“Aye, James. I agree. We can discuss it further when ye arrive tomorrow at La Guardia.” He was silent for a moment before a hearty chuckle emanated from his mouth.
Nicky couldn’t help but smile at the sound. More than anything, she would miss his laugh and the way his blue eyes crinkled at the edges, his facial features conveying pure joy in the simple act. Her breath lurched in her chest, and she had to press her own eyes shut to regain her composure. Saying goodbye to Mac was going to be a lot harder than she thought.
“James, stop yer bletherin’. I have to go. I’ll see ye soon. Give Shannon a kiss.” He waited for a beat before he uttered a final, “Goodbye.”
Leaned against the wall for a moment more, Nicky listened as Mac started to strum the strings of his guitar in a familiar melody. The curtains lifted in a gentle waft of fresh air, causing a shiver to run through her. Pressing her lips into a tight line, she was bound and determined not to ruin his last day in Cold Creek by becoming emotional. They still had a few more days together in New York, and for that, she was thankful.
Forcing her focus to shift, visions of the deep green gown she was going to wear to the awards show flitted through her mind. Leave it to her friend, Fiona, to have the dress pressed and ready to wear, hanging in her mammoth closet back in the city next to the custom-made shoes and borrowed jewels. There was no telling how Mac would react when he finally saw her all dressed up for the occasion, and the thought left her a bit anxious. It was an exciting time for the happy couple – one she was sure to cherish for months to come.
“What are you doing?” The quizzical look on Marjorie Sinclair’s face was evident as she stood at the head of the dining room table with a stack of linen napkins in her hands.
Nicky’s eyes grew wide, and she put her index finger to her lips. Marjorie shook her head and smiled as Mac’s strumming floated through the space. “Here,” she said simply, setting the napkins on one of the plates. “Grandma Sinclair’s linens are washed and ironed, just like you asked. Aren’t they beautiful?”
Feeling her throat thicken with emotion, Nicky was thankful her mother went out of her way to make sure the place settings she’d requested were perfect. Her great-aunt’s herringbone china, her parent’s wedding crystal, and her grandmother’s linens were only used for special occasions, and this particular night was deemed extra special. Edging her way toward her mother and donning a shy smile, Nicky picked up the stack of vintage linens and placed them at each setting.
“Thanks, Mom. I appreciate it.”
“Not a problem. I’ll be heading into town soon to pick up the lasagna from Mama Sentieri at the café. Can you think of anything else we might need while I’m out?”
Nicky surveyed the table, a wistful smile crossing her lips as she took in the tall, ivory tapered candles and lovely center arrangement her mother had put together using leftover wedding flowers from the day before. The woman had a knack for refurbishing things, making them look more beautiful the second time around. The antique buffet table along the wall held the polished silver serving spoons and glass decanters for the assortment of wine her father already brought up from the cellar. There was even a large bottle of Hillrock, the tawny whiskey displayed proudly in the center, ready to be opened and sipped into the evening.
There was a salad chock full of her family’s famous herbs and vegetables chilling in the fridge, along with an assortment of bite-sized organic appetizers. Fresh bread and butter from the local bakery sat in a brown paper bag on the kitchen counter, and a tray of decadent chocolate brownies was cooling on a wire rack. The house smelled divine with the heavenly scent of cocoa. All she had left to do was lay the lace doily she’d found over the top and sprinkle powdered sugar across the dark circle of chocolate for a quick, intricate design. Add a few edible flowers around the perimeter, and she’d have a beautiful, homemade dessert straight out of a Pinterest board. Nicky ticked off every item in her mind she’d purposefully fretted over to ensure Mac’s farewell dinner was a success.
“No, Mom. I think we have everything.”
Marjorie ran a hand down Nicky’s arm with motherly reassurance. “It’s going to be a lovely dinner party. After all, I raised the hostess with the most-est. Your Mac is a very lucky Scotsman.”
***
Candlelight flickered throughout the dining room space, the facets of green in Nicky’s eyes glinting like precious jewels. Mac’s heart felt like it had expanded three sizes in the last few hours. The comfortable conversation and decadent spread the Sinclair family offered him was the best send-off dinner he’d ever experienced.
“I would like to say, thank ye, for everything - especially for allowing me the company of yer beautiful daughter these last months.” With his after-dinner whiskey raised high in the air, Nicky, and her parents followed suit, raising their glasses. “Slàinte,” his voice rumbled with the slightest edge of melancholy. He would miss this family, terribly.
“Slàinte,” they echoed. When Marjorie finished sipping some wine, she set her crystal glass next to her half-eaten brownie before tilting her head to look at him.
“What does, ‘Slàinte’ mean exactly? I’m assuming it’s a Scottish toast?”
Mac licked his lips and nodded. “Aye. Its meaning is similar to how ye say ‘cheers.’ In Scots Gaelic, it merely means ‘to good health.’”
“Fascinating,” Marjorie responded.
They lingered over their last drinks, Mac filling them in on some of the more humorous Scottish phrases that made absolutely no sense to the American family. Laughter permeated the dining room, especially after Marjorie asked him point-blank what “bawbag” meant. Apparently, she’d heard a couple of Scottish tourists in town use the phrase in a joking manner. Mac was tightlipped and only acquiesced when Adam insisted, his face turning beet red when he uttered the definition, “scrotum.” All of them wiped laughing tears from the corners of their eyes with linen napkins, Nicky patting Mac on the thigh. When she and her mother stood to gather the dirty dishes, he joined them, insisting he help with the cleanup.
“Nonsense,” Marjorie fretted, waving him off. “Finish your drink with Adam before you and Nicky go out tonight. She told me you’re going to Amber’s place to hear some live music. That’ll be a nice change for you to be in the audience instead of having to entertain everyone.”
Mac sat back in his chair as Nicky passed him from behind, squeezing his shoulder. “Aye, Amber insisted we stop by one last time before we’re off – and I’m looking forward to hearing some of the local Cold Creek talents.”
Adam chimed in. “I think you’ll be thoroughly entertained by the musician tonight. Marjorie and I have seen him quite a few times. He’s good.”
“Well, ye should join us then, please,” Mac insisted.
“No,” Adam chuckled. “You and Nicky enjoy the rest of the night. It’s getting a little late for us old folks.”
“Speak for yourself!” Marjorie cajoled as she reentered the dining room. She lightly slapped her husband on the arm, causing everyone to laugh.
Twenty minutes later, Mac stretched his arm around Nicky’s waist as they hurried through the pub's front doors. Once again, Amber reserved the corner booth for the pair closest to the stage where a male musician played a well-worn acoustic guitar and crooned. The guy was positioned in a lone spotlight, his bluesy song amplified throughout the Sunday night crowd. Thankful for the dimmed lighting, Mac kept his head low, hoping no one would recognize him.
Nicky shrugged off her sweater before sliding into the booth, the grin on her face enhancing the dimples in her cheeks he loved so much. As if on cue, Amber slid in across from them, her cherub face animated with joy.
“Yay! I’m so glad you made it!” she shrieked. Clasping her hands in front of her, she cleared her throat and hitched her brows in an anticipatory manner. “I have a proposition for you on your last night here…”
“Uh-oh,” Nicky moaned, linking her arm through Mac’s and resting her cheek against his bic
ep. He loved it when she snuggled close to him like that.
“Anything for ye, Amber,” he replied. He knew full well she was going to ask him to perform a song for the weekend crowd.
Amber squealed again and clapped her hands together. Using her thumb, she motioned to the guy on stage. “The guy performing is the son of one of my bartenders. His name is Dave. I’ve already asked him if my ‘special guest’ coming tonight could use his guitar for a song. Of course, when I told him it was you, he said he’d be honored.”
Mac nodded, his lip twitching up at the side. On the short drive over, Nicky warned him this might happen. He assured her he didn’t mind at all. “Dave sounds good, and his Martin acoustic is very nice.”
“Awesome! You and Dave can chat when he takes his next break. In the meantime, I’ll get you both hooked up with some drinks. What’ll it be?”
“Cider for me,” Nicky replied.
“Hillrock for me,” Mac grinned.
“You got it. God, I’m so glad you came!” Amber slipped out of the booth, gave Mac a peck on his cheek, and disappeared into the kitchen.
“It’s real nice of you to sing a song on your last night here in Cold Creek,” Nicky mumbled, squeezing his arm. “The locals aren’t gonna know what hit them.”
“I’m happy to. I have something new I want to try out on ye anyway.”
“You do?” Her voice lilted as her eyes turned eager and wide.
“Aye. It’s a song I’ve been working on at the farm. A song about mo leannan.”
***
The crowd was on their feet, the last note of Mac’s new song reverberating throughout the room in a sustained chord. Nicky was standing, pounding her hands together, her emotions spilling out in a stream of tears and laughter, all mixed together. There had never been a time in her entire life when she physically felt the power of true love consume her, filling her whole being with adoration and light, satisfaction, and hope. It felt like she’d literally died and gone to heaven, the thought-provoking lyrics and familiar melody of Mac’s song hitting all the right notes. He had written the song about her, the poignant words poetry to her soul, and the melody syncing to the thrum of her beating heart. She had never received such a thoughtful gift – ever. The man was brilliant. No wonder his career was about to take off into the stratosphere.
Dave approached the stage and flung his arm out toward Mac, who dipped his head with mild embarrassment. Clapping his hands together, Dave continued to taunt the audience chanting, “one more song” over and over, Mac finally complied and strummed a favorite sing-a-long for everyone to take part in. As Nicky settled back into the booth with a smile aching her indented cheeks, Amber suddenly came from out of nowhere, the look on her face beseeching. Her friend reached her hand out, her fingers noticeably shaking, and the small smile on her face seemed forced.
“Come with me for a sec, Nick. I need to… I need to show you something.” Her voice warbled as the exuberant audience sang the upbeat chorus around them.
Scowling, Nicky clasped Amber’s hand, and she was hoisted up, the two immediately ducking into the kitchen through the heavy swinging doors. The kitchen was bustling with employees cooking and plating food, the girls having to carefully step around the busy crew.
“What is it?” Nicky questioned, trying her best to keep up with her energetic friend. When they were finally in the small office with the door shut behind them, the visible frown lines on Amber’s forehead were concerning. “What’s going on?”
When Amber burst into tears, Nicky gasped, frightened by the sudden turn of events. Her friend was usually overly confident and sure of herself, stoic in even the worst of times. Whatever was going on was wrecking the woman.
“Honey? What is it? Tell me?” Nicky didn’t know what to do and reached out to try and hug her.
Amber took a step back and tried to regain her composure, taking swift breaths as she swiped the tears from her face. She walked behind her desk, turning her attention to an open laptop. With trembling fingers, she made a few clicks before she finally turned the screen toward Nicky. Unsure of what Amber was up to, she stared into her friend’s dark eyes filled with distress and frowned.
“I’m… I’m so sorry,” Amber sniffled. The air in the room suddenly felt cold, as a stark feeling of doom seeped like icy water into the tiny space. Whatever Amber wanted to show her on the computer was serious.
Taking slow, deliberate steps, Nicky came closer to the edge of the desk. With squinted eyes, she held her breath and read the headline blazing across the computer screen. Her brain couldn’t quite compute the message initially, causing her to re-read the headline of the news bulletin twice. When she finally understood, she stumbled backward and flung her palm across her mouth, trying to suppress a muffled cry from escaping her lips. In a split second, her heart shattered into a million pieces.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The pain was excruciating and caused Nicky’s knees to buckle, Amber catching her before she fell to the floor in a heap.
“Oh, my god. Oh, my god,” she kept repeating out loud, over and over. Amber managed to help her into the desk chair and forced her head between her knees.
“Just breathe, Nicky. Nice and slow.” Amber’s take-charge attitude was back, her next question coming out with authority. “Does he have his phone on him?”
Nicky sat up quickly, not caring how light-headed she felt, her mind blank. She couldn’t seem to form words in her mouth as tears continually streaked her face. Amber knelt in front of her with huge eyes, pressing her palms against her cheeks as if getting her to focus.
“Does Mac have his phone on him?” she repeated carefully, looking her right in the eyes.
Nicky shook her head. “N…no. He left it at m..my place. He didn’t want any interruptions on our last night here.”
“Okay. Good,” Amber exhaled, nodding quickly. The sound of the crowd grew louder as the song was coming to a close. “We have to think real fast here, Nick. I’ll go get him and bring him directly to you. You…you have to tell him – you have to show him the news bulletin on the computer.”
Nicky could feel her expression twist in agony as she choked back another sob.
“Do you understand what I just said to you?” Amber’s tone turned gruff, the look on her face pleading.
“Y…yes.”
“Okay. I’m gonna go get him now. I don’t want anyone else to tell him – you need to do it, Nicky. He loves you. He trusts you. You’re strong, Nicky. The news needs to come from you. You can do this.” Amber swiped her thumb across Nicky’s wet face, her hand lingering to cup her chin before she stood and bolted out of the room.
The applause sound could be heard coming from the bar, the shrieks of happy patrons oblivious to the unimaginable headline they would soon hear about in the news media. Swallowing hard, Nicky stood on shaking legs and ran her fingers under her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she stood tall, ready to do what she must, and face the man she loved.
When the door clicked open, Mac rushed in, pure joy radiating across his bearded expression. Nicky offered a weak smile and opened her arms wide to receive him.
“Och! What a thrill on my last night here.” His voice was buoyant and upbeat as Nicky clung to him, nodding into the crevice of his neck. “Did ye like the song, lass? The song I wrote for ye?” he whispered into the shell of her ear before planting a kiss on her head.
Nicky tried to remain stoic, but she couldn’t help it when her shoulders started to quake with inconsolable sobbing. Mac had no clue what was really going on, his embrace becoming tighter.
“There, there,” he chuckled, oblivious to her grief. “Ye’ve a sentimental heart, my love. It makes ye even more endearing.” He stroked the back of her long hair as she continued to cling to his warm, sturdy frame, afraid to let go and say the words – afraid to tell him what she’d just learned.
“Nicky?” he finally whispered, his body becoming rigid. “Nicky, darling, what is it? What could possibly h
ave ye this upset? Has something happened?”
This was the moment she dreaded since she saw the headline on the computer screen. Nicky was about to completely shatter the only man she ever truly loved. Pressing her lips to his neck, she shivered before gathering the courage to pull away from him. His face paled with concern, and his brow furrowed when he realized her demeanor.
“What has happened, lass?” His final plea was heartfelt.
With all the bravery she could muster, Nicky inhaled a deep breath and tenderly pressed her palm against his handsome features. Staring up into his mesmerizing blue eyes, she lifted her chin with resoluteness.
“Something terrible has happened, Mac,” she whispered, her voice catching at the end of her sentence. “And…and I hate it that I’m the one who has to tell you,” she whimpered, pressing her eyes shut tightly for a brief second more, sending a torrent of tears down her cheeks.
“Mo leannan, ye can tell me anything,” he reassured, clutching her cheeks between his hands, his baby blues searching her face for answers.
Nodding, she lifted her hands to grasp his fingers, pulling them from her tear-stained cheeks and seizing them in a death grip. “Amber showed me a breaking news headline on her computer.” She motioned with her head to the desktop. “Apparently…” She stopped short, the news too devastating to utter.
“What is it?” Mac implored.
Nicky could feel her face twist with grief as the words that would forever change the trajectory of Reid Macpherson’s life came tumbling out of her mouth. “The plane your band was on…it…it came down, Mac,” she cried. “It crashed in the Atlantic. There were no survivors.”
***
The crowd chanted Mac’s name repeatedly, the sound muffled from behind the ancient restaurant walls and closed office door. He was numb, sitting at Amber’s desk, devoid of any possible feeling or emotion, staring blankly at the computer screen. The news headline, Reid Macpherson Band Dies In Plane Crash, was forever branded into his consciousness.
I'll See You Again: A Scottish rock star, standalone opposites-attract romance (Reigning Hearts Book 4) Page 16
