His breath caught as he moved.
“Are you thirsty?”
Angus nodded.
Paige filled a cup with water in and stuck a straw in it. “I think I’ll hold it for you. I suspect cold water in warm places would be worse than laughing.”
“Aye.”
While he took sips of water, Paige watched him. He was nothing like those tabloids had made him out to be. The same warmth she felt from Rory, she felt in him. She understood how Penelope could’ve fallen for him in such a short time. Her timing with Rory wasn’t any longer.
“What?” he asked.
“My sister loves you with every fiber of her being. She smiles when your name is mentioned. She blushes when you look at her. Her thoughts are filled with you and a future as your wife. If you break her heart, I’ll make this ram-stomping seem like a party.”
Angus grunted and gritted his teeth. “I’d expect nothing less.” He laughed. “Oh, don’t make me laugh.”
She held his gaze. “You better not laugh. I’m the mean one.”
“Ow. Oh, stop.”
She touched his arm. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to hurt you.”
“I’m fine.” He patted her hand.
She lifted an eyebrow.
“Okay, not fine, but I can handle it.”
Paige took a deep breath. If she was a new person, she needed to do things a new way. “I’m sorry I was so hateful to you that first day you two showed up in Pensacola. I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you since coming here. I’m sorry for doubting how you felt about her. The one thing I’m not sorry about is signing her up for the show. I can’t see her being happy with anyone but you.”
He looked at her with his lips parted. A beat passed, and he asked, “What brought about this change?”
“Seeing her in her wedding dress.”
“It’s great, isn’t it?” He smiled as wide as he could.
“You have no idea.”
“Tell me, then.”
“No way! You’ll have to wait, but you better have some tissue stuffed in your pocket. It’ll make you cry. I swear it’s the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen.”
“With the most beautiful woman filling it out.”
Paige chuckled. “Charm must run in your family. All of you seem to have an endless supply of it.”
“When you’re good at something, it’s best not to rock the boat.”
This time she tipped her head back and laughed. “You are something else, Angus MacLachlan. And a much better man than you’ve been painted as by the press. I can see why she’s fallen in love with you.”
“I wasn’t exactly expecting you to be nice to me.”
Paige paused and looked down. “I should have accepted it the first thing. I should have trusted my sister, but I was so shocked, and I wasn’t listening like I should have been.”
“It’s okay. I’m just glad you’ve had a change of heart.”
“If my sister loves you, then I do too. If the press messes with you now, they’ll have the both of us to contend with.”
“Twin bodyguards. I think that could be a male fantasy come true.” He chuckled and winced.
“Good thing you're broken at the moment, or I’d be knocking that smirk off your face.”
He held his ribs as a chuckle bubbled out through a grunt.
“You should get some rest. You have an appointment in February that you can’t miss.”
Angus caught her hand. “Thank you. Thank you for your blessing.”
“No, thanks for putting up with me when you didn’t have to. After the way I pitched a fit, you still let me come here and stay. Your family has been great to me and my sister.”
“I love Penelope, and she loves you. She told me you two talked.”
“We did. Looking back, I was so stupid. My dad loved me, and I should have known that what I overheard was wrong. I should have talked to him too. I think I’ll be living with that regret for a while.”
“You can’t change it. Trust me; I know a thing or two about regret. It eats you up and spits you out. It leaves marks. Let it go and live.”
“I’m going to try.” Paige stood, and Angus squeezed her hand. They locked gazes.
“Be gentle with my brother’s heart. He’s not fragile, but he’s not made of stone either. He has feelings for you, and I don’t think he could handle another heartbreak.”
She patted his hand. “I guess we’ll be keeping each other in check, huh?”
“Aye.”
Paige took her seat back in the chair. Angus MacLachlan was going to be her brother-in-law. She shook her head as she thought about the past few months and how they’d led her to this point in time.
“Hey!” Penelope said as she poked her head in the door and then walked in. “How’s my favorite leading man?”
“Full of charm, among other things,” said Paige as she looked at Angus.
He rolled his eyes and looked at Penelope. “Sore, but you can spring me tomorrow.”
“They’re letting you go?”
“Aye. It’s about time, too. I was about to file kidnapping charges.”
“They just wanted to make sure you were okay.” Penelope stopped by his bed, bent down, and placed a kiss on his lips.
He scoffed. “They wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to sue for malpractice.”
Penelope bit her bottom lip. “There was probably a good dose of that too.” She laughed.
“Are you tired of being here?” Penelope asked Paige.
“Well, this chair should be classified as a torture device, but I’m okay. He’s actually not bad company when he’s not being a smart mouth.”
“I’m the smart mouth?” Angus jerked his attention to Penelope. “Your sister is the classic definition of a smart aleck.”
“Am not.”
“I kinda believe him.” Penelope rolled her lips in, but her shoulders bounced as she laughed.
Paige rolled her eyes. “I’m going to take a break. I can see you’re both dying to put your hands all over each other, and I don’t wanna dry-heave.”
Penelope laughed. “Get out.”
Paige snickered and left the room. Penelope was marrying a good man. He might be an actor, but when it came to her sister, he wasn’t acting. There was real love between them. That reporter would get an invitation, and then she’d see for herself. There was no story other than a love story.
CHAPTER 32
Rory tapped on the guesthouse door, and Penelope answered, which wasn’t a shock. Sarah and Taran were spending more and more time together. Of course, the excuse was that she wanted to spend time with the horses and he wanted to make sure she didn’t mess his barn up.
Since they’d returned from Edinburgh, he’d been back to working with Taran on the farm in the morning, and with visiting Angus in the evening, it had left little time for him and Paige.
With Angus back at the farmhouse, it freed up some of his time, and he’d been aching to see her.
Penelope smiled. “Hey, Rory. I was just leaving.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Mighty convenient.”
“What? I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.” She left him at the door as he walked in, and she grabbed her coat off the back of one of the living room chairs. “See ya later.” She winked as she walked out the door, shutting it behind her.
“Paige?” He called a couple of times, but there was no answer.
A door down the hall opened, and Paige stepped out in a short robe, her hair wet, and the moment she saw him, her eyes widened. “Rory?”
He shouldn’t have gawked, but it was hard to take his eyes off of her. The little robe showed her legs starting at mid-thigh. The front gaped almost too much, and he was sure if she were closer, he’d be seeing parts of her he shouldn’t. At least not yet. Now he needed a shower. A cold one.
She pulled the robe closed. “Uh, let me get dressed. I’ll be out in a second.”
He nodded and darted for the
kitchen to make some coffee. Anything to get his thoughts on something different.
“Hi,” Paige said.
“Ye dressed fast.” They needed a different topic than her dressing.
“Kinda had it laid out, but yeah. Hair’s still wet, though.”
“Want some coffee?”
She nodded. “Sure.” She paused. “I bet it’s nice having Angus out of the hospital.”
Rory shook his head. “Not as much as ye would think. He insists on goin’ out with us of a mornin’, but only to supervise. So, now I’ve got a sore, cranky man lookin’ over my shoulder, tryin’ to tell me how to work.”
Paige laughed. “I can see him doing that.”
“Thank you for sittin’ with him and keepin’ him company.”
“It’s not a big deal. I didn’t mind. He's pretty likable, so it made time go fast.”
“Well, it’s a big deal to me. I wish I could’ve stayed more, but someone is damagin’ the fence. I knew it; I just needed to convince Taran.”
“Do you have any idea who?”
“Naw. That developer is gone. So the suspect I had pegged couldn’t possibly be doin’ it.”
“But it’s nice your brothers are talking again, right?” Her voice was soft, but she remained in the doorway. The time apart had made things a little awkward.
He leaned his hip against the counter and smiled. “Better than nice. I’d missed them. Those two were like peas in a pod, and the row was affectin’ all of us.”
“I’m glad it’s fixed,” she said and rested her shoulder on the doorway. “I know Penelope was happy about it.”
Paige was looking at the floor, and she tucked her wet hair behind her ear. A small smile played on her lips. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her feet were bare. Fresh out of the shower, and the scent of whatever body wash she’d used filled the kitchen with citrus. She pushed off the doorframe and walked to him. “I’ve missed you.”
Rory cleared his throat. “Aye.”
“That less than nine weeks has turned into less than eight. The wedding will be here before we know it.” Her voice was soft.
Her nearness made his skin tingle. “Nae thinkin’ about it, remember?”
“I can’t stop,” she said as she looked up at him.
Rory took her in his arms. “I’d be lyin’ if I said it was easy.”
“I’d really like to kiss you, but it feels a little awkward since we got back from Edinburgh.”
He brought his lips down to her ear and whispered, “Aye, but I think I can get past it.”
She shivered as he grazed her cheek with his nose. “Rory,” she gasped.
Their eyes locked, and the desire he felt for her was mirrored in her eyes. Both of them with parted lips, breath mingling, his heart was climbing up his throat. Their lips so close but not quite touching.
“I love you,” she said in a featherlight moan as she crushed her mouth to his. Her arms lifted until her hands were buried in his hair.
She loved him? What about Alana? Wasn’t it cheating on her to think of a life with someone else? Until those words had slipped from her lips, he’d been sure of how he felt about her and where he saw things going. He’d let Alana go. But with it said, he felt himself shrink back. He wasn’t sure if it was voluntary or not. Those words had been heavier than he’d thought they’d be. They’d clamped on like ankle weights, pulling him down, and he couldn’t see the surface of the water anymore.
He broke the kiss. His arms dropped from her, and he put space between them. “Yer leavin’ in less than eight weeks.”
“I don’t think I can. I mean, I know I’m not supposed to be thinking about it, but I can’t stop. This week has been hectic, and we’ve barely seen each other, and I can’t imagine that being permanent.”
She tried to close the gap, and he widened it with two more steps. Rory’s thoughts swirled. Hadn’t he wanted her to stay? Hadn’t that been what he was hoping for? Here she was, willing to stay for him, and he could barely breathe. “Ye cannae stay.” The words left his mouth before he had the chance to corral them.
A glassy sheen covered her eyes. She looked completely shaken. “Okay. I—”
The doorknob began to turn, and Paige left the sentence unfinished. She smoothed her hair down and wiped her palms on her jeans. She looked at Rory and then to the door as Sarah walked in.
“Hey, guys.” She smiled. “Don’t mind me. I’m just grabbing a shower. I smell like hay and horses.”
Rory recovered as quickly as he could. “It’s okay. I was just leavin’.”
Paige nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I’ll see you later.” She smiled as he nearly bolted from the house.
CHAPTER 33
I t had been two days since Paige had spoken with Rory. He’d kissed her with as much passion and longing as she felt. Or so she thought. She’d blurted out that she loved him, and it had been a mistake. A complete disaster. A moment in time she couldn’t take back or fix.
All along, she’d been worried about moving, thinking he’d want her to stay if things got serious, and that hadn’t been his intention at all. He’d never wanted her to stay. He didn’t feel the same for her.
How had she not seen it? When he’d kept pushing for them to go out, she’d assumed it meant he wanted to see if there was a chance for them. She had it so wrong. And now she felt foolish.
“Paige?”
She jerked her head up. “Yeah?”
“I asked if you liked my outfit,” said Sarah.
“I’m sorry.”
Sarah had begged Paige and Penelope to go shopping with her. Taran had asked her out, and she had to have the perfect outfit. Of course, that meant Penelope would be trying stuff on too.
The town was having a Christmas Eve festival. It was going to have hot chocolate and tea, spiced cider, and lights, along with horse-drawn carriages. The whole thing sounded wonderful. Paige was going to avoid it. She had no desire to traipse around something that was probably going to be romantic, especially when all she wanted to do was cry.
Penelope bounced out of the dressing room she’d been in. “So?” She twirled in the flowy blouse and dress slacks. “I know Angus likes dresses, but I don’t want my legs to freeze.” She tilted her head. “Are you okay?”
Sarah walked to the chair Paige was sitting in and sat in the one next to her. “What’s going on? You’ve been in your own world for the last two days. Ever since Rory was at the guesthouse. Did something happen?”
“I told you no. We just came to an understanding. It really wasn’t working out. We’ve got a lot in common. We’re obviously attracted to each other, but the spark isn’t there. Ya know? I guess I’m just feeling a little left out. Between you having a date and Penelope getting married, I feel like a third wheel.”
Sarah touched her arm. “Are you telling me the truth?”
No. She couldn’t tell them the truth without feeling like a complete idiot. Blurting out that she loved him while they were kissing. The way he’d looked at her when she’d said it. How he’d stepped back and then nearly tripped over himself leaving.
There was no way she was divulging that embarrassing scene. Reliving it in her head over and over was punishment enough. “What reason would I have to lie?”
Sarah touched her arm. “We’re not saying you’re lying, just maybe not being completely forthcoming with what really happened.”
Paige sat up. “I’m fine. Would you two quit?”
Penelope sighed. “You just seem sad. And now you’re not going tonight. It does make it seem like something’s wrong.”
“Yeah,” Sarah said.
Paige forced a smile. “I’m fine. I told you guys. Everything is fine.”
“Then come with us tonight. Yeah, Rory will be there, but if there’s nothing between you two, then it should be fine. We’ll all go and have fun. I promise we won’t let you feel like a third wheel,” Sarah said as she looked at Penelope for backup.
“No, we won’t. We’ll
all hang out. I won’t even kiss Angus.” Penelope smiled.
Paige lifted an eyebrow.
“Okay, maybe that was taking it a step too far, but I’ll make sure it’s minimum PDA. Or minimum for us.” Her cheeks turned pink as she smiled wider.
“And Taran and I haven’t gotten to that stage yet. This will be our first date. For starters, I don’t kiss on a first date, and we’ll be there with his whole family. Talk about awkward.”
“I appreciate it, but I honestly don’t want to go. I want to sit in the guesthouse in the quiet and enjoy some alone time. It’s been forever since I’ve had the chance to relax, drink some coffee, and read a book. I need it.”
Penelope shrugged. “Okay, we’ll back off. We just didn’t want you staying home because of us.”
“I’m not. I’m staying because of me. I want to take a long bath, fix myself something hot to drink, curl up on the couch, and relax. That’s all.”
Sarah stood. “Well, if that’s all. But you need to help us with outfits, so no more daydreaming.”
“Okay, fine.” Her phone rang, and she answered without checking it first. “Hello?”
“I haven’t received my invitation yet.” The reporter’s voice was clipped.
Sarah and Penelope gave her questioning looks.
“Hold on,” Paige said. She smiled at them. “You guys try on dresses, and I’ll be back. I don’t want to be rude and talk on the phone in here.” She stood and stepped outside the shop before returning to the call.
“I’m back.”
“About that invitation,” the reporter snipped.
“We’ve been working on them.”
“Oh, really? A big celebrity is getting married in a little over a month, and the bride-to-be is just now working on the invitations? I find that hard to believe.”
“It’s true. I swear. They have twelve weeks to get everything planned.”
“Right. I’m thinking I’ve got a story to run. What day should it go out?”
Oh, please no. How could she convince her? “Angus was hurt. He just got out of the hospital a few days ago.”
“Is that right?”
Mending the Billionaire Scotsman: A Clean Scottish Romance Book Two Page 15