“Welcome back, Miss Bernard. Can I seat you?” Emily worked the hostess stand.
Laurie didn’t bother correcting the young woman. Sooner or later, everyone at the inn would learn her new name.
“Thanks.” She smiled. “We’re supposed to meet my cousin, Finn.”
“He’s around here somewhere. He’s reserved a large table by the windows.” Emily beamed.
Large? Whatever.
“Can we wait for him at the bar? He should be along shortly.”
“Sure, Kim’s tending bar.” Emily eyes popped as if she’d just noticed Laurie’s stomach. She recovered quickly and turned away to write something on the seating diagram.
Laurie grasped Patrick’s hand and pulled him into the bar, a chuckle on her lips. Everyone would know about the baby soon.
The barroom was masculine with dark wood and leather. A long mirror ran the length of the bar and she smiled at Patrick’s reflection. He grinned back.
“Hi. I haven’t seen you in a while,” Emily’s boyfriend, Kim, greeted them. “What can I get you to drink?” He dropped a couple of cardboard coasters in front of them.
Patrick gave the boy a strange look before plastering a smile on his face. Laurie assumed he’d never seen an Asian before. Kim’s family fled Vietnam for France and moved to the United States a few years ago.
“I’ll have water and my husband will have a whisky. The best you have.”
Kim placed Laurie’s drink on a coaster and poured Patrick a glass of thirty-year old Tamdhu single malt. They were clicking glasses when Finn joined them.
He ordered a whisky and raised his glass when it arrived. “A toast to my new cousin-in-law. May you find kin among us.” He clicked both of their glasses with his.
“Thank you, kindly, I appreciate the warm welcome.”
Finn’s gaze darted to the doorway where Iain stood. “Ah, here’s someone you should meet.”
Patrick twisted to greet Iain with a wide smile. His face paled to a chalky white and he sagged against Laurie. She reached for his arm. Had the whisky gone to his head so quickly?
“Da?”
She stared at her landlord and then flicked her gaze back and forth between the two men. Her husband looked ill. Iain wore an inscrutable expression.
“Well lad, ’tis about time you got here.” Iain broke out into a broad grin.
Oh, shit. She should have seen the resemblance before. Their eyes were the same, both a dark blue that sparked when they smiled.
“Da? Is it you?”
Iain nodded and the two men embraced. A squeal pierced the air and Mairi ran into the room, tears spilling freely down her cheeks. “Oh, Patrick, I knew Laurie was the one...the one who would bring you to us.”
Laurie watched the scene play out in stunned disbelief.
An amused smile played on Finn’s lips.
Patrick disengaged from Mairi and stared at his father as if the man were a ghost.
“How?”
* * *
Much later, after Finn had gone up to his room, and the rest of the party sipped some fine port, Patrick decided the time had come for explanations. “Da, how did you and Mairi come to be here?”
His father gave him a weak smile. “That would be a tale for another time. What I will tell you is why we sent Laurie to bring you here.”
“You sent me? Why?” Laurie asked, shocked Iain and Mairi were involved. “Please explain.”
His father leaned forward. “’Tis a long tale—”
“Your father went to the library in Asheville and looked through some old Scottish history books where he found an entry about the MacLachlan line of chiefs,” Mairi said. She looked directly at Patrick. “Your name wasn’t there. The manuscript listed Iain as chief and then Archibald, but no mention of you. No mention of a death. Nothing. It was as if you had gone away before becoming chief and not returned.”
Patrick ran a hand through his hair. This time traveling, time changing, mystified him. “Mayhap Archibald had my name stricken from clan history.”
“Perhaps,” his father agreed. “With enough badgering, Caitrina—I assume you’ve learned of her—finally admitted the faerie queen challenged her to bring you forward in time. For three years, we waited for your soul mate to show up. I guess you probably ken more of the rest of the story than we do,” his father said.
Laurie grasped Patrick’s hand under the table and gave his fingers a tender squeeze, assuring him she was there for him, and always would be.
He was the luckiest man alive.
He would keep her and their bairns safe and prove his worth.
* * *
Weeks later, Laurie joined Patrick in the golden-hued cottage garden. The full harvest moon glowed overhead. The rear gate ajar, they could see the faerie knoll just beyond.
Laurie leaned against the warmth of Patrick’s hard chest, and he wrapped his strong arms around her, his breath teasing her ear. Tingly sensations traveled the length of her spine.
Even after what they’d been through together, she had a niggling of doubt. Patrick never once told her how he felt. Never once said he loved her. She hesitated before she spoke, not completely sure she wanted to spoil the moment. Yet she needed to know. Otherwise, every full moon would bring with it the fear of him leaving.
Laurie labored to remove every trace of her tumultuous emotion from her voice. “I know it’s been difficult to adjust to our new life. Do you wish to go back?”
Having finally asked the question, she braced herself for his answer.
“Nae.” He smiled. “Here is where our life is. Here is where our love will grow and blossom. Where our bairns will be born. Here is where I can keep you and our bairns safe.” His arms tightened around her. “My only regret is I let Maclay escape. However, I am sure Archibald will ensure the bastard is brought to justice. You dinnae need to fear I will go running off. I am yours forever... gu bràth.”
She snuggled against him and he nuzzled her neck. “I love you.”
No other words ever sounded as sweet.
“I love you too.” She turned in his arms and kissed her Highland warrior with every ounce of love within her heart.
EPILOGUE
One year later, Laurie stood amidst the racks in her new greenhouse, humming to herself while she transplanted young seedlings.
She missed her little guys, but her two baby boys, young Iain and Scott, were at the inn where their doting grandparents watched over them. Geez. When Patrick informed her they’d have three children, two boys and a girl, she never imagined the boys would come at the same time.
She smiled whenever she thought of them and of the baby girl still growing within the protection of her womb. She took out another planting tray and continued humming.
Patrick sauntered in and grinned. “You sound happy today, m’love.”
“Why not? There’s so much to look forward to. My garden shop will open soon. Finn should arrive at any moment for a long visit. And did I tell you he plans to stay for the Grandfather Mountain Games and the Gathering of the Clans?”
“Aye. That you did.”
“I’ll have two gorgeous men to boss around.” She batted her eyes at her husband.
Patrick wrapped his arms around her, and chuckled softly into her ear. She leaned into him, enjoying the closeness. Moments like this had become much too infrequent since the twins arrived.
The ringing of the doorbell in the attached gift shop ruined the mood. She pulled away. “Will you get the door? I locked it. Whoever is there can’t get in.” She brushed the dirt from her apron. “It’s more than likely Finn.”
She stared at Patrick’s firm butt as he walked away and sighed.
* * *
Chuckling, Patrick walked through the greenhouse and into the cramped quarters of the gift shop beyond. They’d made good use of Laurie’s old cottage.
When he opened the front door, he found a wee lass standing there. The tiny woman jumped back. She slowly raised her gaze to him a
nd her eyes widened. She trembled before she stiffened and glared at him.
He frowned, unable to believe her glower. The woman studied him as if he were some distasteful creature she found under a slimy rock.
Remembering his manners, he forced a smile. “Hello, lass. Can I help you?”
The lass squeaked.
“Who’s at the door?” Laurie called as she came to join him.
“Naught but a wee mouse.” He spoke over his shoulder.
Returning his gaze to the woman, he watched her bristle at the barb. He chuckled good-naturedly.
Laurie stepped behind him and peeked around his back. “Jillian, what are you doing here?” She pushed him out of the way.
The two lasses hugged.
“Please, come in.” His wife gestured for her friend to enter.
The lass hesitated, eying him with uncertainty.
“Ignore my brute of a husband.” Laurie grabbed Jillian’s hand and pulled her into the gift shop. “Now, tell me how you came to be here.”
“I lost my job.” A sob escaped Jillian. “The company laid me off. They’ve dissolved my department. They’re sending our work to someplace called Bangalore.”
“Oh, sweet Jillian, as much as this must upset you, it’s wonderful news. I’ve been looking for a partner to help me with the new shop. I plan to call it ‘Foxgloves’. It will be a special place, a community space for all the local gardeners to share information. With your customer service experience, you’ll be perfect. Please, tell me you’ll stay.”
Patrick stepped out of the way and the two wee lasses brushed passed him headed for the greenhouse. He’d need to hurry the guest cottage he planned to build, especially if his wife was determined to pick up every lonely misfit who wandered by. Their house would be too crowded once their daughter was born. Then again, the lass could stay at the inn.
With that decided, Patrick strode off, whistling a merry tune.
* * *
Tir-nan-óg
In the queen’s chambers, Caitrina forced aside her pride.
“What is your challenge?”
The queen slid the tip of a pink tongue over crimson lips and smiled a beautifully wicked smile. She ran the sapphire gems from a crystal bowl through her slender fingers.
“I believe you’ll enjoy my wee dare, you do so adore your twenty-first century mortals. Your task shall involve that sinfully handsome Finn MacIntyre.”
“Not Finn!”
“Getting him together with his perfect match won’t be too difficult, my princess. Just impossible.”
With her hands close to her sides, Caitrina clenched her fingers into tight fists.
“Your eyes spark green fire. Don’t make me regret the gift of my leniency.” Oonagh sensuously stretched on the white chase, making soft purring sounds. “Now be off with you.”
BOOKS BY DAWN MARIE HAMILTON
Scottish Historical/Time Travel Fantasy Romance
The Highland Gardens Series
Just Beyond the Garden Gate
Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon
Just in Time for a Highland Christmas (Novella)
Just Wait For Me (2015)
Scottish Inspired Paranormal Romance
The Crimson Storm Series
Sea Panther
Highland Charm: First Fantasies Page 111