Lizzie was looking at him, her head cocked to the side as she listened to him talk.
“Ye are interested in her.” Her eyebrows shot up.
“I am no’,” he snapped. Too quickly, and Lizzie picked up on it straightaway.
“Is it happening? Can it be true?” She jested in a sing-song voice.
“What are ye yammering about? Let us go eat.” He tried pushing them toward the inn, but Lizzie stood her ground and crossed her arms.
“Oh my, ’tis.” She clapped her hands together, happily.
“Now I am confused,” Malcolm grunted. “What is happening?”
“Gunn has finally found the woman that’s going to sweep him off his feet.”
Malcolm gave her a look of disbelief and then steered his wife to the door that would lead them to the inn.
Gunn held back for a few moments. Was Lizzie right? Was she seeing something that he wasn’t? Sure, he found Jocelyn intriguing. She was beautiful, smart, strong. Independent.
He groaned, pushing his hand through his hair.
Lizzie was right. Damn her.
*
Gunn, Malcolm, andLizzie had just sat down at the table when Jocelyn appeared in the doorway. He sucked in his breath at the sight before him.
Standing there like an angel sent from the heavens, wrapped in gold, with a shy smile on her beautiful face.
He stood so quickly to welcome her that his chair nearly toppled over.
“Jocelyn, welcome.”
Her cheeks flushed. “I apologize. It appears I am late.”
“Nay no’ at all. We just sat down. Please.” Gunn pulled out the chair next to him for her to take a seat.
Malcolm stood as well.
Once she was seated, Gunn made the introductions. “Jocelyn, I’d like ye to meet my good friend, Malcolm, and his wife Lizzie.”
“Lovely to meet ye, lass,” Malcolm greeted.
Lizzie covered Jocelyn’s hand with hers. “Finally, another woman to talk to whilst we visit. We will have to share a drink after dinner. Ye are English, are ye no’? I would love to hear all about it.”
Gunn breathed a sigh of relief. Lizzie’s outgoing personality drew Jocelyn in from the start and he was grateful.
“Thank ye,” he mouthed at his best friend’s wife.
She gave a slight nod of her head and turned her attention back to Jocelyn. As they got lost in conversation, Gunn turned his attention back to Malcolm.
“How’s business?” Malcolm asked, looking around the empty dining room.
“Ye have to ask?” Gunn answered with defeat.
Malcolm chuckled, then grew serious. “What’s happened and is this just a recent turn?”
Gunn palmed his face. “Honestly, I dinna ken. All was well when I left. But I came back to my coffers drained, and hardly any patrons. And they havena returned.”
