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“He’s not…” I sighed and pinched my nose. Was I really going to argue with this grandmother about who got to flirt with Munroe? This was absurd. And…yet. “Listen, lady. If you’re going to work here, you can’t be flirting with Munroe. I don’t know what he is, other than he’s off limits.”
A stunned look crossed Catriona’s face, and her hands shook as she placed them on the handle of the basket.
“Working here?”
“See how the soup does. If you feel better, come see me. I could use an experienced baker. But only if the pain isn’t too much.”
“Even if it lessens, I’m not sure I can do what I once could,” Catriona balked. “I don’t know what the demands of your restaurant will be.”
“Did you run a bakery before?”
“Aye.”
“Did you hire help or manage any employees?”
“Aye.”
“Then it will be much the same here. You won’t have to do it all, but you will have to work. If, andonlyif, your pain goes away,thenyou can oversee the baked goods. I’m a good baker, but I’m a better chef. I’ll need the help.”
Catriona sniffed and nodded at the tray of cookies behind me.
“May I?”
“Of course.” I put one on a spatula and passed it to her. She bit into it, a considering look on her face, and then nodded her approval. “Tasty. A touch less baking soda and just a wee sprinkle of salt.”
“Duly noted. Do we have a deal?” I asked.
“We do. I’m off to try out your soup, and I’ll follow up with you on the results shortly.” Catriona hefted the basket, and I resisted offering my help. It wasn’t all that heavy, and she’d likely have to lift more than that if she came to work for me. Although her hands shook, once she’d hooked the handle on her arm, she moved along just fine. At the door, she stopped and turned back to me. “Oh, and Lia? I won’t flirt with Munroe anymore. But I can’t promise he won’t flirt with me.”
With a wink, and her head held high, Catriona strolled from my kitchen like the badass flirting granny that she was. See? Iknewthat I had been right to be wary of her. There was a woman that knew her own power.
Returning to my table, I skidded to a stop as my eyes landed on my knife.
A singular ring of gold now glimmered in the handle.
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
Munroe
Over the rest of the week, I’d kept up a steady text conversation with Lia, even if she didn’t immediately respond. It was almost easier for me to chat with her over text, as shyness didn’t prevent me from articulating my thoughts, and every time she sent me a smiley faced emoji back, I screenshotted it and saved the message in a little folder in my phone with notes on what made Lia smile.
And finally, just yesterday, I’d convinced her to go on an official date with me.
Only if I can get the furniture moved around in the restaurant, she’d quickly added, but I had come up with a plan for that. But first, I had one more property to tour. I still hadn’t found a perfect spot for the distillery, and Cassidy was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to return to Edinburgh to run the company. While I assured her that she was more than capable of managing the business, I knew I’d have to take a drive to the city soon to settle a few things and sit in on some meetings.
“The view is grand.” The real estate agent, a lad not from Loren Brae, swept his hand out. He wasn’t wrong. The property showcased an old stone mill positioned on the edge of Loch Mirren, about a fifteen-minute drive away from the village. It was quite picturesque, in fact I’d even stopped once to take a photo of the building, and I could imagine it being a perfect tourist spot. It was just off the road, easy to spot, and the entire building with the backdrop of the rolling hills and pretty water just about made it a postcard. Something niggled at me, a disquieting feeling in my gut, but soon I pushed it aside in my excitement about discovering that this property was for sale. By the time I’d finished touring the space—it would need a total rehaul on the inside, and we’d need to reinforce the main structural components—I was ready to move forward with the location. I wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, and the thrill that I always got at the start of a new project drove me forward.
“Draw up the papers. Let me know if the seller is set on the fixed price. Given the work needed here, I’d be interested to see if there is any flexibility,” I said, shaking the lad’s hand at the end of the tour. His face lit like I’d just given him the best Christmas present, and I felt good about my accomplishments as I returned to my rental cottage just outside of Loren Brae.
One of my biggest points of pride was that Common Gin provided a significant number of jobs for people who dearly needed them. I cared about all my employees, and I still got a thrill every time I saw the joy on someone’s face, like today, when I made a decision that impacted someone else’s life. I was no superhero, but once in a while, I kind of felt like one.
Lia, however, now she was the real superhero. I’d learned from Agnes that Lia had run her first spell to much success and had managed to pass the first of her three challenges. While I wished that Lia had felt comfortable sharing that information with me herself, I understood that she was incredibly busy with getting the restaurant sorted. Maybe she’d tell me over dinner tonight.
I took my time finishing putting together dinner, a simple lasagna that Hilda had assured me I couldn’t mess up too much, a sliced baguette slathered in garlic butter, and a decadent bottle of red wine. Flowers bloomed in a vase at the table, candles were ready to be lit, and a nice playlist was set for music in the background. I had picked up wood for both the indoor fireplace and the outside fire pit, in case she’d want to sit around the fire and, after checking my watch, I jumped in the shower.
Nerves kicked up, and I reminded myself that I was a successful businessman who had a lot to offer a woman.
Not just any woman, my nerves reminded me.
