Page 15 of Edge of Yesterday

Cailean gave a slow whistle. “That’s a tidy sum.”

“It is to a starving professor like yourself, maybe. To Raylon Financial Corp, it’s a vacation in Greece for the CEO.”

“They should have hired you long ago,” Cailean said.

“I agree. So do they. I’ve overhauled their entire security system. I’m surprised someone didn’t pick them clean years ago. When will you know for sure if you’ll stay the extra three weeks?”

“I hope to hear from Tom tomorrow. Then I’ll decide.”

She snorted. “You’ve already decided. You would stay there the rest of your life if they ran this festival twenty-four/seven.”

“I am having a fantastic time.”

“Wait a minute. Do I hear a ‘but’ in there somewhere?”

“No, no’ really.”

“Well, this is interesting,” she said. “Cailean the Champ seems less than ecstatic about Heatheredge, Scotland. How is that possible?”

“It’s not,” he said. “The experience has been a smashing success. More than I hoped for.”

“That is a recommendation,” she said. “You’ve talked about this place as long as I can remember. So why the hesitation?”

It wasn’t exactly a hesitation, and not something he couldn’t deal with. “It’s nothing. The man who runs the Gathering—”

“Val Ross,” she cut in.

“No need to remind me that I talked about him so much that even ye know his name,” he chided.

“Just sayin’,” she said.

“Val Ross is a bit different than I expected.”

“How?”

“He…runs a tight ship.”

“In other words, he’s a control freak.”

Cailean nodded. “That sums it up.”

“He sounds like my kind of man.”

“He’s not,” Cailean said, and was surprised at his vehemence.

“Well, that’s interesting,” she said. “Not that I care, but what’s your objection?”

Good question. “He’s a hard man,” Cailean said.

“And you’re not?”

“Careful, lass, I’m big enough to take ye over my knee.”

“I double-dog dare you to try.”

He laughed. Not many men would try such a move with his sister and come out unscathed. She had a second degree black belt in Taekwondo.

He glanced at the clock on the phone screen. 4:10 PM. “I’ve got to run, love.”