“I can take it from ’ere, Boyle. What Miss Sutherland needs is the help of a man.” His tone was deep and abrasive. After a brief standoff, Behr released the clerk from the prison of his glare. His demeanor softened when he turned back to Ellora. “I've got m’truck outside. I can give ya a ride back, if you’d like?”
Her heart fluttered at his kind offer. She felt the pit of her stomach twisting and bubbling with nerves, hating how he had this strong of an effect on her. Whether it was like a teenage crush, or possibly a reaction from her worst fear, Ellora’s body was confused on which. For crying out loud, the man didn’t even talk that much, but just the way he looked at her had her whole body reacting. It was as though he could see right to her soul. It was both flattering and unsettling.
Knock it off! She mentally shook her head. Crossing her arms over her chest, Ellora nodded her head in approval, trying to look like it wasn’t that big a deal. “Thanks, Behr. That would help me out a lot.”
“How didja get up here, love?” Behr inquired curiously, grabbing the heavy cart for her, as Ellora took out her credit card to pay the clerk. “Did someone drop you off?”
“No. I walked up here.” The look on his face told her he thought she was crazy. “I wanted to check out the neighborhood and get the most out of this beautiful spring day. What? No one walks around here?” she commented sarcastically. He just shook his head and gave her a lopsided smirk.
“You’re too pretty to be such a smart-ass. You must get that from your father. I was just wondering how you were planning to get all this back there. Unless you've got a donkey parked out front I didn’t see?”
“Well,” Ellora said with a playful tone. “I guess I would’ve just had to take Isaac up on his kind offer then, huh!” She batted her eyes at him.
Behr bellowed out a hearty laugh, tilted his head, and brought both his hands to his chest, mocking a broken heart. “And break the young lad’s heart when you refuse him later. You’re a cold-hearted lass, you are, Ellora Belle.” She jabbed him in the arm as hard as she could, hurting her own hand instead, laughing along with him.
They stopped at his truck, and as he loaded up the bed with her items, she took the dolly back to the cart return. When she returned, Behr was holding the door of his truck open for her. She hated to admit it, but his kind gestures melted some more ice around her heart. He was starting to get to her. Ellora smiled, thanking him as he reached out and gently grasped her hand. He helped her step up into the cabin and shut the door carefully behind her. The attentiveness he always seemed to show her made her cheeks turn as red as a tomato.
Behr jumped into the driver’s side and looked over at her, hesitating for a moment before starting the engine. “We don't ’ave to go back straight away, do we, love? How ’bout a bite?”
“That'd be perfect. I'm starving. Where’d you have in mind?”
“I'll take you to one of my favorite places, aye, and I ’ave something to show you as well that I think you'll enjoy,” he uttered with a low soothing tone, just above a whisper. He gazed at her, his eyes searching over her face intimately, then looked back at the road.
Behr took Ellora to the Cafe' Arriba Bistro, on the north end of Bank Street. It was on the upper level of the Over the Rainbow gift shop, and had spectacular views of the Harbor. Behr picked a table located in the corner next to the windows and pulled out her chair for her. She’d already scanned the funky, chalk menu board when they first walked in and knew exactly what she wanted.
When the waitress came around to ask what they wanted to drink, Ellora quickly listed her full order. “Yes, I'll have a Coke and the Spicy Tomato, Olive, and Mozzarella Flatbread Melt with the Meatball soup.” She was definitely starving.
Behr shook his head and smiled. Without even looking at the waitress, he raised his voice, “I'll ’ave a Black Cuillin Beer and the spiced beef Burger on a toasted bagel, with salsa, garlic, and mayo, and chips as well. Thank you.” When she left, he leaned in closer. “I like that you’ve a good appetite on ya. There's nothin' sexier than seein' a beautiful woman order something other than a salad.”
He was doing it again, gazing at her with those beautiful blue eyes and crooked smirk. It was like he enjoyed watching her squirm and blush under the heavy weight of his stare. As if reading her mind, he snapped himself out of it and started a conversation. “So, Lor, are you quite comfortable and settled in at Grady's yet.”
“Yes, he's such a kind, sweet man. They are all very generous and welcoming. It is such a beautiful town, too. I’m looking forward to making this my home.”
Behr looked happy with that answer. “I just hope I can fix up the pub for Grady in enough time for him to get a good enough crowd this summer. Kristy told me about his wife...” Ellora paused for a moment, remembering how heartbroken it made everyone talking about it. She’d finally passed after a long-suffering battle with breast cancer. “And how his place suffered afterward,” she continued woefully.
“Aye, he was in a bad way for a while. She was everything to him. I envy them for having that.” He mumbled that last part in such a hushed whisper she almost didn’t hear him make the comment.
“We all want to see the pub hopping like she used to. I will be proud to help in any way I can, love.”
The waitress came around with their drinks, and let them know their food would be right out. She gave Ellora another glance, adding, “Ah, you're Ellora, right? BB's girl? Kristy told us about ya, aye, and we are glad a Sutherland found their way back to the Isle. You look just like your mother, dear.”
Ellora thanked her, and the waitress looked at Behr, patting him on the shoulder. “You’d better snatch her up, Behr, before all the other lads ’round this town see what a beauty she is and steal her away.” With that, she strutted off. Behr looked dumb-founded. His face reddened pretty quickly, which made Ellora snicker a little. It was good to see that he could get just as uncomfortable as she so often was.
“So, Behr, you’re a bachelor, huh?” Ellora couldn’t even believe that came flying out of her mouth unfiltered, and she couldn't even stop herself.
His demeanor changed almost immediately, turning icy and guarded. “Aye,” was all he replied curtly, and without elaborating any further, which had her curious.
“No girls catch your eye, or you're just not the kind of guy who likes to be in a relationship?” Ellora did her best to copy the same intimidatingly penetrating stare that he usually gave her.
“Neither. I want nothin’ more than to settle down and ’ave a family of my own. It's just that...” Behr started to shift uncomfortably in his seat, his jaw muscle flexing as he ran his hands threw his hair in frustration. Ellora raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to continue, because he left that sentence hanging in the air, just building up the suspense and her curiosity. He glanced up at her and let out a long winded breath.
“I might as well tell ya. You'll only find out ’round town eventually, or irritate me to death ‘til you find out, stubborn as you are.” He lifted the corner of his mouth in a crooked smile to let her know he wasn't really annoyed.
“I dated a girl named Shannon since we were in high school. All we’d ever talked ’bout was getting out o’ ’ere and traveling the world together. Well, that’s all she ever talked ’bout anyway. Aye, n' I would've followed that lass anywhere, too, I thought at that time. We graduated, and I was offered the Ferry Boat for practically crumbs from Gavin's dad. He knew how much I loved being on the water. I fixed her up, n' she wound up bein' one o’ the main boats used to transport people. Aye, and that angered Shannon like nothin' else, knowin' that the more I was depended on ’ere, the less likely it was that I was gonna leave.”
Behr drank some of his beer, deep in thought for a moment. “We dated on and off for a few years now. She managed to sweeten her way back into my heart, just to try a new scheme to get me to leave. When I refused, she left me behind.” He held the neck of his bottle, swirling it around in a circle, with a far off look in his eye
s and continued. “Aye, just a month past, I found out she was with another man while still with me, all along trying to get me to sell the ferry boat. Her goal was to get her greedy hands on the money and leave with him. So I found out I've been wasting all these years with the woman. She dinnae love me, never had. She was just looking for a ticket out o’ this town.” Behr squeezed his eyes shut, like he was trying to squeeze Shannon out of his memory. When he opened them, Ellora was hit with the full force of his sapphire gaze. After a few breathless moments, he looked down. Ellora’s heart broke for him. She could feel his heartache over it, even though he tried hard to hide it.
“There now, love, did that satisfy your curiosity for a bit?” He wasn't making eye contact with her anymore when he said that, and she was struck with the realization that she’d started to like their eye contact. If the saying, eyes are the window to the soul, was true, his soul was beautiful. But now, she felt awful for even asking. Her stomach tied itself in knots at the thought of his heartbreak and the betrayal he encountered.
“Well, I told you m’story. Now, it’s your turn. How many hearts has ElloraBelle Sutherland broken, leaving so suddenly like ya did?” He glanced up slowly, and what she saw was a burning curiosity laced with concern. He wanted answers, but she couldn’t give them to him. She froze on the spot. She should’ve seen this coming. Of course he'd ask her about her personal life after his open and honest confession. Idiot! She mentally cursed herself. Ellora’s eyes roamed the room frantically. She wasn’t sure if she should lie, change the subject, or give him a sugar-coated version?
Behr reached across the tiny round table and placed his hand on hers, which were cold and clammy in contrast to his strong, warm ones. “You dinnae ’ave to be afraid, love. It’s just a question. But, you dinnae ’ave to answer if you're not ready. I want you to trust me. I want you to trust that, if or whenever you decide to confide in me, it will remain between you and me.”
Ellora gulped down her Coke. She didn’t stop for air until it was gone, her mouth suddenly extremely parched. She decided to take her time and choose her words wisely when answering his questions. So badly, she wanted to tell someone, just blurt it out and get this enormous weight off her shoulders. “I… I don't have a boyfriend. I never had one...”
“Never?” Behr raised his eyebrows in disbelieving shock.
“No, my father wanted me to wait until I was out of high school. He wanted me focused on my future. So, I never dated anyone, before…” Ellora’s mouth fell open then snapped shut again like a fish out of water, as she tried hard to think of what she could say next.
“Has nae man ever done right by your father and asked him if they could take you out?”
“There are no real men over there, at least none I’ve ever encountered.” Bristled in anger, she shook as the memories crept into her head. The reality of what she’d left behind was still too much for her to think about, especially right there at a crowded restaurant and sitting in front of a magnificently intimidating man.
“They are too vain to think about what a woman wants, too selfish to treat her how she deserves, too arrogant. Their only goal is getting into a girl’s pants to boost their own egos... or, or…” Ellora’s voice turned quiet, fear making her sound childlike as the blood drained from her face. “Or a monster!”
She shook uncontrollably, tearing her hand away from Behr's before he noticed how much. “But, to answer your question, there was one man who sort of asked. Actually, he demanded a date. He was my father's business partner. My father despised this man and flat out refused him.” She wanted to tell him more but didn’t dare go any farther, so she just left it like that.
The waitress came around to finally hand them their steaming plates. Thank God! Saved by the food. The waitress shifted her eyes between Behr and Ellora. “For heaven’s sake, it looks like someone just slapped you both in the face. Lighten up, kids. It's a beautiful day. These kids today, always so broody,” she grumbled to no one in particular as she walked away. Ellora’s eyes scrunched together at her bluntness and smirked. The spunky waitress, in her forties and with too much eye make-up, instantly pulled her out of her reverie and into a much better mood. She's right. I’m here now. I’ve got to let the past stay in the past and try to make a fresh new start.
Ellora let out a long breath. “Wow, that was a little heavy for a lunch conversation, huh?”
“Aye, love, at least we got our skeletons out early then.” He picked up his burger and shoved half of it in his mouth in one bite.
Following his lead, Ellora gobbled down her melt and slurped up her soup. The rest of lunch went by smoothly with pleasant conversation. She mentioned to him about Adelle arriving. He told her all about Adelle. She had always been the ‘smart one’ in school, always had her head on straight. She was a sweet person who used to volunteer at the animal clinic, or helped waitress at Grady's, back when it was a full house every night.
He also told Ellora some gossip on how Gavin had always had a thing for Adelle but never wanted to admit it in school. Gavin feared his reputation as a ‘lady’s man’ would be tarnished by falling for the ‘smart girl’, but all that changed when they graduated. He started to fall harder for her and grew out of the ‘I can get all the women I want’ stage. But before he could make a move, she went away to college and hadn’t been back for a while.
“I just love that. We should play matchmaker and get them together,” Ellora said, laughing and wiggling her eyebrows excitedly.
“Aaah, nae, lass, I cannae even play the matchmaker in my own life without screwin' it up. Who am I to fix anyone else up?” He said this in a playful manner, but Ellora couldn’t help but see that he meant it. It made her heart ache for him. Instantly, she hated Shannon for doing this to him.
“Well, we can make some popcorn and sit back to watch the show then!” she offered, winking at him.
“Aye, that I can do. Save me a front seat at the bar tonight, love. I wouldnae miss it!”
The waitress came around to hand them the bill and they both reached for it.
“Ellora, I'll take it from ’ere. We are not in Syracuse, love. We real men pay the bill when taking a girl out, so dunnae be taking my dignity away from me.” His tone was so hot and passionate, it scorched her to the bone. Ellora nodded and let him take it. He paid the waitress, who then told her to let everyone at Grady's know that Moira ‘sends her hellos’. She smiled and assured her that she definitely would. Behr stood, pulling out her chair for her. She didn’t know why it felt unsettling to her to have someone be so gentlemanly and polite. It must be because she wasn’t used to it.
“All right, you ready to leave then, love? I've got somethin' I wanna show ya.” She slowly nodded her head, unsure about where they were going or what it was that he planned to show her.
They walked out of the restaurant. Ellora was turning toward his truck when Behr reached out, gently grasping her hand, and laced his fingers with hers. Ellora whipped her head around in shock, looking down at their joined hands.
“We can walk from ’ere, Lor, that is, if you dinnae mind it?” He flashed her a pleading look, silently begging for her trust...
“Umm, okay.” Ellora gulped nervously, hesitating for just a moment. “Yeah, sure, Behr, no problem. Where are we going anyway?”
He just smiled. “You'll see. You'll love it!” He led the way down Bank Street, and as they walked down the paved sidewalk, Behr lifted their still entwined hands and pointed up at the tall lamp posts. “Your da wanted to spend all his time with your ma. He loved her so much. They just couldn't get enough o’ each other’s company.” Ellora nodded. Even after years of marriage, they still loved one another in that way.
“All our parents had the street light rule. We had to be home by the time the street lights came on. Well, your da was never ready to let your ma go. One night, he went about throwing rocks up at these lamp posts. He went all the way up one side of the street and down the other, busting all of the lights out, so h
e could ’ave the excuse that the street lights never came on when asked.” Behr looked down at Ellora, her rush of emotions making her tremble like a leaf. This was the first time she’d heard that story. “Kristy told me that story once,” Behr mentioned thoughtfully.
They came to a stop in front of a smaller row building, only two stories tall and made of brown stucco.
Behr was excited when he glanced down at her. Ellora’s curiosity peaked. He nodded his head toward it. “This is called the Armadale House. It was built in the 1880's, and has been the hardware store in Portree for well over one hundred years.” He squeezed her hand and flashed her a heart-stopping smile. “This is the ol’ hardware store your father worked at as a lad, and ran it for a while when he grew a bit. This is where he met your mother for the first time, before they started dating in high school. She came into the hardware store to pick up some items for her father’s B&B. It was told ’round town that your father fell in love with her at that moment… right then and there. Once their eyes met, they knew that they would marry.” Behr watched Ellora intently, adoration showing in his eyes. This surprise was the most thoughtful gift anyone could’ve given to her. Ellora became overwhelmed with the sudden rush of emotions.
Her eyes filled to the brim with fresh tears. Ellora placed a shaky hand over her mouth in astonishment, blinking once before the tears came spilling out. She gazed at the run-down building, imagining the loving encounter. She could clearly picture the very first time her parents locked eyes and fell in love. Ellora’s whole body was filled with their love and warmth. The familiarity of that feeling gripped her broken heart, drawing out a grief-stricken sob from the very depth of her soul.
Instantly, Behr bent over and wrapped his strong arms around her in a warm embrace. Memories flooded her system of all the precious moments her parents shared a kiss or an embrace. Ellora was distracted by her daydream, imagining a happier moment in time, enough so that his closeness didn't bother her so much anymore. She actually needed the comfort, and Behr's embrace was trusting and genuine. It was just what she needed in that very moment. Ellora shamelessly inhaled his scent as it washed over her, invading all her senses. She breathed him in deeply as he held her tight. He smelled of some dark earthy cologne mixed with after shave, fresh soap, and ocean air. It was intoxicating. “Sorry, love, I dinnae mean for you to cry. I thought this would make you happy, seeing where they first met...”
Forever Marked (Marked Series Book 1) Page 6