Page 51 of Scotlander

‘It was her last gift to me.’

Finn took off his flat cap and scrubbed his fingers against his head as if he was trying to knead the new information into his brain. ‘Gabe’s sister gave you an immersive Jacobean experience but didn’t tell you anything about it?’

‘Yes. We were best friends. She gifted us this trip in her will.’

‘Her will?’

‘You know what a will is, don’t you?’

Finn just stared at her.

She clapped her hands together. ‘C’mon, Scottie.’ Being a smart alec was the only way she could get through this topic without dissolving into tears. ‘Catch-up time. She’s dead. A will is how you give presents from the afterlife.’

Finn looked genuinely shocked. To the point she wished she hadn’t said anything.

‘What do you mean she’s dead?’ he asked.

She knew it was a reflexive question. A way of buying time to put together pieces of a very complex puzzle, but it rankled. He might have an accent that made listening to him akin to swimming in a sea of ambrosia, but this little display of intellect proved he was as incapable of thinking outside the box as everyone back home. If Valentina’s goal had been to find a place filled to the brim with all of the reasons she’d left Pendleton all those years ago, she’d done it. With bells on. Angel bells. But still. When she got to heaven? The two of them would be having words.

She glared at Finn, waiting for him to connect the dots. Less than an hour ago, he’d told her his own mother had passed away so he clearly understood the concept of death and loss.

‘This is Gabe’s sister we’re talking about,’ he finally said.

‘Yes. Valentina. She was my best friend. I only met Gabe a few days ago.’

Instead of watching that bit of information settle, she climbed down from the huge rectangular hay bale, grabbed a pitchfork from the wall rack and began stabbing at it. ‘Valentina got cancer. It was nasty. It took her from us and now, for some reason I am still trying to divine, she gave us this vacation. I get why she sent Gabe, but I am trying, for the life of me, to figure out why Val had me come along.’ Lordy, she wished this day would end. It was way too full of the feels.

Her assault on the hay bale grew more pointed as she continued. ‘She knew I hadn’t watched Outlander, but she wasn’t mean, so it isn’t like she’s trying to guilt revenge me from beyond the grave for not watching it with her, even though I guess she has every right to, because honestly? I should’ve got over myself and watched it. But I didn’t. And she died. And when I got the call from the lawyers and went to the will reading, I guess I thought she was setting me up with Gabe so we could both have her in our lives through each other. Stupid, huh? Thinking someone like that would fall in love with someone like me.’

‘Hey!’ Finn’s voice was sharp and commanded attention. He grabbed hold of the top of the pitchfork so she would stop stabbing at the bale. She looked up and latched on to his eyes and instantly wished she hadn’t because they were so full of compassion all she wanted to do was throw herself into his arms and cry and cry and cry.

‘What?’ she spat instead.

They tussled over possession of the pitchfork until – surprise, surprise – the big, strong, muscly Scotsman with bulgy biceps won.

She scowled at him. ‘What do you want from me?’

‘It’s our wedding day,’ he growled back. ‘I won’t have my new fake wife talking about herself like this. You’re a wonderful woman, Willa Jenkins.’ He was shouting now.

‘How do you know?’ she shouted back. ‘You don’t know anything about me.’

She could see he thought she’d made a good point. And then he ignored it.

He held up his hand and started ticking things off. ‘I know you’re beautiful. I know you’re kind. I know you miss your friend so much it hurts, but you’ve done what she asked of you despite the pain and confusion it’s caused. I know you’re forgiving, otherwise you wouldn’t have been Gabe’s flower girl. You looked really sweet by the way, with your wee posy.’

Her lower lip wobbled. He was extremely annoying when he was being nice. All her relationships in LA were about being nice, holding the seething broth of contempt beneath a bright smile and an acquiescent sure, boss nature. Being able to be openly shouty with someone was really, really fun. And now Finn was ruining it by being sensitive.

He softened his voice and stepped closer, reaching out to tuck some loose strands of hair behind her ear. Her stupid head leant into his touch. Then, to make things worse, he let the backs of his fingers brush along her cheek. She’d always wanted someone to do that. It felt every bit as comforting as she’d imagined.

‘I know you’re brave,’ he continued, closing the space between them. ‘I know you’re stronger than you think you are.’

‘Yeah, right,’ she snuffled, using the sleeve of her puffa jacket as a tissue. ‘Real brave.’

‘Hey.’ He tipped up her chin with a couple of his fingers, waiting until she met his steady, solid gaze. ‘How many folk do you know would stand in front of a herd of pregnant cows intent on getting their Scooby snacks?’

She gave a little hiccoughy laugh. ‘Admit it. You were hoping I’d get run over.’

He feigned horror. ‘Aw, c’mon. I wanted you to gaze upon my Scottish McManly Muscles.’ He struck a pose. ‘Look at that, eh? I am made of Highland Man strength.’ He started making even more ridiculous poses until she was giggling like a hyena.