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“I haven’t been home in so long. I spent most of adult life getting as far away from Ballydoon as I could. Far from the grief, sadness, despair. But now, I’ve felt the pull to go back. But losing Dad smashed us apart. So I kind of understand why your father was reluctant to get rid of Stephen. Maybe to keep family together. Maybe he hoped Stephen would redeem himself.”
“Ye saying Old Mac had a soft sport?” I chuckled. “Ye’d be the first to say so.”
“Your father sounds… tough,” she hedged.
I watched my thumbs roll over her cold hands warming them. “Aye, he is. He has high standards for his sons and the three of us do our best to meet them.”
“Are they your standards though?”
“Of course.” I let go of her hands and stepped away. I want the best for the business.”
“Is it what you want for yourself, too?”
I swallowed hard. I wasn’t sure of how to answer.
“Ye just spoke of getting as far away from Ballydoon as ye could. Yet when ye spoke about your farm at the meeting yesterday, ye had such passion. Some days I want to run away as far as I can from Oban and others, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.”
“Yes! The push and the pull of family and of home.” Amanda’s voice trembled and I was certain it wasn’t the cold. “Some days I wonder what or where my home really is.”
I resisted every urge to hold her. I waved to the path in front of us and we began walking again.
“Ye must have a strong connection to ye farm with seven generations working the land.”
“I do, even if it’s not like 285 years of McAlisters making whisky,” she teased.
“Oh, ye think that’s old? My great-great grandfather discovered a wee cave here in the late 1800s with human and animal bones in there. Ye might have heard about it on the tour. They say the bones are 5,000 or even 7,000 years old. There’s photos and stone tools, including a knife in the wee museum on the other side of the Visitor’s Centre.” He hesitated. “I could show ye the place, if this interests ye.”
“I’d like that very much. Speaking of the Visitor’s Centre,” Amanda glanced at me. “All of the staff genuinely like you, you know.”
“What are ye talking about?”
“Your staff. Yes, they’re scared but they're mostly worried about you. They want the best for you.
“I know what they all say.” I scoffed. “I've changed since becoming the boss. I’m just like my old man.”
A breeze came off the water and Amanda shivered, hugging her body.
“Shit, ye freezing.” I pulled off my jacket and draped it over her shoulders. “Ye asked about my standards. I didn't want to be the CEO. I like being on the floor making the spirit working the stills not sitting in meeting rooms and endless appointments at hotels talking and talking to reps. I was about to tell Da I didn't want to take over from him just before he had the accident. But then it happened and there was no other option but be the CEO. Our family was shattered; Mum was distraught, Robert had a new-born and his wife was struggling after the birth as well. James was reeling, too. We all had to watch my father waste away. So I just did my job and kept going. I've been sprinting on that treadmill ever since.”
I shook myself with a sigh and stepped away from her again.
“Stephen stole and he was family. And now, I’m dealing with another thief at work. I just don't know who to trust these days.”
Amanda wrung her hands, looking nervous.
“What is it, hen?”
“Do you trust me?”
I nodded. “I do.”
“Order for Stuart!” We’d arrived back at the Chinese restaurant just in time to collect our meal.
“I need ye to know, I’m not afraid what ye’ll find in this audit. I know I haven’t done anything illegal or wrong.” I sighed. “I’ve been an arse to ye and the staff. My father has been riding me over the audit and getting the boiler fixed on the second still. I haven’t handled it well, as half the town seems to have noticed.”
I took a deep breath and a chance. “What I’m trying tae say is I want tae see ye when this is over.”
“You want to date me when my work is done?” Amanda looked stunned.
