“Will do that. Suggestion on where to take her in town?”
Leith strokes his chin thoughtfully. “Aye, as a matter of fact I do….”
I’ve been text-flirting all afternoon, and I have to admit, I’ve bloody enjoyed myself. I pick up my mobile and send another text.
Mac: Do you like to sit with the crowd or secluded?
Bryn: Och, secluded, are you kidding me? Do people actually enjoy crowds?
Mac: Theoretically. I wouldn’t know.
Bryn: Secluded it is. I’d prefer that, I may be able to actually hear you speak instead of having to read your lips like I usually have to at a pub.
Mac: I’d like to read your lips, too.
In reply, she sends me a string of xxxxx’s.
It takes me a minute to realize they’re text-kisses.
"Do you know that you're smiling to yourself like a lovesick lunatic?"
I put my phone down and roll my eyes at William. "And all of a sudden you're the expert on facial expressions and how that quantitates to levels of love?"
He stands up, folding his laptop, and shakes his head from side to side. “She’s a bonnie lass, isn’t she?”
I sigh. “Fuckin’ gorgeous. She’s a stunner.” But I blow off his concern. “Won’t be hard to seduce a woman like her.”
“Who are we seducing?” Paisley comes in the room, grinning.
“Honest to God, do you girls have no compunction whatsoever about entering a private room?”
She turns and looks at the door, then snorts. “Seems you should’ve locked it then, hmm?”
I roll my eyes.
“Tell me, Mac. What’s the plan here?”
I take the folded papers and shove them in my right back pocket, shoving my mobile in my left. I feel another buzz coming in, and my heart lurches in my chest. Is it another text from Bryn?
Paisley giggles. “My God, Mac, just look at it already, see if she’s sending you provocative selfies, hmm?”
“Paisley,” I warn, shaking my head as I exit the room, but I won’t lie and say the idea doesn’t appeal.Immensely.
I head to the kitchen to make a cup of tea before I get ready for tonight, when I hear Mum's voice. I walk around the corner to find her, as she heads my way. She grins when she sees me and holds up the white paper bag in her hand. "Did you go all the way into Inverness just to get me my favorite?"
“Of course,” I tease. “Had nothing to do with an errand or a job I had in town.”
She smacks my arm teasingly. When I was a smaller lad, she’d ruffle her fingers through my hair, but because I’m so much taller now than she is, she can’t reach me. We share the same eyes and the same black hair, though hers is all silvery-gray and cropped short.
She’s got a pair of gardening gloves in her free hand.
“You gardening now?”
“Aye, Maeve said it’s good for the soul, so I said I’d give it a go.” Maeve, the McCarthy Clan matriarch, has become good friends with Mum, and visits from time to time.
“Thanks for these, Mac. What errand do you have in town?”
She knows I have plans with Aitkens’ daughter, if the girls said anything. I had no scruples about what my plans were when we first found out about Aitkens’ claim against my sister, but once I’m working on a job, it’s best as few people know about it as possible.
