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“No can do. I’ve been to the Edinburgh Tattoo three times.”
“That is my worst nightmare.” She shuddered. “Being stuck in an enclosed space filled with bagpipe players. Or fighting cats. They’d both make the same noise.”
“How can you not like haggis and bagpipes? It’s in our DNA.”
“Not mine. I don’t like black pudding, Scotch pies, or oatcakes, either.”
“I don’t understand it—you sound Scottish, you look Scottish, and you definitely have that special Scottish charm… Wait! I’ve got it. It’s because you grew up so close to the English border. Their proximity’s infected you.”
“And you’re the poster boy for every Scottish cliché in the book. You’ve got a kilt, haven’t you? And I bet you don’t just wear it to weddings.”
“I’ve been known to wear it while fishing…or to the odd football game…” He leaned forward and folded his arms on the table.
The candlelight brought out the golden streaks in Agnes’ white-blonde hair and made her green eyes shine like emeralds. Her skin, damn her skin, looked like the surface of the palest pink rose petal. It made him want to touch.
“I knew it,” she said triumphantly, flashing a wide grin.
Damn, she was stunning.
He cleared his throat. “Here’s the thing about kilts. They’re made of heavy wool, which is perfect for winter, but then you have the whole draft issue to contend with. So, that makes you think the built-in ventilation system would make the kilt a good summer option, but then the heavy wool makes you sweat. Really, we need a summer kilt and a winter kilt. And the winter kilt should probably come with thermal shorts.”
“You’ve spent way too much time thinking about this.”
“A man’s balls are no laughing matter, Agnes. They must be kept at the optimum temperature. Otherwise, his ability to think is seriously affected.”
She burst out laughing, and damn if the sight didn’t make his blood rush south and his heart soften just a little. He wasn’t sure why, but he got the feeling that Agnes didn’t laugh much, and that life had been far too heavy and serious for her.
“Come on,” he said. “We’d better get those cameras and install them.”
Just like that, the light in her eyes faded. “I should probably run it past Dougal first.”
“No, this time, I’m putting my foot down and saying that, as a security specialist, I highly recommend you help Dougal to get out of his own way by not telling him what we’re up to.”
The look she gave him was so weary and earnest, the weight of it drilled right to his soul. “I’m trying to be good.” A pretty pink blush colored her cheeks. “I mean, I want to do well in this job. My future depends on it.”
Logan got the impression she’d meant exactly what she’d said the first time. “You’ll have done a good job if you get to the bottom of the hotel’s thefts and put a stop to them. Trust me, I know what I’m talking about when I say we need cameras. I’ll deal with any fallout. Now, what time does he go home?”
“I deal with my own problems, Logan. If anyone’s dealing with Dougal over fallout, it’s me.”
She was wrong, but he let it go. For now. “When does he go home?” he asked again.
“After the pub shuts, about eleven.”
Logan glanced at his phone. It was almost ten, meaning they had some time before they could install the cameras. He signaled for their waitress, who looked up from clearing another table.
“You want it on the Benson account?” Joyce asked.
“Aye, thanks.”
“You’re putting this on a business account?” Agnes sounded incredulous. “Normally, I’d be impressed, but like I said, it’s important Dougal doesn’t think I’m taking advantage of him or the people he hires, so I’ll pay.”
“Believe me, no one will think badly of you because Benson Security paid for dinner.” Wavin
g goodnight to Joyce, he led Agnes out of the restaurant. “And don’t worry, I’ll tell Lake about our dinner in the morning. We don’t keep secrets.” Lake would have his head on a spike outside the Benson Security office as a warning to anyone else who dared try. “Now, we have an hour to kill before Dougal leaves the hotel, and it will only take five minutes to pick up the cameras, so how about I show you the sights?”
“In the dark?”
“They have lights. It’ll be fine.”
