Oh, right, I hadn’t been.
I’d been impulsive, and now I was trapped in a bakeshop with a woman talking about fey folk and matchmaking. All I’d wanted to do was learn to bake and exercise a bit of freedom.
Agnes scoffed. “You think they’re little and sparkly? Then you dinna ken about the Highland fey folk. Little devils they are. Evil, even.”
I swallowed a groan at her description. How that made it worse, I didn’t know, but it certainly wasn’t more inviting than my assumption she had meant tiny sparkly things with wings. “And these evil devils told you to bring me here for Callahan?”
“Name’s Callum,” a gruff voice sounded behind me, and I jerked around in surprise to see a man standing just inside the entrance. James was beside him, and I scuttled to the side, seeing that the two ginger-haired men blocked exit. My eyes moved of their own traitorous volition over the newcomer to see that he certainly didn’t look like a stereotypical hermit. He was lean-hipped, broad-shouldered, and muscular. Tall too, much taller than my 5’9, and I felt an unexpected shot of adrenaline go through me at the sight of him. I was one of the tallest in my family and had often felt like a giant with only my father and oldest brother standing taller than me.
Callum was easily more than few inches taller than me, and I bet he could drop his chin right on the top of my head without a fuss. He wore jeans that looked worn and soft, and a grey henley that had been rolled up to his elbows. I willed my eyes to move away from their perusal of his muscular forearms, which were inked with the bold lines of a tattoo I couldn’t quite make out from where I stood. Maybe if I went closer, I thought for a hazy second, before I mentally slapped myself and jerked back.
Nevermind this man’s chiseled jaw, high cheekbones, or head of unruly ginger locks which had my fingers itching to run through them. It didn’t matter that I’d never seen anyone with eyes like his—emerald, the color of fresh cut grass and warm summer days.
I had to get my head on straight and not be done in by a pretty face, no matter how ruggedly handsome.
“No,” I hissed at myself, but only earned raised eyebrows from the room. I almost rolled my eyes at them. Considering the current circumstances, I felt my little outburst was warranted. Clearing my throat, I met the forest green eyes of the man in front of me. “You’re, ah, Callum?”
He nodded at me, sending curly red locks over his brow. “Aye. And ye are?”
I cleared my throat and offered him a tight smile. “I, ah, I’m Del.”
He tilted his head to the side. “A what?”
“Delilah,” I sighed. “My name is Delilah.”
“She’s my new apprentice,” Agnes interrupted with a bright smile. “You know, the one I asked you to put a listing out for. Our little Del here answered.”
I bit back the urge to sidle toward the door at Agnes’s response and met Callum’s eyes as they slid back to me.
“You managed to find that ad?” he asked, no small measure of surprise in his voice.
I nodded. “I did.”
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Agnes clapped her hands. “And isn’t she bonnie?”
Callum grunted, hands going to his hips and mouth pressed into a thin line. “Reckon it’s something like tha’.”
I frowned and assumed a position that mirrored Callum’s. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing, lass.” Callum scrubbed a hand over his jaw and gave me an up-and-down look. “Guess you’ll be wantin’ to see the flat, then.”
“Flat?”
“Apartment,” James offered with a warm smile. “More than enough space tae feel at home.”
I paused in my plans to make a run for it. I’d never lived on my own. My living situation had always been with my family. None of us had strayed far from the sprawling house our parents had built in anticipation of a large family. My personal space extended only as far as my room’s four walls, and even then it was suspect at best with my siblings barging in at all hours. I’d always welcomed it, but my own space would be nice...freeing even. Sure, my vow to strike out on my own and in as irresponsible a manner as possible was only twenty-four hours old, but a vow was a vow, and I was no quitter.
I winced, thinking of my family’s surprise when I turned up again, bedraggled and with nothing to show for my first and only foray into the real world without them. A reckless vow was still a vow. I could do this. Even if my host was going on about demonic fey folk talking to her and matchmaking. After all, she had sworn to show me everything she knew about baking. This trip to Sithean wasn’t without its perks.
And then there was Callum.
Handsome, rugged, and intense Callum, who didn’t look pleased in the slightest at my presence. I crossed my arms and met Callum’s eyes. Too bad, MacWhatsit, I wasn’t going anywhere. At least not before Agnes showed me how to bake Scottish shortbread. Squaring my shoulders, I nodded at Callum.
“I’d like to see the flat. Please.”
Callum blew out a sigh and then jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “This way, then.”
I hesitated, unsure if I was meant to follow Callum alone, but Agnes swept me toward the door with another of her bright smiles. “Go on, then,” she encouraged, giving my shoulder a squeeze. “Callum will show you to the flat and get you settled. Won’t you, dear?” She leveled a look so full of meaning that I could practically hear theOr Elseunsaid behind it. Callum gave a stiff nod and held the door open for me.
