Part 2 (1/2)

Colorful b.a.l.l.s scattered along the floor in every direction. aSon of a b.i.t.c.h,a I hissed to myself. I bent down, grabbing the basket, as Airenas feet slid off the chair and hit the carpet beside it.

Bending over, she scooped up a yellow ball of yarn and dropped it into the basket. aOnly fifteen or more to go,a she said, smiling as she pushed up from the chair and squatted down to grab two more. Together, we picked up the rest in silence.

When all the b.a.l.l.s of yarn were safely tucked back in the basket, which was equally tucked up against the chair, out of harmas way, did we speak. We both talked over one another to say we were sorry.

aWhat do you have to be sorry for?a she asked me.

I shrugged. It wasnat as if Iad done anything to intentionally hurt her. Iad just been following along with the joke. aI shouldnat have poked fun at you like that. It upset you and well, Iam sorry.a Cupping her hand over her mouth as a snort of laughter escaped her, she fell back into the chair shead vacated to help me with the great yarn escapade. She managed to pull her hand away, wiped the underside of her eyes, and pulled her legs up under her.

Once settled, she turned her attention back to me. aI a.s.sume by you saying you were poking fun means you were having a go at me?a aOacourse thatas what he meant. Even so, I did say ye had an odd way of saying things,a Brenda said as she came back in the living room with a loaded tea tray.

Moving around to the couch, I felt the seat cus.h.i.+on hit the back of my legs, wondering what in the h.e.l.l I was supposed to do or say. I should have just dropped her bag on the couch, made my excuses, and left. In facta aI best be going.a aOh, but surely, ye must stay for dinner. Itas the least I can do for ye driving us home and being the gentleman!a Brenda said, pouring out a steaming stream of tea neatly in three cups. aBesides, the tea is poured. You donat want to rush out now and miss my newest blend.a She cornered me, or rather, she took control of the situation. If I had left, she would have questioned my manners. At least, that was what Grant had warned me about. aNever walk out on tea, Aiden. You might never get invited back.a Head meant in a generalized statement, but it in fact applied to the situation I found myself in.

I took the cup from her hand, feeling the thin porcelain hot against my skin. All I needed to do was hike out my pinkie, ask for the Grey Poupon, and Iad be just like a refined gentleman. Not likely, youare about as redneck as you can get, Aiden.

Easing my way onto the couch, I brought the fragrant drink up to my nose, inhaling it to get an idea of what was in it before I drank it. Something fruity with a hint of sweet? Mentally shrugging at my guess, I took a sip, hissing when it scalded my tongue.

aMind your tea, itas hot,a Brenda said, plunking a cinnamon stick in my cup.

I eyed it wearily. What the h.e.l.l was I supposed to do with it?

Brenda walked over to where Airen sat, motioning for her to stand up. aAnd you, oot my chair.a aNot back a day and I canat even sit in yer chair as a welcome home. Making me move to the couch like a guest,a Airen grumbled back, holding the teacup in one hand, her other sought the cinnamon stick and stirred her tea with it.

aA guest ye might be if ye keep up the sa.s.s, and donat be forgetting, I have just the thing to take care of ye at that!a I moved to scoot over, giving Airen room beside me on the couch. She smiled briefly at me before sinking into the corner and pulling her legs under her.

aThe two of you look like a pair oa birds. Oneas roosting in, and oneas ready to take flight,a Brenda said, bringing her cup up and inhaling the rising steam. aWhat do you think? Itas an old recipe; Iave tweaked it just a bit.a I moved back against the cus.h.i.+ons, settling in as Airen pursed her lips, blowing to cool the scalding liquid before taking a hesitant sip. That would have been the smart thing to do. What the h.e.l.l did I know about hot tea? The only tea I drank was sugared and iced to perfection, and you could drink it right away in ma.s.s amounts.

aItas good, Aunt Brenda, like always. The cinnamon stick is new.a Airen brought the dainty cup to her lips, taking another sip as Brenda s.h.i.+fted her gaze to me, lifting her cup as if signaling for me to drink up.

aOh, aye, I donat use it very often. Special occasions usually, but no more than that,a she answered, getting to her feet. She set the cup down on the tray and turned to exit the room, saying, aOacourse, it was used by my great-gran with love spell workings. No too sure how that all worked out, mind.a Airen sputtered beside me, choking on the mouthful of tea shead been in the process of swallowing at Brendaas revelation.

I took the cup from her outstretched hand, setting hers and mine on the tea tray, scowling at the cheerful blue-flowered pot as if it were the guilty party, instead of Brenda.

She caught her breath, wiping her s.h.i.+rtsleeve under her eyes, and groaned. aIam sorry, Aiden. She fancies herself a matchmaker. And sheas not very subtle about it.a Pus.h.i.+ng my hands against my knees, I rose from the couch. aI should probably go. Tell Brenda thank you foraa I gestured to the tea tray. aIall aha Iall see her tomorrow.a Not waiting for her reply, I bee-lined it for the door, making my escape.

At the end of the driveway, the breeze s.h.i.+fted, blowing a sheet of rain towards me like an avenging angel. With no way of outrunning it, I set out for the church at an even clip, cursing the fact Iad decided to wear lace-up boots instead of tennis shoes.

By the time Iad made it to the church, the rain had blown off, leaving me waterlogged. Puddles the size of small lakes reflected the muted glow of the street lamps I pa.s.sed.

The time it took me to get back to the church didnat help sort my thoughts. In fact, it had left me even more confused as to how to handle my investigation. The obvious choice would be to get closer to Airen and unearth whatever I could over the course of time I had left. It didnat feel right though. And what Robert de Fleur does is right?

I jerked my sweats.h.i.+rt over my head, wringing it out as my thoughts battled against each other. Thunder rumbled overhead, matching my foul mood. Iad come all the way to Scotland to live under a church, work in a coffee shop, thwart a matchmaking aunt, and run in the freezing rain with no sign of Robert de Fleur as the kick in the a.s.s for it all.

Wrenching open the back door, I made my way to the bas.e.m.e.nt, hoping not to run into anyone until I had time to process what had transpired since meeting Brendaas niece.

HE RAN OUT AS IF the devil himself were chasing him. And didnat he have it right then? Aunt Brenda and all her matchmaking skills couldnat catch Aiden if she tried.

I knew it, because he had the same flicker of fear running in him as I did in me. Iad seen it in the way his eyes rounded as he turned to me when he left.

When he bolted, I crossed the room in four quick strides, peeking out past the lace curtain of the window beside the door. Head slowed just at the shadows of the tree line and then disappeared, making me wonder if he meant what he said about seeing Aunt Brenda the next day.

aRun off, did he?a Aunt Brenda asked, poking her head out of the kitchen.

My finger twitched against the curtain. Letting it go, I schooled my telltale face, and turned around. aDo ye blame him? I mean really, Aunt Brenda. Should ye be giving him a go without really knowing him?a aYe think I scared him off? La.s.s, yeave no idea about that one,a Aunt Brenda answered. The tart tone of her voice was stretched across her lips in a pucker.

aYe did scare him off. And well enough that he might no come back, Iad say.a I tried to look nonchalant, but Aunt Brenda had turned away, heading back to the kitchen.

Evidently, we werenat done talking about it, because she answered loud enough for me to hear her, which meant she wanted me to follow her into the kitchen.

Her back was to me as she opened the oven and pulled out a ca.s.serole dish aItall take more than me to scare him off.a I stopped at the narrow island bar, pulling out a high-back stool and sitting down. The kitchen, along with the rest of the house, looked the same as it did the day I lefta”from the polished cooktop to the magnet arrangement on the refrigerator. Everything had remained the same, as if frozen in time.

Setting the steaming dish on a hot pad, Aunt Brenda changed her tactics. aDid you no see how he handles himself? Sure of himself, that one. And would keep you straight enough. I dare to say head be a right gooda”a aDinna even finish that statement, Auntie!a I dropped my head with an audible bang against the bar and sighed.

I heard the sound of the wood spoon sliding from the ceramic vase she kept beside the stove. My head snapped up just as she brought the grooved head down on my arm. aOuch! What the h.e.l.l was that for?a She popped my other arm. aYer smart mouth, thatas what for. And yer dirty mind. Aye, I ken what you were thinking and ye should probably head straight down to Father McKinnon.a I jerked back far enough to where she couldnat whack me again with her d.a.m.nable spoon, raised an eyebrow, and said, aIall get yer coat, because surely, if ye knew what I was thinking, ye were thinkina it as well.a Twin spots of red bloomed on her cheeks as she put her weapon away and set to pulling down two plates. She handed them to me, meeting my eyes with s.h.i.+mmering merriment. aWeel, maybe weall just wait atill Sunday next and go together.a I laughed. I couldnat help it. It had always been like that with Aunt Brenda. No matter how proper she tried to be, she couldnat fool me, and she knew it. aAye, I dare say ye have more to confess than me. What did ye mean at getting on with Aiden? Ye ken it as well as I do; heall no be here longer than a few months. They never stay, Auntie.a She gathered the ca.s.serole dish from the cooktop and sashayed past me to the dining room. aAye, I ken it. Doesnat mean ye canat try to change his mind. Yer no getting any younger, la.s.s.a I rolled my eyes at her back, following behind her to set the table. aLet it be, Auntie. Iam no interested in settling down, let alone luring an American to my bed.a She poked her finger in the air at me. aYe ken thaas no what I meant. Besides, ye canna do worse than that lad. a.s.suredly. Daye no hear him? A voice like warm honey. And a devilishly handsome face, too.a The plate in my hands slipped from my fingers with a soft b.u.mp against the table. I wiped my hands down the front of my jeans, eliminating the immediate slickness there from the reminder of how head spoken. The soft cadence and slow way he p.r.o.nounced things with an accent that was just as my aunt had describeda warm honey. d.a.m.n her for being right about it.

aSo ye did notice?a she asked, trying to keep the hint of laughter from her voice.

Turning on my heel, I walked back to the kitchen to get the silverware and gain some much-needed s.p.a.ce from my auntas hawkish stare.

I wasnat sure how she did it, but she could read me like an open book. To everyone else, I remained a mystery. Even Adam, my very best friend, hadnat been able to do it, and wead been closer than anyone. Remembering Adam made my chest ache. No matter how much I wished for the pain to recede, it was always therea”ready to suck me under again.

Shaking my head, I pinched my eyes closed, taking a deep breath and releasing it. I wouldnat let the sorrow pull me under. Iad learned how to deal with, I just needed to keep it locked up where Iad put it years ago.

Clenching the forks in my hand, I set them down and pulled two cups from the cabinet. Turning on the tap, I filled each cup and then carried everything back to the table with schooled features. Leaving the past behind me where it belonged.

Aunt Brenda had served out a heaped helping on my plate. My stomach clenched against the rich smells coming from the heavy, creamed sauce shead made.

aWhat is that?a I asked, handing her a gla.s.s of water and then a fork.

aChicken in white sauce,a she answered, clasping her hands in front of her.

I bowed my head, respecting her pre-dinner prayer that encompa.s.sed the food, my return home, and a special request that it tasted better than Mary Youngas original recipe.

I murmured aAmena with her and waited until after she took her first bite before laughing. aDid ye have to ask the Lord to ensure it tasted better than Mary Youngas recipe? That seems like unnecessary use of the Lordas power.a The forkful of food shead lifted from her plate hung in the air en route to her mouth. aAye, ye dinna have the honor of trying the poison shead foisted on me. I changed it up a bitaa Seeing the look on my face, she huffed.

aAnd what did ye no change?a I asked, biting the inside of my lip as I eyed the pile of food on my plate.

aThe chicken,a she replied, and then moved the fork between her lips. She hummed in delight as she chewed.

My fork clattered to my plate as I laughed. aAye, that sounds about right then.a Aunt Brenda pulled a linen napkin shead placed on her lap up to her lips and daintily wiped each corner of her mouth. aI canna help it if the woman is a foul cook. All I can do is improve the meals she makes a right mess of.a She waved off talk of Mary Young and her cooking, changing the subject. aDaye have a nice chat with yer mum?a I groaned, stabbing a piece of chicken and putting it in my mouth.

Aunt Brenda watched me with a scowl that spread across her face. aWhatas amiss then?a To keep from answering right away, I wrapped my hand around my cup and took a swallow of water, was.h.i.+ng down the heavy cream sauce in my mouth.

I hadnat eaten anything that rich in a long time, and my stomach would surely revolt because of it. My stomach clenched, adding to the discomfort that my mother was not happy I hadnat made an appearance on her doorstep the minute I returned.

Sighing, I told Aunt Brenda about our short conversation. I put my hand on Aunt Brendaas arm when she bristled beside me. aDinna fash, Aunt Brenda. I told her Iad go see her first thing tomorrow.a That seemed to settle her a bit and to keep the peace as I did my best to eat everything she put on my plate. I knew Iad pay for it later on when the heartburn hit.

We finished up dinner with me telling her about some of the places I saw while I was away. She hummed and tsked along with my adventures. We carried the conversation over to the kitchen sink as we stood side by side, was.h.i.+ng and putting away the dishes. And when we were finished, she offered to make me chamomile tea to help me sleep. I thanked her, but I refused to put anything else on top of dinner.

Shead hugged me tight as I made my excuses for bed. aAiren, I know youare not telling me everything from your time away. And Iam no asking you to, but I do hope that youave come home to stay. Iave missed ye, terribly.a I wrapped my arms around her, putting my head on her shoulder like Iad done as a child. Comforted by her presence and the steady beat of her heart. Aunt Brenda had been my steadfastness, my haven to gravitate to when everything went topsy-turvy. It had only made sense that she would be the one I returned home to.