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I wave to Calli, who trots over to us, then we all head into the café, though Rory insists we sit outside instead of taking a table in the interior of the restaurant. He stalks over to a table beside the wrought-iron railing that hems in the outdoor section and drops onto a chair. Calli and I sit across from him.
When the waitress arrives, Rory waves away a menu and growls, "Ben Nevis. Make it a double."
That would be Rory's favorite single-malt Scotch whisky. Some of our cousins like Ben Nevis too, but Lachlan sticks with Talisker. I'll drink any whisky, but Calli still despises it and only consumes alcohol in the form of Atholl Brose, though not since she got pregnant.
Calli and I ordercranachan, with one glass and two spoons.
Our food and Rory's drink have just arrived when it happens.
A bonnie brunette walks past us, then whirls around as if she's only just noticed the three of us sitting here. Though I'm dead sure Calli has never met the woman, the brunette smiles and speaks to my wife. "Calli, how nice to see you and Aidan again."
Now I supposedly know her?Bod an Donais. Erica and Calli roped me into this nonsense without even telling me.
"Mary," my wife says as if she's greeting an old mate, "it's so nice to see you too. Why don't you sit down with us? There's an extra chair beside Rory."
My brother's eyes go wide, but only for a second. Then he clenches his jaw and aims his steely glare at me.
I shrug.
Calli waves toward the empty chair beside Rory. "Please sit down, Mary."
Rory's eyes narrow so much that they're almost closed, and a muscle ticks in his jaw.
As the brunette settles onto the chair beside him, Calli says, "Rory, this my friend Mary MacCallister. She's a paralegal. Mary works in Inverness, but she really wants to move home to Fort William." My wife puts on the least convincing look of innocence I've ever seen and flutters her eyelashes. "Gee, that's not far from Loch Fairbairn, where you work, Rory."
I wouldn't blame Rory if he let his head fall onto the tabletop. I feel like doing that too.
Do I see smoke curling up from Rory's ears?
Mary flutters her lashes the way Calli had done a moment ago, and she smiles at my brother. "You are a braw man, for sure. I've heard how powerful you are in court too."
The lass seems sincere in her desire to ensnare my brother, but Rory only grinds his teeth harder, making that muscle in his jaw pulse again.
And he's glaring atme. This barmy plan wasn't my idea.
Rory shoves his chair backward with so much force that it topples into the bloke sitting at the next table, behind my brother. But Rory isn't paying attention to that. He jabs a finger in my direction and snarls, "You lot need a new hobby. Do not ever set me up like this again."
He storms out of the café.
I hurry after him, but don't reach him until we're a block from the restaurant. Then I grab his arm to stop him. "That wasn't very nice, Rory. Mary seems like a sweet lass, and you behaved like a snarling beast."
He sighs, and his entire posture sags. "I'm sorry, Aidan. But I do not want to date anyone. Never again. Understand?"
"All right, aye. But honestly, I don't know if anyone can stop Erica and Calli from meddling in your life."
He swings his head toward me. "Don't worry about that. I'm away to New Orleans, to meet with an American mate so I can learn more about the legal system over there. I'll be gone…for a good while."
"Donnae need to run away."
"Not running. I need a holiday."
"But you said it's work."
He rolls his eyes, the way he loves to do. "A working holiday."
Aye, only Rory would try to combine the two and think it makes sense.
"I'm done with women," he says. "Please leave me be."
