— You’re starting to sound like a friend who actually cares.
He sets the cup down slowly, and I could swear there’s the faintest hint of a smile on his lips.
— Almost, Callum. Almost.
CHAPTER 20
JANE
— I really think you should try this sweater, Keira insists, holding out a hideous green knit decorated with what looks like dancing sheep. It’s local fashion.
If someone had told me—even three weeks ago—that I’d be shopping in a small Scottish town with my sister-in-law and my best friend, somehow getting past the humiliation of being abandoned the day after my arranged wedding, I would’ve probably suggested they see a psychiatrist. And yet… here I am.
I narrow my eyes, unconvinced.
— You’re trying to trap me so you can take an embarrassing picture and send it to your friends, aren’t you?
Keira presses a hand dramatically to her chest.
— How dare you question my purely stylistic intentions? I’m deeply offended.
— You already tried to make me wear a beanie with Highland cow ears and an apron that said “I love Scotland to the bone.” I’m starting to see a pattern.
She bursts out laughing and finally sets the monstrosity back on the rack.
— Okay, you caught me. But admit it—you would’ve looked adorable with those fluffy little ears.
I shake my head, amused despite myself. In the span of a few hours, Keira has gone from “contractually imposed sister-in-law” to “surprisingly entertaining ally.”
— What do you think of this one? Savannah calls, stepping out of the fitting room. I think I need a belt.
Keira and I both turn to watch as she launches into an impromptu runway walk.
— That arisaid looks amazing on you, Sav.
Apparently, they’re already on nickname terms.
— But you might not want to go back to the castle wearing the McKenzie tartan. Rival clan…
Savannah studies herself in the mirror, smoothing the fabric that looks like a cross between a blanket and a cape.
— That’s a shame, she says at last, slipping it off. What’s the story with the clan rivalry?
Keira smiles.
— How much time do you have? Because it’s a very, very long story.
— Too bad I have a flight tomorrow morning, Sav replies. But now that Jane lives here, I’ve got the perfect excuse to come back.
My chest tightens, because after last night’s disaster, I have no idea how long my arrangement with Callum is actually going to last…
We leave the souvenir shop without buying any ugly sweaters—personal victory—and head toward a small café Keira described as “the only place in the Highlands where the coffee doesn’t taste like dirty sock water.”
Once we’re settled with three decent lattes, Keira fixes me with that sharp, assessing gaze that seems to be a genetic McGregor trait.
— So… are you finally going to tell me why my brother ran off the day after your wedding?
I nearly choke on my coffee.
