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Chapter Twenty-Three
Kate
We soar down the roads that brought us to Dùndubhan, speeding away from the castle as we begin our journey toward Loch Fairbairn. Emery had told me a few things about that village when we drove through it on our way to Dùndubhan, but now I have the best tour guide to show me around. Callum grew up here. This is more than the place where he lives and works now. It's also his birthplace. I can't believe he wants to introduce me to his parents, but as soon as he suggested it, I knew I wanted to do that. Maybe I haven't known Callum for long, but I need to give him a chance and find out if hot sex and banter are all we have, or if this could turn into something far more meaningful.
Yeah, I'm still scared. My previous marriage had wrecked me. But Callum is a good man, not the kind who would cheat and deceive me. We both lied to Hugh, but that was my fault, not Callum's. We will make it right with Hugh sooner or later, I know it. He needs to cool down first.
Which gives us the perfect excuse to go for a ride on a wicked cool Harley.
I rest my chin on Callum's shoulder as I enjoy the scenery whizzing past us. I haven't experienced this kind of easy intimacy with any other man. Something about Callum relaxes me deep down in my soul. He looks damn sexy in a leather jacket. When we stop to get gas, he fingers the lapel of my denim jacket and says, "We need to get you some leather. A biker's girlfriend should look the part. If you are my girlfriend."
"Of course I am. Will you teach me to ride your motorcycle?"
"Maybe. But not yet." He winks. "I like having you plastered to my backside, especially that bonnie erse."
"I like having you nestled between my thighs while all that horsepower growls and vibrates under me."
"Are ye trying to make me randy? Keep talking that way and I'll shag you on my bike while we're going sixty miles an hour down the road."
"Hmm, that sounds not quite plausible."
Callum pulls me into his body. "I'm a very creative sort. Very strong too."
"Oh, I'm totally aware of how powerful your body is."
We don't have sex on the Harley while driving down the road, but we do have lots of fun. Callum stops at every tourist destination and some places that only locals know about, and I love getting the secret tour of Glencoe. Callum had told me when we first met that Glencoe is the name of the region that includes both the village of Ballachulish, where his cousins live, and the village of Loch Fairbairn, where his parents and brother still live, not to mention his cousin Kirsty. She's a Wiccan, along with her two sisters. Their brother Logan is not a Wiccan. He's a former MI6 agent. I met Logan today but didn't get a chance to talk to him—or any of the MacTaggarts except Callum.
Emery told me, or maybe warned me, that the family has a lot of "events" planned to help me, Callum, and Hugh. Should I be afraid? No, they're nice people. They wouldn't do anything too crazy.
I mention that assumption to Callum, and he laughs. We're having lunch at a little seafood restaurant in Fort William, the town just north of Ballachulish.
"They won't do anything crazy?" Callum says while still chuckling. "Ye donnae know the MacTaggarts,gràidh. Going overboard is in our DNA."
"Yeah, Emery kind of hinted at that. But they'll tone things down because I'm here. Right? Wouldn't want to scare me away."
"My family is canny enough to realize you aren't the sort who will panic because they surprise you with one barmy stunt or another." He eyes me with his brows crinkled, holding a forkful of fish an inch from his lips. "You did run away once. If you mean to leave me again, please wake me up to say goodbye this time."
"I won't run away again. I promise. That was a panic impulse, which isn't like me at all." I pick at the cheese biscuit on my plate and eat a tiny piece. Okay, I'm delaying. I get why he worries I'll take off again, but that will not happen. How can I convince him? By being honest and giving it time. "You can put a GPS chip on me if that'll make you feel better."
"No, lass, I willnae do that."
He goes back to eating and joking with me, and we don't mention that topic again. For the rest of the afternoon, he shows me his favorite parts of Ballachulish and Loch Fairbairn. We stop in atDa-Shealladh, the metaphysical shop owned by his cousin Kirsty. She's beautiful and sweet, and she escorts me around the shop to explain what the various knickknacks are. Callum hangs out at the sales counter so he can chat with Luke Turner, Kirsty's fiancé.
My hostess has just shown me the selection of candles she keeps in stock, including one that's supposed to help with summoning spirits. But now she turns to the shelf behind us where small wooden bins hold various kinds of rocks. She picks up a light green stone and sets the polished rock in my palm, folding my fingers around it. "You should have this. It's actinolite, also known as cat's eye. It has healing properties, but it also promotes balance, especially in matters of the heart."
"You think I'm out of balance?"
"Everyone knows you walked away from Callum. The news spread through the MacTaggart grapevine like wildfire." Kirsty covers my hand with both of hers. "I haveda-shealladh, the second sight. It gives me special intuition about matters of the heart, and I sense you're conflicted. Don't let the pain of your past affect your present or your future. I'm not saying this because Callum is my cousin and I love him. I wantyouto be happy, Kate. Maybe this stone will help."
"Uh, sure. Thanks. I'll pay for the stone."
"Nonsense. It's a gift, from one woman to another."
"You're so kind, Kirsty. I feel better just having talked to you."
She leans in to whisper to me. "I'd be happy to do a tarot reading for you, or you could ask Damian Petrescu for a palm reading. He's visiting from America with his wife."
"Is he a witch too?"
