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“Stuart’s not a bad person.” She gave me a tired look. “It’s just that he’s been dealing with lots of problems at work. Lately, he’s an absolute bear with a thorn in his paw, ye know what I mean?”
“Oh, I know what you mean,” I replied, recalling how his lips had felt on mine this morning, and how grumpy he’d become when he’d learnt who I was.
The Beast walked into the open plan office. He’d ditched the jacket and tie, and had rolled up his shirt’s sleeves, highlighting the muscle definition of his forearms.
My lust fog faded as he bellowed for Caroline, while checking his phone and striding down the central corridor between cubicles.
“I need those files immediately for this conference call!” Shoulders back, biceps tensed, and frowning: he was the Beast. Everyone ducked closer to their keyboards to avoid his temper. Caroline clutched several buff-coloured folders.
Stuart looked up, his stride faltering.
“Amanda,” he grunted with surprise.
“Mr McAlister. If you’ll excuse me, I must return to my office.”
Stuart nodded once. I felt the heat of his gaze on my back as I retreated to my temporary office.
I stayed in my room for hours until Caroline tentatively appeared around the door, asking if I’d like to join a tour group in the Visitor’s Centre downstairs.
“My dad always said numbers tell a story,” I said, putting down the report in my hand, “but so does seeing the place, breathing in the air and meeting the people behind a business. I’d love to.”
I wholeheartedly enjoyed the tour, seeing the operations in the still room, meeting the staff and asking questions about how they made whisky at Gallanach.
By the time I arrived back at my office, I was tired and yet my mind was whirring with ideas as I faced the piles of requisition folders Caroline had retrieved from archives.
The sun had set, and staff had left for the day, leaving the floor empty, including Stuart.
I opened a binder of requisitions when a knock at the door made me jump.
“Hello, dear! I didn’t mean tae startle, but I was hoping to catch you and say hello.” An older woman smiled, her long hair of silvery and dark grey swept into a bun. Her dark brown eyes were both warm and intense. I’d seen her in the Visitor’s Centre after the tour.
“I’m Amanda,” I shook her hand. “I very much enjoyed the tour today.”
“I’m Lorna but please call me Mrs Mac. Everyone does.” Mrs Mac pumped my hand enthusiastically. “I’m the Visitor’s Centre Manager so it pleases me to hear that. My boys should’ve taken ye round but they were all tied up with meetings and what not.”
“Your boys?”
“Yes, Stuart, Robert and James. I’m their mother.”
I then recognised her grin in James and Robert. But, her eyes! Stuart had inherited those eyes from his mother.
And I’d snogged her eldest son this morning.
Mrs Mac continued, oblivious to my mini meltdown.
“I introduced some changes to the way we ran the information centre a few years ago. Many tourists want to learn about whisky and have no idea of how to start. So we set up the info centre as a shop, with a room to do tastings and private functions, and a tour of the distillery. Even have a small museum.”
I gathered my wits, banishing thoughts of my kiss with Stuart. “I love museums. I’ll take a look while I’m here.”
Mrs Mac considered me with shrewd eyes. “Robert said ye have a good palette. And that ye saved our business at the London tasting.”
“Saved your business, how?” My heart pounded against my ribs. Robert had said that? I vaguely remembered Robert from George’s. Stuart had had all my attention. Oh God, what if Robert had mentioned I met Stuart there?
“Ye alerted Stuart to the taint in the drink. If ye hadn’t?” Mrs Mac shuddered. “Well, can ye imagine if he’d served that up to the hotel rep he was seeing?”
What hotel rep?“Not that he believed me at first,” I muttered.
“Aye, he’s prickly. That’s certainly one reason why they call him the Beast. But I’ve heard ye stood up tae him. More than once.”
