without judgment—only care—and I found my crush deepening to disastrous levels. I didn’t know what it meant or if I was reading too much into the way Baird treated me … but it felt like things between us were shifting. It felt like there might be something real developing between us.
I didn’t know if I could handle that.
Somehow, I knew that if Baird ever hurt me the way Will had … it would destroy me.
Therefore, I’d done what I was good at and pushed him away all week.
I wasn’t proud of my behavior. I knew I had to woman up and face him. He deserved better.
This afternoon, the marketing team wanted to talk to us both after the production team shot footage of us walking around the relevant departments of Pennington’s. They wanted footage of us picking out the items for our wedding registry.
This weekend, we were supposed to start our hunt for the wedding venue.
Butterflies fluttered in my belly as I walked into the store because it reminded me that in a few short months, I’d legally be married to Baird.
He texted to tell me he was on his way upstairs, so I waited for him at the lift. I’d already changed into a summer dress Christina and I had selected from the current season. With the air-conditioning on blast inside the offices, I was a little chilly in the strappy A-line.
My breath caught as Baird stepped out of the elevator. His forehead glistened with sweat, but it did nothing to detract from how hot he was in his short-sleeve shirt and navy chino shorts. If anything, the sweat made me think of sex.
Don’t think of sex!
Baird’s shorts revealed the tattooed dragon that wound around his left calf and ankle. The preppy look was incongruous to the tattooed muscular physique and unshaven face and shaggy hair.
Sexy as sin.
“Hey …” My greeting sounded a little breathless even to me.
His gaze washed over me with a thoroughness that made my skin tingle. “Oi, oi,” he said his trademark greeting, but this time with a husky quietness that caused a low flip deep in my belly.
We stared at each other. I felt like a fish on a hook as my body unconsciously pulled toward him.
“Good. You’re here.” The annoying voice jerked me out of my Baird daze.
Becky eyed my fake fiancé like he was the pair of Jimmy Choos she had on layaway. “Don’t you look the part.”
Baird stared at her with uncharacteristic stoniness. “Who are you again?”
I struggled to swallow a laugh because I knew he knew very well who she was.
Becky’s flirtatious expression faltered. “Becky. From marketing. We met … before.”
He looked at me, cocking an eyebrow. “Did we?”
Biting back a laugh, I nodded.
