“I’m sure you want to take pictures of the outside first, but I’m going straight in if that’s okay,” Drew says, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.
I assure her that’s fine, and the five of us head down the path toward the entrance.I linger long enough to snap a few photos of Drew going inside, knowing she’ll appreciate it, then veer off to the side, where a tree-lined path runs between the castle and a river.I spot a small signpost on a tree that identifies it as the River Teith.
A twig snaps behind me, and I whirl around to see Graeme standing a few feet away.
“Sorry,” he says, holding up both hands.“Old habits die hard, I guess.I expected you to head straight into the castle, but I was curious when I saw you head this way.”
“I wanted to check out the grounds first,” I tell him.
He nods slowly, his gaze sliding past me to the river.“I thought maybe you were avoiding me.”
“Oh,” is all I manage to say.
“You’ve been doing a fine job of it so far,” he says, his tone light.“Quite impressive, really, considering we’re staying in the same flat.”
“You’ve been busy with work,” I say automatically.
“Aye, but I’ve joined you lot for dinner every night, and you’ve managed to sit as far from me as possible each time,” he says.“Then when we go back to my place, you head straight for your room.”
I open my mouth, prepared to say I’ve been jetlagged, but that would be an excuse, and we both know it.The last three nights, I’ve shut myself in the spare room to go through my pictures from the day before reading on my tablet until I fell asleep.If pressed about what I’ve been reading, I wouldn’t be able to share a single detail because my thoughts have been focused on the fact the man I once loved was just down the hall.
I sigh.“I’m sorry.”
The way he studies my face makes me want to squirm.Graeme always saw me in a way no one else did; the weight of his gaze makes me wonder what he sees now.
“That’s the third time today you’ve apologized to me,” he says.
I think back to earlier when I threw an apology over my shoulder as I bolted from the apartment, then again when Graeme caught me after he opened the door.“No more apologizing then,” I say.“Let’s take a ‘nae bother’ attitude.”
He laughs under his breath.“Aren’t Canadians known for saying sorry, though?”
“We are,” I concede.“Saying sorry is practically a national pastime.I even say sorry to inanimate objects when I run into them or knock them over.”
“I remember.”His smile turns wistful, but I don’t have a chance to think too much about it before he says, “I want to see if there’s a way for us to get back to how we used to be.We can’t do that if we avoid each other.”
When he says ‘how we used to be’, I know he means as friends, but that doesn’t stop my mind from conjuring up images of Graeme’s mouth on mine, his large hands skimming my bare skin, or the deep rumble of his voice in my ear as we...nope.Not going there.“That sounds like an admission that you’ve been doing some avoiding of your own.”
“You caught that, did you?”he says with another soft laugh.“Imighthave taken on a bit more at work than necessary, especially considering I knew you lot were coming.”
“Okay, so no more apologizing and no more avoiding each other,” I say.
“Deal.I think we can both acknowledge that things might be a wee bit awkward as we reconnect, but...we always promised each other we’d be the best of friends.Remember?”
“Of course.”As if I could ever forget.Or everwantto forget.Despite the distance between us the last few years, Graeme MacKinlay is the best friend I’ve ever had next to Drew.
He gives a decisive nod, and I return the gesture.He motions for us to start walking, and we fall into step side by side.“So Doune Castle,” he says.“Are you anOutlanderfan?”
“We all are, actually, even Brodie.Drew and I have been addicted from the start, though, and we loved that more people became interested in Scotland because of the show.”
“Oh, aye, the number of tourists who come to Scotland hunting for their own Jamie Fraser is something else.”He chuckles, shaking his head.“Ithasbeen braw for tourism.At first, all the tourists I encountered only seemed interested in the Jamie connection, but I’ve since learned many of them have taken the time to learn more about the Jacobite rebellions, the clearances, and the lasting impact on Scottish culture.I’ve had some interesting conversations in the most random places, and even over a pint at the pub.”
I smile to myself, imagining Graeme sitting in a pub with a bunch of tourists, discussing Scottish history.I bet they hang on his every word.Sam Heughan may be sexy as Jamie Fraser, but he’s got nothing onmyhot Scot.
My thoughts judder to a halt.Graeme isn’t mine, and I need to remember that.
“That’s not to say you don’t get the brazen and obnoxious people too,” Graeme says, pausing at my side as I squat to take a picture of a patch of daffodils with the castle in the background.“If I had a pound for every time a stranger asked what Scots wear under their kilts...”He trails off, rolling his eyes and shaking his head.
I know what Graeme wears underhiskilt, but I’m not going there either.“I’ll never understand people’s thought process.How do they think it’s remotely okay to askanyonethat, let alone a stranger?”
