The Highland Fling(55)

He scratches the side of his jaw. “What happens when you go back home? You’ll be leaving my maw to handle it all on her own?”

“Who says I’m leaving? Maybe I like Corsekelly and want to live here. Maybe I’ll find a strapping lad who sweeps me off my feet. Someone like Leith or Lachlan. Or maybe both of them. I don’t mind shacking up with two hot twins who prance around town in kilts and lift logs as their workout.”

“They couldn’t handle you.”

“Oh?” I cross my arms over my chest. “And you think you’re the authority on who can handle me?”

“Aye.” The intensity of his gaze nearly overwhelms me.

I sigh. Now is not the time to get into another heated battle. “If I do end up leaving, I’ll be sure to help your mom find a reliable employee. Hell, she brought in two Americans—I’m pretty sure we could find someone who wouldn’t mind staying in a storybook cottage in Scotland’s cutest town. Not a hard sell, Rowy.”

“Don’t call me that,” he says quickly, and I chuckle.

“Come on.” I nudge his foot. “Think about how this would help your mom, your parents. Maybe there’s something they always wanted when it came to the coffee house. We could make it happen.”

He mulls it over as he takes in the shop, really giving it a good look. “It is shite in here,” he admits, which makes me laugh again. “I remember when this place was full of life.” He looks at me. “Why do you want to do this?”

“Truth?”

“Aye.”

“I relate to this coffee house more than I care to admit. Once had all the potential in the world, but over time, lost its luster . . . its purpose. Making it shine will give me something to do, something that actually makes me feel like I’m contributing rather than just living a mundane life.”

“You have purpose, Bonnie,” he says, and even though it’s a sweet statement, it rings false.

“I thought I did.” I shake my head. “It’s been hard to find lately. I feel like this will give me purpose, something to focus on and a way to apply myself. I need . . .” I let out a heavy breath. “I need to feel like I’m useful, Rowan. Right now, I couldn’t think any less of myself.”

“Hey.” He lifts my chin so I see the crinkle in his brow. “We all have our low moments. Trust me. Not all of us are living our truth. Not completely.”

“Are you talking about yourself?” I ask, and it feels like some barrier between us just broke from this one confession.

“Aye.” He looks away and stands from his chair, pulling on the back of his neck. “The plan was to leave Corsekelly, to do something better, something I really wanted, but that plan changed in an instant.”

“What happened?” I ask.

He’s opening his mouth to answer just as Dakota comes barreling through the door. “Isla said yes!” She tosses her arms up in the air and dances in place. “Oh my God, she said yes.”

Terrible, terrible timing, Dakota.

But, oh, I’m happy for my friend. Really excited, actually.

“That’s great,” Rowan says, giving me a quick look before patting Dakota on the shoulder.

“Thank you for encouraging me.” Dakota wraps him up in a hug and squeezes him tight. When she pulls away, she turns to me with a grin. “I see what you’re talking about, all those muscles.”

Dear God, Dakota. A filter, please.

Rowan steps away and turns toward the door. “I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about. I’ll leave you to it.”

“Wait, Rowan, we weren’t done.”

“Just do whatever, Bonnie.” Before I can answer, he takes off, the door shutting behind him.

Dakota shoots me a confused look. “Did I interrupt something?”

Normally my response would be sarcastic, but I don’t want to take away from her big moment. I shake my head. “So she said yes, huh? Tell me all about it.”

Smiling brightly, she recounts the entire conversation, and even though I’m dying to know what Rowan was going to say, I could not be happier in this moment.



“Hey, Leith,” I say, walking up to the high-top table he’s occupying in the pub.

“Bonnie, you’re looking beautiful tonight.” He pulls me into a tight hug, enveloping me in his woodsy cologne. It’s nice.

“Thank you. You’re very handsome yourself.”

I take a step back as he adjusts the collar of his shirt. “I ironed this myself.”

“Well, you did a superior job.”

“Thank you. Now, what can I help you with? I know you’re looking for something, because you have a little crinkle between your eyes.” He pokes my forehead and chuckles.

“Am I that obvious?”

“Aye.” He nods.

“I was looking for Rowan. I was hoping he’d be here. We have some unfinished business.”

“Does this have to do with him walking out of your cottage this morning? Isla told me she spotted the old scoundrel.”

Wow, news spreads even quicker here than in Los Angeles, where people live and breathe by gossip websites.

“Nothing happened.”

“So I’ve been told.” He shakes his head. “If it were me, something would have happened. You’re a fine lass, quite the catch.”