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I was taken aback. I’d counted on her arguing with me.
The bar owner hailed me.
“Rab, I’ll cover damages,” I told him. “Can’t begin to say how sorry I am about this tonight.”
“Surprised to see Stephen back, after what happened but not surprised by what he did tonight. Anyhoo, Stu, I’ll send ye an invoice along with the last quarter’s financials.”
“Aye, that would be grand. And sorry again.”
“Alright, I’ll leave ye with your lady friend,” Rab winked. “Besides, it’s not a proper night oot if there’s nae scrap.”
Amanda and I denied anything going on between us but Rab waved us off, hurrying to his staff with the clean-up.
My phone pinged. We both looked at the screen.
James:BTW saw Da today. He said don’t forget to practice your Burns
I looked up and found Amanda staring.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “For helping Caroline. And me.”
I licked the spot on my lip Stephen had busted. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the action and I liked that too much. I hooked a thumb towards the door.
“Shall we head to the flat to clean up?”
She nodded and I seized on an idea.
“Listen, can I make up for your girls’ night with some Chinese takeout?”
“Sounds great, Mr McAlister,” Amanda smiled.
The Chinese restaurant was opposite the entry to Kerrera House and we arrived in minutes. With our order placed, I suggested a walk around the harbour while we waited.
We fell into step side by side, my hand brushing hers. There was nothing more I’d like right now than to hold her hand. The night was clear and lights of the town and houses on the Isle of Mull were reflected on the still water.
“Did ye parents say that lights at night were also fairies?”
Amanda whipped her head around, surprised.
“Ye said ye believed sunlight on waves were fairies when ye were a wee bairn. After… ye know. At the station.”
“You remembered me talking about fairies?”
“I remember everything about that morning.” I smiled and immediately winced. My busted lip had split open again. I dabbed at it with a tissue.
“He really got you good on your lip,” Amanda said. “Stephen’s your cousin, isn’t he?”
“Aye, he is. I caught him with four bottles of our thirty-two-year-old single malt, worth over £1500. I fired him on the spot.” I dabbed again at my lip. “Stephen always paraded around work telling everyone old Mac was going to promote him to the still team and then later an executive role. It was a load of shite. He was always doing that; big mouthing himself. He even threatened to bring me and my family down when I sacked him.”
“Caroline said he drives trucks now bringing parts from the pot still manufacturer over in Moray.”
“Aye, news to me when last night when Ewan said the same. The thing is -” I stopped and stared over the inky water towards Mull. “The thing is my father had caught Stephen stealing when he was CEO but didn’t discipline him, let alone fire him. Stephen was a problem that festered for years.”
“This might sound weird but I kind of get how your father was loyal to family, as much as Stephen’s given you grief. Losing a family member can smash everyone apart.” Amanda leaned over the stone wall, looking out over the water. “I lost my father just over nine years ago. He died in a bushfire. It came over the hill behind our temporary house. We’d moved out of our homestead a couple of weeks beforehand so Dad could paint the inside. Embers rained down on the roof before the fire front reached it. Dad got home in time to get my sister and my brother out, but he didn't make it. The roof caved in and… If we’d delayed painting the homestead by a couple of weeks, maybe he’d be still here.”
I reached out for her hands, enveloping them in mine, bringing her closer to me.
“I’m so sorry, hen.” My gut roiled. My father was often insufferable, but I couldn’t think of what it would have been like if he’d died when he had his accident. “I can’t imagine what that was like for ye and your family.”
