And as his lips meet mine, I think of Archibald and Elspeth. Their broken love. Their unfinished dream. All those years lost to pride and silence.
We won’t make the same mistake.
Their story showed us what not to do.
Now it’s our turn to write a different ending.
A happy one.
CHAPITRE 30
ALISTAIR
A Signature on Our Hearts
I’ve never been particularly superstitious, but today, standing in front of the mirror in this guest room at McGregor Castle, I finally understand why grooms aren’t supposed to see the bride before the ceremony. It’s not about luck—it’s about nerves. And mine are currently strung as tight as the strings of a Celtic harp.
Which is completely ridiculous, of course. This isn’t a wedding. Not yet. It’s simply the official signing of a business partnership between the McKenzies and the McGregors. A historic event, sure, but essentially a formality after months of intense negotiations following our family meeting.
So why am I adjusting my tie for the fifteenth time?
— If you keep that up, you’re going to rip it off, Martha says as she walks in, carrying my freshly pressed jacket.
Martha, my longtime assistant, insisted on coming to the castle this morning to make sure I’d be “presentable.” As if I were incapable of dressing myself.
— I just want everything to be perfect, I reply, taking the jacket she hands me.
— And it will be, she says with a warm smile. I’ve never seen you like this, you know.
— Like what?
— Happy, she answers simply. Truly happy.
I don’t know what to say to that. Martha has known me for so long—she’s seen me through professional crises, breakups, successes, failures. The fact that she notices a difference now affects me more than I’d care to admit.
— Must be the McGregor effect, I joke, masking the emotion tightening in my chest.
— No, it’s the Keira effect, she corrects. That woman has done for you in a few months what I couldn’t manage in years—turned you into a human being.
— Thank you for that compliment, Martha. Your usual tact is as refreshing as ever.
She laughs, then checks her watch.
— You’ve got half an hour. I’ll head downstairs and make sure everything’s ready.
Once I’m alone, I check for the hundredth time that I have everything. The document is still there, carefully folded. I slip it into the inside pocket of my jacket. I’ve drafted and revised it so many times I could probably recite it by heart. There’s something else I tuck in alongside it—an object that might soon carry a great deal of meaning.
I step over to the window and watch the bustle in the castle gardens. Spring is just starting to arrive, though the air still carries a chill. Members of both families are busy with final preparations. In a specially set-up enclosure, Hamish andRosita keep watch over their lambs, born only a few days ago. Those sheep have somehow become the unofficial mascots of our reconciliation—woolly ambassadors of McKenzie-McGregor peace.
The past few months have been a whirlwind. Negotiations with my father are still difficult, but now they’re constructive. The first experiments based on Elspeth’s recipe confirmed our wildest hopes. The application for protected designation for our future whisky,Archibald & Elspeth. The renovation of the shop according to Keira’s original designs, enriched by the history we uncovered together. Not to mention the Highland Games, where our two families faced off in what was, all things considered, a surprisingly cordial way.
And in the middle of it all—us. Keira and me, learning to be together for real. No façade. No arrangement. No contract. Just two people who, against all odds, found something precious in the chaos of their lives.
It’s time to head downstairs. I take a deep breath, check my pocket one last time, and walk toward the door.
It’s a big day.
The castle’sgreat hall has been transformed for the occasion. The old solid oak table—likely witness to more arguments between our clans than any piece of furniture in Scotland—is now draped in emerald green fabric embroidered with the intertwined crests of both families. On top, the official documents wait for our signatures.
