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Groans followed, and then Guthrie dismissed the class.
Before she could leave, Guthrie said, “You were smiling so brightly that I wondered what you were thinking of.”
“That you give great math classes.” She smiled when she said it. “See you in a few minutes for Christmas shopping.”
She hurried out of the room, but before she went to get her purse and jacket, she dropped by Ian’s office. She had to know something about Guthrie. “Come on in,” Ian said. “Shut the door if you’d like.”
She shut the door and took a seat in front of Ian’s desk. “If it’s not too personal, I was curious as to why Guthrie seems to always be obsessed with money. Not that we shouldn’t keep costs down. But he appears overly concerned about it.”
She thought that the way she earned her money might be a sticking point with Guthrie. If so, there was no sense in even considering trying to make something of a more…permanent type of relationship with him. It would always be a sticking point between them.
Ian leaned back and said, “You know Elaine’s uncles were…privateers in the eighteenth century, aye?”
“Right. Or pirates, depending who was on the business end of their swords,” Calla said.
“Aye. How well I know that. But since Elaine joined us, we refer to them only as privateers. One year, her uncles stole our ship and merchandise. We had to make do with very little food that winter. All of us were concerned, but Guthrie took the whole business more to heart than most and ensured that all food was rationed out so that no one starved that winter. You understand we were only sixteen at the time.
“Since then, he has taken over the finances and done a fine job of it. He’s always been very conscientious about costs and expenditures. A short while ago, we had a big mess with stolen investments. He’s always been one to forgo anything but necessities when disaster strikes. And he’s good at coming up with ways to bring money into the clan to help us make do.”
“And now?”
“After securing our stolen funds, we’re doing well or we couldn’t have hired you to help in preparing a grand celebration for Christmas Eve, which as you know, isn’t as big a deal for the Scots as it is for the Americans. So this is important to me—for Julia’s sake, and the others who are of Scottish heritage but have lived for so many years in America.”
Calla sighed. “I wish Guthrie would enjoy some of the festivities. He’s much too serious.” Except for last night. She was still surprised at herself—and him—for taking it that far. She’d never done that before with any man she was only just getting to know.
Ian gave her a small smile. “I’m sure he’s enjoying himself even if he isn’t letting on.”
“How would you know that?” She was hoping Ian hadn’t realized… Oh, brother, Julia had probably told him what she and Guthrie were up to in the garden room—and it hadn’t all been just talking about Baird.
“He’s asked to be put on permanent detail to watch over you.”
She closed her gaping mouth.
“I can’t imagine any other reason he wishes to, unless he wants to enjoy himself for a change.”
She…couldn’t believe it. “Okay. Um, well, you know I have that masquerade ball to go to and I…” She wanted Guthrie to go with her—not as a bodyguard, but as a date. She had intended to ask Guthrie, since he seemed more cheerful this morning. But what if Ian had already put him in charge of her bodyguard detail?
“Aye,” Ian said, his dark eyes watching her. “Is there a problem?”
“I was supposed to go with Baird. We would have been mated wolves by then.”
“I see.”
She wasn’t sure Ian did.
“We’ll have extra guards watching out for you in case he shows up.”
“Okay, but…”
Ian was frowning, probably figuring something was really wrong with the situation. She let out her breath. “Well, it’s just that I needed an escort.”
“All right. Cearnach, Duncan, and Oran will go as your bodyguard detail.”
“And…Guthrie?”
“He’ll be free to be your escort.” Ian smiled at her.
She rose from the chair. “Thanks so much, Ian. I’ll…give him the good news a little later.”
“Aye, lass. I’m sure he will be delighted.”
“Only if he dances,” she said, then smiled again and said her good-byes. She was only taking a wolf who would dance with her, so she really, really hoped Guthrie loved to dance.
Chapter 11
Guthrie was still smiling about Calla’s comment that he gave a great math class, not quite sure how to take her. He was feeling much better since he’d had the talk with Julia last night. He’d stubbornly resisted the notion that she had been right about his actions since Tenell had gone. But after giving it a lot of thought that evening, he had to admit Julia had been correct—about a lot of things.
He’d caught Julia’s eye this morning, and she’d smiled at him as if she could tell he’d changed. Hell, he hadn’t thought he was that transparent. Good thing he didn’t play card games.
Just coming to grips with his feelings about breaking up with Tenell had made him feel so much more lighthearted, and he really was ready to move on. At least he thought he was. The talk had made him aware of some rebound relationship pitfalls to avoid, like comparing Calla to Tenell or to the Irish lass before that. The key to the situation was determining whether one of them wasn’t ready for a real commitment to a relationship. Not in a mating, as it was for their kind, but in wanting to see just each other, forget their pasts, and move forward. Start anew. Fresh.
He could do that. Could Calla?
Calla had sweetness and spiciness, a sense of humor, and intelligence that he liked. In the future, they might even have something. If, in the meantime, he could keep his hands off her. If he couldn’t, he knew he’d just want more. She was too appealing for his own good.
No matter how much Guthrie told himself he needed to take it easy with Calla, every time he saw her, his damn heart started beating faster, and his pheromones kicked in. He immediately took note of what she was wearing and tried to capture her scent.
If anyone had asked him what anyone else was wearing, he’d have been hard pressed to answer. But Calla? A pale blue sweater that set off her strawberry blond curls and a pair of dark blue pants and snow boots. Even so, he envisioned her still wearing the white toga…and after, when she wasn’t wearing it.
