I barely heard him call out to try to stop me as I allowed the door to slam shut between us.
On the same floor as my own, it was a short walk over to the manager’s apartment.
The first time I knocked, there was no answer. The second time, I banged even more loudly as my frustration grew. I knew the man I’d yet to meet was home. Gramps had spoken to him over the intercom.
Rather impatiently, I tapped my foot, counted to fifteen, then proceeded to bang on the door with the side of my fist as I called out to him.
“Look, I know you’re there. You left my grandfather sitting out on the front steps of this place for God knows how long. Now open this door so I can talk to you.”
I heard the moment he shifted inside and immediately began to rethink my knee-jerk decision to confront him. I had just moved in to this building. There was no reason on earth that the manager should’ve let anyone into the building on the sheer claim that they knew someone inside. I was just tired, sad, and overwhelmed, and when I’d found Gramps sitting outside, my desperate need to scream at someone boiled over. I had no real plan for what I would say after he opened the door, but it was far too late to back down now.
When the door did swing open, all I could do was stare.
Whatever I’d expected our manager to look like, it certainly wasn’t the man standing before me. While there was no real reason for my assumption, I’d imagined someone much older, probably overweight, balding, and with Cheetos powder that lingered on a creepy, patchy mustache.
This man was none of those things. He couldn’t have been but a handful of years older than me, and no one would ever describe him as overweight or balding. His head of hair was so beautiful it actually made me angry to look at him. And although he certainly wasn’t smiling at me now, I had the nagging suspicion that if he did smile, that unfriendly look about him would disappear in an instant.
Stern eyes panned over my face, and he frowned before speaking. “Lass, unless ye’ve an emergency that canna wait until nine tomorrow morning, I am off duty for the night. Please respect my time and see yerself back to yer own apartment.”
He reached to close the door in my face, but I quickly thrust a hand out to stop him and blocked the door with the palm of my hand.
“Oh…no way. Hang on just a second. You left my grandfather sitting out in the cold. Why didn’t you buzz him in?”
The slightest hint of a smile teased at the corners of his mouth as he widened his eyes and lifted his chin to give me a nod.
“Ah. So the old man did really know someone in the building.”
I screeched my reply to him. “Didn’t he tell you that?”
The man crossed his arms and leaned into the doorway. “Aye, he did, but how was I to know if he was telling me the truth? I canna let strangers who have no right to access this building in just because they buzz my home and tell me to let them inside, lass. Surely ye can understand that. If ye wish for yer grandfather to have access to yer home, why doesna he have a key?”
“Because…” I was so angry that I was vibrating all over. “I just had one made for him today. I just moved in.”
The asshole of a stranger didn’t back down.
“Ah. So you’re the lass whose moved into my old apartment. I’m sorry about yer grandfather, but I doona know him. If ye want yer grandfather to be able to come and go as he pleases, give him the key ye made for him today and know that ye are responsible for his behavior while he is here. Now, if ye’ll excuse me, I am in the middle of enjoying my dinner and intend to return to it promptly. Goodnight, lass.”
With that, he closed the door in my face as I stood shaking in the hallway.
Chapter 6
“Wow, she was not happy.”
Ross sighed as he joined Sydney at the dinner table. He couldn’t remember how long it had been since a woman had screamed at him that way.
“Did ye hear every word of that then?”
Sydney chuckled sympathetically. “Every word.”
Ross raised his brows at her. “What is that look for, lass?”
“That’s the friend that Caleb moved into Laurel’s old apartment?”
He nodded. “Aye. Why?”
Sydney smiled as she raised another ravioli into her mouth. “Was she pretty?”
“Remarkably.” He couldn’t deny the truth of the fact. She was as beautiful a woman as he’d ever seen. With long dark hair, thick brows, and pretty green eyes, he found himself half glad she’d screamed at him. Otherwise, he wasn’t sure he would’ve been able to gather his wits enough to speak to her at all.
“I wonder if that’s who you’re going out with tomorrow.”
“No.” The thought seemed impossible to him. “It canna be. She was terrible.”
Sydney shook her head to disagree with him as Tink jumped up on his leg begging for a bite of food from the table.
“She wasn’t terrible. I recognized the desperation in her tone. You weren’t really the person she was mad at. You were just the person who got to bear the brunt of whatever was hurting her. She’s Caleb’s friend, yes? It goes to reason she was Beth’s friend, as well. Good chance she’s grieving just like you are.”
If so, the woman’s anger seemed entirely justified to him. For days, all he’d wanted to do was scream at someone.
“What makes you believe it might be her Caleb has set me up with?”
Sydney smiled as she unsuccessfully tried to sneak Tink a piece of dinner roll without him seeing. He frowned at her as she laughed.
“Think about it. She’s pretty. Age appropriate. She just moved into the building, and she can clearly go toe-to-toe with you. If I was Caleb, that’s exactly who I’d set you up with.”
“Hmm…” He made the noise without realizing it as he crossed both arms across his chest. The possibility didn’t upset him.
The date would go nowhere regardless. He was finished opening himself up to love, but at least she wouldn’t be hard to look at over dinner.
On the day of the date I still couldn’t believe I’d agreed to, I did my best to stay as busy as possible until I had to get ready. I spent the morning going over my patient schedule for Monday and continued to unpack and settle into my new home.
When it was finally time to prepare, dread and nerves began to settle in. I showered slowly as I tried to think of excuses I could use to get out of it. But every time I reached for my phone to call Caleb and cancel, I thought of Beth. I could sit through one dinner for her. And, if the stranger offered to pay, at least I would get a free meal at the best Indian restaurant in town.
A welcome distraction came when my phone rang and my sister’s photo popped up on the screen.
“Georgie!” I smiled into the phone as I answered it. Georgie flitted about the world so often that phone calls were rare. “Where are you calling from?”
“New York, actually. About to board my plane to Boston.”
“Boston? You’re on your way here?”
“Yes, and I just got off the phone with Gramps. I called to see if I could stay with him, but he told me to give you a call. How long has it been since you moved out?”
I laughed, thinking of the freedom Gramps was so desperately clinging on to. Now that he had me out of his house, he wasn’t about to let one of us move back in.
“Just a few days. What time are you supposed to land?”
“Five-thirty. Should be at your place by six-thirty at the latest, after I gather my luggage and everything.”
“Oh, damn.” I would already be on my date by then. “I won’t be here when you arrive, but of course you’re welcome to stay. Have the cab swing by Gramps’ house so you can grab his spare key. Feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen. There’s not much.”
“Sure. No problem. Where are you going?”
“I…” I hesitated, dreading the squeal of delight I knew I was about to elicit from my older sister. “I have a date.”
“A date! Then why are you sitting here talk
ing to me? Go and get ready. You can tell me all about it tonight. Love you.”
She hung up before I had a chance to respond.
If my suspicions were correct, there was going to be very little to tell her when I returned.
Chapter 7
With everything arranged by Caleb, I arrived at the Indian restaurant early. I wanted to get seated—preferably in a place where I could keep my eye on the door and watch for some man who looked as hesitant as I felt to enter.
When six-thirty came and went without anyone unaccompanied entering the restaurant, I began to worry that I’d been stood up. Just as I reached for my phone to text Caleb, I felt the light touch of someone’s hand on my shoulder.
Dropping the phone back into my purse, I looked up to find my building manager standing beside my table.
“Sue?”
Thankful I was sitting, I groaned inwardly as my eyes grew wide. I’d not stopped screaming at this man long enough to tell him my name the last time we’d seen each other. If he knew it, there was only one reason.
“Please don’t tell me you’re Ross.”
He nodded and removed his hand from my shoulder. “Aye. I’m sorry to disappoint ye. Would ye rather I leave?”
As the shock wore off, remorse flooded me, and I stood to attempt to correct my inexcusable rudeness.
“No. No, please stay.” I extended my hand toward him. “Look. I owe you an apology anyway. It’s been a tough week. Can we start again?”
Smiling, he took my hand. “Of course, lass. ’Tis a pleasure to meet ye.”
Releasing my hand, he scooted into the opposite side of the booth as I returned to my seat. He looked even more handsome than he had the night before. He wore a light blue collared shirt that complimented his eyes, and the smell of his cologne was intoxicating. And God…how I loved his accent.
“Did you slip in through the back door or something? I didn’t see you enter?”
“No. I’ve been here for some time. I was seated on the other side of the restaurant. ’Twas the waiter who suggested ye might be waiting for me over here.”
“Did you know who I was?”
“No, though when I saw ye sitting here, I knew ye must be my date.”
I nodded, as I glanced down at the menu to try and still my nerves. “Do you like Indian food?”
He shrugged. “In truth, I doona know. I’ve only had it once and ’twas a long time ago. I couldna tell ye a thing I ate.”
“Would you like me to order a few dishes and some naan bread, and we can just share them?”
He nodded appreciatively. “Aye, thank ye.”
As if called, the waiter suddenly made his way over to our table and I placed our order—garlic naan, Bhindi Masala, Butter Chicken, and some vegetables. As soon as the waiter left us, Ross continued our conversation.
“How do ye know Caleb? Were ye and Beth quite close?”
I didn’t miss the sadness in his eyes as he mentioned Beth’s name. The sudden emotion in his expression and the reminder that we had both lost a dear friend made me feel inexplicably close to him. All of the anger I’d felt toward him from our previous encounter vanished.
“Yes, we were. She and I were roommates in college, and we’ve stayed close ever since. I dated her brother for a long time.”
He raised his brows in surprise and I knew what he was thinking.
“That was before Ethan came out. Back when we were all just doing our best to figure out how to express who we really were.”
“Ah.”
“And you? Caleb told me very little about you.”
I listened in amazement as I realized what a small world we really live in. Not only did we share a connection from our friendship with Beth, but it had been Laurel who’d given Ross a place to live when he moved here from Scotland.
By the time he finished telling me about his friendship with Beth, our food arrived and we both dug right in. I delighted in watching him discover really excellent Indian food.
“So, you like it?”
“Aye. This willna be my last time here, though ye will have to remind me of everything ye ordered.”
We visited and laughed about all kinds of things while we ate and for a long time after we were done. It wasn’t until we looked up to notice the restaurant was nearly empty all around us that either of us moved to bring the date to an end.
“It seems we’ve nearly closed them down, lass. Shall we leave so they can close up for the night?”
I found myself reluctant to bring the evening to an end. Somehow, sharing stories about Beth had been cathartic and enjoyable rather than sad and gloomy. My heart felt lighter than it had in days as we made our way outside into the frigid air.
“I suppose we can walk back together since we’re headed in the same direction.”
He nodded and extended his arm. I gladly took it, not missing the firm muscles beneath his coat.
“Might I ask ye a question, lass?”
I looked over at him and smiled. “Of course.”
“Is Sue yer real name?”
Surprised by the question, I stopped walking, forcing him to do the same as he faced me. “Why do you ask?”
He shrugged, a gesture I’d noticed he made frequently. It softened him a little. Made him look somehow less intimidating.
“I canna say for certain. ’Tis something about ye, I guess. Ye doona…ye doona look like a Sue to me.”
I laughed. I’d never felt like one, either.
“Well no, actually. Sue isn’t my real name, but everyone except my grandfather calls me that. My real name is Allanah.”
He closed his eyes and smiled, and the gesture made my insides all swimmy.
“Allanah. The name suits ye far better. Would ye mind if I called ye that name instead?”
“Not at all.”
He reached for my arm again and we continued our walk back to the building. When we reached the door, he turned to me. “I doona want ye to think that just because I know where ye live, I shall take advantage of it. Ye are under no obligation to see me again.”
I’d already pulled out my phone. I wasn’t worried about that in the least.
“What’s your number? I’ll text you mine.”
He smiled and gave me a nod before giving me his number. “Perfect, lass. I shall call ye.”
We made our way up the elevator together and once we stepped out onto our shared floor, he kissed my hand goodnight.
“I hope to see ye soon, Allanah.”
Blushing, I let myself into my apartment, knowing I would be ambushed by Georgie the moment I stepped inside.
Sure enough, her arms came around me as she peppered me with questions.
“First of all, hello. Second, tell me everything. Was he cute? How was dinner? Was the conversation good?”
Every ounce of me had expected the date to go horribly. I was still so in shock that it hadn’t, I scarcely knew where to begin.
“I honestly hate to admit it, but it was the most fun I’ve had with a man in years.”
What had he done?
The question circled in his mind over and over as he collapsed down onto his couch.
That part of his life—the romantic part—was over. How could he have gone and let himself have such a good time?
His phone, not surprisingly, dinged inside his pocket.
Sydney.
He groaned as he read her text message. “So…? Even though I’m exhausted from my flight, I haven’t been able to sleep a wink. I HAVE to know how it went. Was it the girl from last night?”
Quickly, he texted back. “Aye. I believe I mayhap be in some trouble.”
Sydney only responded with one word—in all caps.
“WONDERFUL!”
Chapter 8
Georgie didn’t let go of me for a long time, and I made no effort to push her away. It was good to feel her arms around me, good to know that even though we rarely saw each other, I did actually have family that existed in the world outside of G
ramps.
Four years older than me, Georgie had always been too far ahead of me in everything for us to be all that close growing up. Just as I entered high school, she left for college. When I moved into my college dorm, she was packing up her bag to begin her worldwide travels.
We got along splendidly, but age and distance meant that we didn’t visit nearly as much as I would like. When I thought back on my childhood, it always seemed strange to me that Gramps and I were the ones who’d remained in Boston. With my parents now enjoying their retirement in Washington State and Georgie in a different place almost every week, I often forgot just how isolated I was from those I loved the most until I had the opportunity to see them.
When Georgie finally pulled away from me, I looked her up and down and frowned. A year had passed since I’d last seen her. She looked different—and not in a good way. Her skin was pale, her eyes tired. She’d put on a few pounds. More than anything, she just didn’t look like the unusually chipper Georgie I’d always known.
“What’s going on with you? Are you feeling ill?”
Georgie shook her head. “No. Just exhausted, and if I’m honest, scared. I don’t regret a minute of the last ten years, but I’m over it, sis. I’m done with the wandering. I want to settle down and make a home for myself somewhere, but I don’t even know how to begin.”
I looked at her sadly and reached to pull her into my arms once more, then walked her over to the couch on the other side of the room.
Somehow, after traveling more miles than I could count, my older sister had finally sewn all her wild oats and was ready to create some sense of normalcy for herself. I’m sure it was scary. Luckily for her, I’d pretty much skipped any wild oat sewing and had settled down into adulthood earlier than I probably should have. By now, I was a pro.
“It’s all going to be okay. You may not know where to begin, but I do. For now, you’re going to stay right here with me. Even though it’s filled with packed boxes, I do have a spare bedroom, and it’s yours for as long as you need it.”
Love Beyond Boundaries (A Scottish Time Travel Romance): Book 12 (Morna's Legacy Series) Page 5