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"No, lass. It's for special occasions."
"Thane has two kilts," Rebecca announces. "One is for casual use, and the other is his formal kilt with all the trimmings."
She described me somewhat like a turkey dinner. Not that I mind. The lass can talk about me however she likes, and she knows I will never be offended.
"Which kilt are you wearing now?" Courtney asks.
"The casual one. It has an elastic waistband. My formal kilt is one large piece of plaid that I wrap round myself in a particular fashion. Then I add the trimmings, as your mother called it, which includes a sporran, a sgian dubh, formal kilt shoes, plaid socks, a kilt pin, a belt, a kilt flash, a formal shirt and tie, and a brooch to hold up the shoulder section of my plaid."
Courtney's eyes flare wide. "Wow, that sounds amazing. How often do you wear that outfit?"
"Only on very special occasions. I wore it at my brother Ramsay's wedding. His wife divorced him a few years ago, though."
She gives me a mischievous wee smile. "And you'll wear it again when you and Mom get married."
Rebecca rolls her eyes at her daughter. "Tap the brakes, honey. It's too early to talk about marriage."
"But you really like Thane a lot. I can tell. You never looked at Dad the way you look at your Scottish hottie." Before her mother can respond, Courtney turns to me. "How old are you, anyway? I'm just curious because you're dating my mother. Eric and I are twenty-five, and Mom is forty-nine."
If she expects me to be shy about my age, the lass will be surprised. "I'm fifty-one, and I've never been married. I used to date Fiona MacTaggart, who works at my distillery with your ma, but I haven't had a serious relationship until now. Your mother means a great deal to me."
Courtney clasps her hands, holding them to her chest. "Oh, that is so sweet. I can tell you mean it, and I also can tell you'll treat her right. We love our dad, but he's kind of an asshat. We were glad when they got divorced, because now Mom can finally find the right guy and not be lonely anymore."
Rebecca's jaw drops. "I was never lonely. You make me sound like a spinster."
"All I meant was that we're so happy that you're happy now."
Eric squints at me. "We'll be watching you, though. One false move, and I'll be coming for you Mr. Whisky Man. Nobody hurts our Mom and lives to talk about it."
Rebecca covers her face with her hands and exhales a gusty sigh. "Honestly, you two, you're being ridiculous. Thane probably thinks you're insane."
"Not at all," I tell her. "Your children are devoted to you, and I have no doubts they would do anything to protect you. I feel the same way about you, mo chridhe. A family should stick together."
She raises her head to look at me. "Is your family like that?"
"Oh, aye. The Buchanans are a close-knit clan, and we fight for each other whenever it's necessary. That includes not just my immediate family but also cousins, aunts, uncles, everyone. It's the same with the MacTaggarts and the Sterlings, even those barmy Murdochs."
"Errol Murdoch is a hoot. I love all the Scots I've met. But you are my favorite by far."
"And you are my favorite American, mo chridhe."
Courtney clasps her hands over her chest again. "Awww, you two are completely adorable. I can't wait to have Thane as my stepdad."
"Step-what?" Rebecca almost shouts. "Forget about tapping the brakes. You need to slam those suckers and yank the key out of the ignition."
Eric laughs. "Enough with the automotive metaphors, Mom. You're about as car savvy as a two-year-old."
"Gee, thanks a bunch, sweetie." Rebecca glances back and forth between her son and her daughter. "How did you two know where I was?"
Courtney laughs. "You'll never believe it. A hot British guy stopped by my house and told me my mom needs me. The same guy went to Eric's flat too. Turned out his name is Kendall Halfenaked, and he's the butler for a guy called Lord Sommerleigh."
Rebecca's brows shoot up. "Did you say Kendall's last name was Halfenaked?"
"Yeah. Isn't that crazy? Anyway, Kendall said we should go to the airport because a jet was waiting to take us to Inverness. He claimed you wanted us to come see you."
"I was kind of skeptical," Eric says. "But Kendall suggested we call Fiona Sterling for confirmation. Since we knew your boss was called Fiona Sterling, we figured the deal was legit."
Rebecca's mouth falls open. "Honestly, I thought I raised smarter children. How could you take a stranger's word?"
