by Jennae Vale
“We should be fine. If I need more, Ross will get them from the garage.”
“Remember, if you need me, I’m only a phone call away.” Mike hesitated in the doorway appearing unsure about leaving.
“I’ll call if I need anything. I promise. Thank Amanda for the food.”
Mike let himself out and Ross sat down in the large, comfy armchair by the fire. He looked around the room, his eye paused on the television and Cassie figured he was hoping to watch a show. No such luck tonight, big guy. The meat and veggies in the pan started to sizzle and Ross jumped up to check on them. He gave the pan a shake and inhaled deeply.
“I dinnae know what this is, but I like the smell,” he grinned at her and served up both plates evenly. He passed hers over with a fork, then turned to the steaming kettle and poured water into the cups. He returned to the chair and dug in like he was starving. His attention was focused one hundred percent on his food. It looked like he hadn’t had a good meal in quite some time. Cassie let him eat, taking the opportunity to examine him more carefully. His hands, the ones that had pulled her from her car and lifted her effortlessly onto his horse, were strong, but gentle. She’d felt safe and warm, secure in the embrace of his well-muscled arms. He wore a kilt. It wasn’t the type that came pre-pleated and ready to put on. This was obviously made from a length of fabric that he must have to wrap himself in every morning before heading out. She wondered where he came from and why he was on horseback. She couldn’t remember ever seeing anyone ride through town on a horse. He was, in a word, hot and she wanted to know more about him.
“Aren’t you cold in your kilt?” she asked.
He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Nay. I’m rarely cold.”
“That must be a guy thing,” she said. “I’d be freezing.”
“Are ye cold now, lass?” he asked, obvious concern in his voice.
She could lie and say she was and then maybe he’d hold her in his arms again, but that wouldn’t be right. “No, I’m okay right now.” Maybe later she wouldn’t be. The thought made her smile.
Ross smiled back and she was taken aback at how handsome he was. She was trying not to stare, but her eyes seemed to have a mind of their own and no matter how many times she tried to look away, she simply couldn’t. He had beautiful dark brown eyes, a gorgeous smile, and a strong jaw. “Are you married Ross?” she asked, doing her best not to sound hopeful.
“Nae.” He took a sip of hot tea and then placed the mug on the side table.
“Girlfriend?” He looked confused by her question. “Dating anyone?” Before he could answer, her phone buzzed and she checked to see who it was. “Ugh! It’s my ex,” she said.
Ross glanced up from his food and she smiled at him, despite the fact that she knew exactly how this conversation was going to go.
“Hello.” She held her breath, expecting a tirade to greet her.
“Cassie, are you alright?” Jason asked, sounding as if he really cared.
“I’m a bit bruised and banged up, but I think I’ll be okay.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the emergency room?” he asked.
“In case you haven’t noticed, it’s snowing like crazy out there. I think I’ll stay here. Really, I don’t think there’s any reason to go. Ross is here taking care of me.” She threw that last bit in because she desperately needed a win here.
“Ross? Who’s that?”
“A friend. Really, there’s no need for you to concern yourself.”
“I think there is. Cassie, you stole my car!” The kind caring Jason was gone, replaced by the angry Jason she had expected to greet her the minute she said hello.
“I can explain. My truck broke down again and I had to get home to Sammy. I still had the key to your car and I didn’t think you’d mind if I borrowed it.”
“You know we’re not married anymore, right?”
“Don’t be silly. Of course I do.” Did he think she was an idiot or something?
“That means you can’t help yourself to my stuff. It’s bad enough you won’t let me sell the house, but now you’ve stolen my car. What’s next? Are you planning to break into my apartment and steal my tv?”
She held the phone away from her ear as he yelled and then in the calmest voice she could muster said, “I didn’t steal your car, Jason. And I’m not letting you sell the house. It’s where I live.”
“You can’t afford to stay there. We could sell it and split the profits. You could get an apartment somewhere. You’d be able to pay your rent and fix up that old truck .” Would his ranting never end?
“The truck is just fine, today was a fluke.”
“People talk, Cassie. I heard from more than one person that it doesn’t start half the time. And, by the way, they all think everything is my fault.”
“Well it is your fault!” She knew the people of their little village were on her side, but it was nice to get confirmation that they were making Jason miserable.
“Cassie, I really don’t feel like having this conversation again. You’ve got to get over this and move on with your life.”
“I am over it,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. He had to be the most irritating man in the world.
“Right. So my car is at the bottom of a cliff?”
“You’ve got insurance.” She could just picture him pacing back and forth as he ranted at her.
“It’s not the car I’m worried about. I was planning to propose to Jenny. The engagement ring is in the car.”
“Oh…” She shouldn’t have been surprised by this announcement. Everyone in town knew it and so did she. She gazed at Ross. The look of concern on his face melted her heart. How long had it been since someone, anyone had looked at her that way?
“Congratulations!” she said with feigned excitement. “I’m sorry about the car… and the ring,” she lied.
“I was planning to propose tomorrow night. It’s her birthday. With this storm, I don’t think they’ll be able to get to the car until springtime.”
If he was trying to make her feel bad, he was doing a good job. “Look, I shouldn’t have taken your car. I’m sorry. If I had known what was going to happen, I would have left it right where it was and found another way home. I’d offer to get you a replacement ring, but as you know, I don’t have any money.”
“Exactly why we need to sell the house,” he repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time.
That wasn’t happening. This house was the one and only way she had of making him pay for what he’d done. “Maybe I can get Ross to help me get down to the car to retrieve the ring.”
“Or you could give me back yours,” he said.
“I sold it,” she told him.
“Great! Now what am I going to do?”
“I’ll figure something out. I’m tired. I need to rest. I’ll talk to you later.”
“I need it by tomorrow night, Cassie.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I hear you.” She hung up the phone feeling mentally and physically exhausted.
Chapter 3
Ross took the empty dishes to the kitchen and then returned to stand over Cassie. “I’ll take ye to yer bed.”
The thoughts going through her head were best kept to herself. “That’s very thoughtful of you, but I haven’t been paying my bills and so I can’t afford to heat this place. This is the only warm room in the house.” It was embarrassing for her to admit, but she’d rather be honest with him about her situation. “There are some blankets upstairs. If you could get those it will probably help.”
“Aye.”
Cassie watched appreciatively as Ross made his way upstairs to her bedroom. Broad shoulders tapering to narrow hips, strong arms… mmm, mmm, mmm. She’d always been a sucker for great biceps.
“They’re in the chest at the foot of the bed,” she called. Moments later he reappeared with an armload of blankets. Cassie smiled. There was something about this guy. He had a sort of old school gentlemanly vibe to him. She didn’t know a thing
about him, but she didn’t have even a tiny worry about being here alone with him.
He reached the sofa and she patted the spot next to her. “Sit. I hope you won’t be too bored, but the the television isn’t working and unfortunately the lack of electricity makes it impossible to read, unless you like reading by candlelight,” she teased. “I guess it’s a good excuse for us to get to know each other a little better, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Aye,” he wasn’t about to tell her that the only way he ever read was by candlelight, or that he wanted nothing more in this moment than to get to know her better. The soft glow of the candles shone on Cassie, illuminating her face and despite the bruise under her eye, he could see she was really quite lovely. Vibrant blue eyes were framed by long dark lashes. Golden brown locks draped over her shoulders in long waves. He resisted the urge to run his fingers through them. He was sure they would be soft and silky to the touch. He unfolded the blankets and draped them over both of them.
“Hey, I just remembered. You cut yourself. We should get that cleaned up.” She lifted his arm and examined it. “Am I crazy? I saw you get cut on the glass, but…”
He glanced down at his arm and shrugged. Cassie was right. He should have been bleeding, but there was nothing to show for it except a ripped sleeve. Perhaps it was one of the benefits of being a ghost. Not wanting to try and explain that, he decided to learn more about this lovely lady. “Yer husband sounded angry with ye,” he observed.
“Oh, he’ll get over it. And, he’s not my husband anymore.” She nervously fidgeted with the blanket.
“He must be daft to leave a lass as comely as yerself.”
“Thanks,” she blushed. “I wish I could explain it. Well, actually I can explain it, but you probably wouldn’t want to know.”
“I would.” He meant it. He really wanted to know. He wanted to know everything about her. “Do ye love him?”
“Nah. I thought I did, once a long time ago, but I think I was more in love with the idea of him. The idea of being his wife.”
There was more she wasn’t saying. “What happened?”
She hesitated for a moment, obviously thinking of how to answer his question. “He cheated on me with a friend of ours.”
“I’m so verra sorry, Cassie. No honorable man would do such a thing.”
“He wasn’t very good at hiding it. Everyone in town knew. Everyone in town knows everything about everyone. No secrets live here.”
Ross chuckled. It may be a different time, but people hadn’t changed much over the years. It reminded him of his home. He wondered what had become of all those people. He knew that ultimately they were all dead, as was he, but he wondered about that time after the battle.
“You seem deep in thought,” Cassie observed.
“Aye. Just thinking about home.” Sadness that he couldn’t hide crept into his voice.
“Scotland?” she asked.
Ross nodded, staring into the flames of the wood stove. “It’s been a long, long time since my feet have walked the path through my small village to my home. Much like the people here, we all knew each other and knew everything there was to know about each other.”
“Knew? You don’t know them anymore?”
How could he explain this to her? Better not to try. “Nay. I’ve not seen them for some time now.”
“What’s it like there?” she asked.
“Beautiful,” he replied as he saw it all again in his mind. “I never tired of seeing the countryside, the river where I used to fish. The sights and sounds of the birds singing in the trees, the bees buzzing in the heather, the water gently flowing downstream.”
“I feel the same way about Delight. What brings you to our little mountain village?” Cassie asked breaking his train of thought. “If it’s the fishing, this isn’t the best time of year for it,” she teased.
How much should he tell her? Would she be frightened to find he was a ghost? Perhaps if he gently led her into understanding she would be okay. “I’m here on a mission,” he said.
“A mission? That sounds important.” She pulled the blankets up a little closer to her chin.
“’Tis.”
“I guess you can’t talk about it.” Her sparkling blue eyes were filled with curiosity.
“I’m here to do a good deed.” This was a good beginning. He would see how the conversation went from here and then decide how much to tell her.
“Well, I’m going to say I think you’ve accomplished what you came for.” A sweet smile lit her lips and Ross thought about kissing them.
He cleared his throat and his mind. “I would agree, but she hasnae come for me. I wonder if there’s something else I must do.”
“Who’s she?” Cassie asked. Was that a bit of jealousy he heard or was he imagining things?
“Soni. She’s the one who sent me.”
“Is that your girlfriend or your boss?”
Girlfriend was unfamiliar to him, but he thought he understood the meaning. “Nae. She’s a witch.”
“What? Wait! A real witch?” Her eyebrows shot up in surprise as she sat bolt upright, clutching her blanket.
“Aye.” He wasn’t sure why she was so surprised. Perhaps he took it for granted that Soni was a witch. Were there no witches here, wherever he was?
“You know a witch and she sent you on a mission to do a good deed?” She tipped her head and wrinkled her pert little nose in a most appealing way.
“Ye sound as if ye dinnae believe me,” he chuckled.
“I’m not sure I do, but go on. Tell me more,” she nodded.
“Once I’ve done a good deed, I’ll be allowed to claim my boon.”
“Boon.” She gazed up at the ceiling as she said the word as if searching for the meaning. “What’s that?”
“Boon,” he explained. “’Tis a prize.”
“What kind of a prize do you get for doing this good deed?” she wondered.
“I can get my revenge on the bonnie prince.”
“Is this one of those role playing games? You guys really take that stuff seriously.” She seemed pleased with herself that she understood now.
Ross, on the other hand, didn’t. “I dinnae ken yer meaning, lass. ’Tis true.”
“Okay, if you say so.” Cassie maneuvered her way around and placed her head in his lap. “You don’t mind if I use you as a pillow, do you?”
“I’m yers to use as ye wish,” he answered.
“Be careful. You never know what I might wish,” she giggled.
“I can imagine nothing I wouldnae be happy to provide.”
“You’re sweet,” Cassie said.
He liked that. He’d been called many things in his life, but sweet wasn’t one of them.
“This is nice,” she said and he had to agree. Having Cassie resting here in his arms, the fire roaring in the stove and his heart filled with a warmth it had lacked since long before he died was unexpected, but welcome. He finally got his chance to run his fingers through her silky brown locks and as he’d expected they were verra, verra soft.
“That’s nice,” she sighed, closing her eyes. “I don’t know anything about you, but I feel as if I’ve known you forever.”
“’Tis strange, but I feel the same.” It was true. There was something about this lass that felt right. He’d never experienced this before. He could see himself spending a lifetime with her – a lifetime he didn’t have.
“There’s not much to do around here. I usually watch television or listen to music, but as I mentioned before there’s no electricity. I can’t believe they shut it off on me. I guess they don’t care that I could freeze to death. I can’t even read, which is my favorite thing. Believe me I’ve tried, but while the candles add a nice ambiance, they’re not great for reading a book.” He could hear the disappointment and defeat in her voice.
“We can talk,” Ross said. “It’s how we pass the time where I’m from.”
“We used to do a lot of talking when I was growing up,” she o
ffered, a wistful smile appearing on her lips. “Mom and Dad never allowed us to watch television and we didn’t have smartphones to occupy our time then. We’d come home from school, do our homework and then we’d all have dinner together. We’d share stories about the day and then after we ate, we’d do our homework. Before bed we’d play board games or cards and then our parents would put us to bed. They’d read us a story, kiss us goodnight.” She turned to look at him. “The good old days. If only we could go back to those childhood days. Life was so carefree.”
“Not anymore?” he asked.
“No. Mom and Dad moved to Mexico when Dad retired. My brother goes to school in New England. I don’t see them very often. I wish we all lived closer. What about you? Where’s your family?”
That was a good question and one he wasn’t sure he could answer honestly. “They’re all gone now.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, placing a comforting hand on his.
“Thank ye, but ’tis been a long time since I’ve had a family. When I did, it was much as you said. Meals eaten together, stories told around the fire. I miss them.”
She squeezed his hand and he held on, not wishing to let go. They sat quietly for a while before Cassie spoke again. “I remember going camping when I was a little girl. We had a big tent and the best part was at night, when it was dark and a little bit scary, we’d sit around the fire and tell ghost stories. My brother and I weren’t very good at it, but Mom and Dad would always act like they were scared.” She laughed as she recalled. “Do you know any ghost stories, Ross?”
“I do. I know a good one.” Perhaps once he’d told her this story, he could tell her the truth.
“Will you tell me?” she asked, sounding much like the small child he imagined sitting around the campfire.
“A long, long time ago in a place called Culloden Moor, there was a battle. The Jacobite forces at the time were led by Charles Stuart. The men were all eager to fight for him. He was the rightful king, ye ken.” He glanced her way to see if she were following along and she nodded. “They were to fight the loyalist forces led by the Duke of Cumberland. Things didnae go according to plan and the Jacobites found themselves in a bad position. Bonnie Prince Charlie saw that defeat was imminent and, coward that he was, he ran, leaving his men on the field where they were given no quarter by Cumberland.”