Devin just watched her, his expression showing nothing as he ate.
"Still," Hamish added, "ye might be able ta see what's wrong with our wee lass, right Dev?"
Dev shrugged and asked Kate, "How long have you been working with dogs?"
Her back went stiff. She certainly didn't need to air her qualifications for his approval. "Twelve years."
Obviously that didn't impress him because he went back to shoveling food in his face. "Come by in the morning then, if you don't mind. Just stay on the road past your cottage and you'll come to my place. Big stone farmhouse on the left. Be interested in your take. She's not been herself lately," he muttered.
Everyone was looking at her. She wanted desperately to say no, but couldn't—not with the hopeful eyes of the Grahams on her. Plus it'd be rude not to, not after she was staying for free in the cottage. She'd help wherever she could. "Sure. I'd be happy to take a look. Do you all mind if I steal Lucy away for a bit?"
Her cousin leapt at the opportunity and Kate was treated to a personal tour of the castle, ending in the second floor library where they took a break on the massive leather couch.
"I can't believe you're here," Lucy said, pulling her feet under her.
"I can't believe youlivehere. In this country. In this place. It's crazy."
"I know. After all of our dreaming and reading those Highlander books of Gram's. Sometimes I can't believe it either."
"Ian loves you. I can see it every time he looks at you."
"He's so good for me, Kate." Lucy's smile was contagious. "So what was that with you and Devin? I'm guessing your run-in with him was more than 'no big deal'."
Kate shrugged. "I sort of went skinny dipping in the loch." Lucy's hand flew to her mouth. "Sort of got separated from my clothes. Sort of found myself standing bare-ass naked in front of your soon-to-be brother-in-law."
"No," Lucy breathed, eyes round. Then, she dissolved into laughter.
"Well, it's not that funny. It was embarrassing."
"I bet he didn't think so."
"Oh no, he just stood there looking shell-shocked."
"You do have that effect on men. Always have." Lucy wiped at her eyes. "So he gave you his shirt."
"Yeah. His dirty, sweaty shirt. Better than nothing I guess. I didn't hang around for proper introductions."
Lucy shook her head, something like admiration in her eyes. "You always were the wild one. The risk taker. I can't believe you went skinny dipping. The loch is freezing."
"Yeah. I know thatnow."
"Dev's a good guy. Quiet. And just think, you'll have a good story to tell your grand kids."
"Oh, ha-ha. Very funny. Like I said before, I'm not in the market."
"Holden really did a number on you, huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean. He betrayed you, took everything you had, and I know how much you loved him, Kate. But you can't let him destroy your opportunities. You never know what could happen, who you could meet. It'd be a shame to let what happened with him ruin your outlook. Don't give him that power too."
Kate was caught somewhere between pissed-off and hurt. She hadn't come here for a lecture.
"You were always so open," Lucy went on, "so quick to give people a chance, to give them your heart."
"Stop, Lucy. Just . . . stop," she said, tiredly. "It's a mistake to be that open. There is such as thing as beingtootrusting. It's called gullible. And look where it got me. My best friend embezzled my entire business into the ground. He ruined me. And I believed in him, believed every excuse when things hadn't added up. I was stupid." She rubbed a hand down her face. "So stupid."
"No, you weren't. There's no one to blame but him. He's the one with the issues, not you. He's the one in prison, not you."
