by Marie Kelly
Finally however the music had stopped, and ready to have a much needed rest she had grabbed his arm to keep him on the dance floor, her eyes sparkling.
“What’s wrong Craig….not enough stamina?” mischief in her whole face as he had promised to make her pay for that later, smiling at her as the band had declared the next to be a gay Gordon, secretly relieved to find it a couples dance. Looking down he had smiled, seeing that she had at some point after they entered the ballroom changed her shoes into the ballet pumps, now knowing why, seeing as many other women had done the same or where dancing barefoot.
After the dance he had pulled her to the table for a drink, throwing up his arms in defeat
“OK you win…I’m not as fit as I thought” swiping at her skirt as she had given him a humorous smug grin.
So the night had gone, with him being introduced to new dances, finding that the friendly crowd had been only too happy to teach a newcomer the steps, everybody so open as they had first introduced themselves, Craig realising how much fun he was having. He had danced with many of the women at their table as had Fiona with the men.
As he had sat back from one such dance Donald had moved to sit beside him, Craig instantly feeling the prickling of unease as both men had watched Fiona, who at that point was being twirled violently around on the crook of a tall man’s arm, seeming to almost fly yet amazingly staying on her feet.
“She is beautiful”
Donald had mused softly beside him, as Craig had flicked a look at him
“Yes…yes she is”
He had agreed, not making any further comment hoping that the other man would take the hint.
However, he had seemed to sit up more rigid as his voice had become hard
“She will see through you eventually Craig…she might not see you for the player you are yet, but she will or you will grow bored of her. You are a user and I just want you to know that when you break up…and you will, that I will be there waiting for her”
Frowning softly he had kept watching the woman they were now talking about, his finger lazily running along the top of his crystal glass, his voice a lazy drawl.
“Good to know Donald. Although” his eyes finally turning to the other man, a steel hardness in them
“I’m not sure that that will do you much good. She told me what happened and it seems to me that I am not the one who used her…so ask yourself Donald…do you really think that she would go back to you?”
Giving a small noise Donald had nodded his head
“Yeah, I hurt her and made a mistake. But after you I will be the one who will be there to pick her up. She will forgive me in time…Fiona and I are soul-mates…you are just a diversion and to be honest one that I would never have thought she would get involved with”
With a small dismissive shrug, holding back the anger which sat in a tight knot in his stomach he had lifted his glass to take a sip of the golden liquid
“Well I guess we will see won’t we Donald” refusing to rise to the other man’s words, Donald finally moving away, not happy with the way his talk had gone, doubt in the younger man’s face.
As the music had stopped Fiona had returned, flopping into the seat beside him, a glow about her as she had smiled happily at him
“OK…now I need air. Fancy a little walk outside?”
Craig nodding as the two had risen moving from the warm room. Too cold to leave the building itself, the two had entwined fingers their arms swinging as she had shown him around the bottom floor of the castle.
“And this could all have been yours one day…still could be” he had muttered as she had shaken her head sadly
“No…it never would be” her eyes solemn before she had given an embarrassed half laugh grinning
“Anyway… who needs a castle when they can have a small cosy cottage somewhere” smiling as he had looked at her with confusion
“I talked to Scott yesterday before we left. He and Nat are going to try again” her shining eyes smiling up into his
“They are going to be a family again…and well maybe it is time that I left the family home and gave them their space…so I am going to use the money I’ve been saving for the past ten years for my walkabout to buy myself my own place…the time seems right”
Pulling her around to face him, his expression had been thoughtful, a little sad.
“Fiona…my business here is done”
She had looked back understanding what he was saying, as she had lifted a finger to his lips to silence him a small shaky smile coming to her mouth.
“I understand Craig. We had an agreement” Giving a small laugh at herself “Not exactly the one I thought we had…but I understand”
Her eyes had been soft as she had moved in against him “I don’t regret this…what happened, and I’m glad that we got to know each other”
Rising on her tip toes she had kissed his mouth softly.
With a groan, he had held her shoulders, pulling her back slightly “No…I don’t think you do understand” his voice soft
“I need to go back to New York in the next couple of days, but I want you to come with me”
Fiona had looked at him in stunned shock “Y…you want me to come with you…to New York?”
She had stammered in surprise “Why?”
Laughing softly Craig had given a small shrug
“I don’t know….because you are such a good dancer….with such amazing dress sense” his playful tone becoming more serious “Or maybe just because I like you…I like what we have”
Searching his face for any sign that he was not speaking the truth, her eyes had flicked over him, Craig holding his breath softly as she had seemed so indecisive, before with a shy smile she had nodded, her features glowing happily “OK…what the hell” her tone becoming quieter “And I like what we have too”
Craig had pulled her in harder to him and kissed her, so surprised at the relief that had flooded through him.
Returning to the hall hand in hand, Fiona had not been aware of just how happily she glowed, the large smile on her face equal to that on Craig’s, Donald scowling from the other end of the room.
Chapter Ten
The night had been a huge success with Craig learning more dances than he had ever learnt to that point in his entire life…still trying to catch his breath from the fearsome “eightsome reel” and the “strip the willow”, all tiring and amazing fun. As they had left they had been waved out by the many new people he had met, Craig once more amazed at the friendliness of the Scots, so different from his first impression of them. Not cold and aloof he realised, but the warmest kindest group of people he had ever met.
As they had returned to their room, he had collapsed dramatically onto the bed, one hand thrown over his face
“Oh my God. You have done for me Miss Campbell” Fiona giggling at his dramatics “There is not a part of my body that does not hurt”
she laughing harder as she had moved over to lay over him, an impish smile on her face as she had played with his sporran, Craig groaning feeling as she had dropped it onto the ever growing bulge, whispering so seductively “Not one bit?”
Craig groaning as he had grabbed her, rolling her onto her back with a laugh of his own “Oh you Campbells really are worth the watching”
his head dropping to kiss down her long neck as she had wriggled helplessly under him.
“Now I do believe that I have to prove something to you about stamina” Fiona giving a small delighted squeal before he had done just that.
Waking the next morning the two had moved downstairs enjoying the large sumptuous breakfast laid on for all those guests who had stayed the previous night. Everybody had talked happily about the previous night’s Ceilidh, yet another success for the MacKenzies, Craig nodding his head in full agreement.
Robert MacKenzie himself along with a down breasted Donald had walked them to their car, the older man pumping Craig’s hand with a large grin on his face before pulling Fiona in for
a hug.
“We are having a New Year party here if the two of you want to come” he had boomed out as Craig had given him a warm smile
“I think that sounds like a lot of fun Bob, but I have to return to New York in two days”
Donald’s head coming up quickly, as his eyes had flown to Fiona.
“Fiona …. what about you?” the hope in his voice unmistakable, as she had shyly looked at Craig. Before she could say anything however, Bob had broken in
“Don’t be a fool Donald. Fiona is going with Craig”
She nodding softly before he had finished
“Craig has invited me to their Burns Supper next month…he has kindly asked me to stay with him and Fiona”
With a small frown creasing her forehead she had looked up at Craig, the small niggling thought in her head that perhaps he had not invited her along for any other reason than to cement his deal with Bob MacKenzie. Seeing the way he had looked down at her, his eyes so warm she had chastised herself for thinking that way. No, he wanted her there because he liked her…liked what they had he had said, this filling Fiona with a strange hope, hope for what she was not quite sure.
Leaving her home had been the hardest thing Fiona had ever done. Surprising herself, as she had spent much of that life looking forward to leaving and travelling the world. However, when it came to it there had been tears all around. Her imminent departure had sped up the return of Natalie and the boys, Scott needing to see his sister before she left and her sister-in-law accompanying him.
To say that Scott had been surprised would have been an understatement, stunned seemed more appropriate, as he had asked what the rush was. Why she needed to, after only know Craig for two weeks. Pulling him in close she had whispered softly
“Sometimes you just have to make a leap of faith”
Her shiny happy eyes stilling the comments from her brother, as he had demanded that she phone him regularly adding that there would always be tickets home for her if she ever needed them.
To Craig he had been more reserved, looking at the younger man with cold eyes.
“You hurt my sister Craig…and I will make you one sorry man”
Raising his eyebrow in surprise, he had held back the obvious comment that he owned Scott’s company, although as part of the agreement for staying on as the head of the Company he had signed back over the Campbell estate. Instead choosing to give him a smile and a nod before leading Fiona, still waving and smiling through the gate, although he had noticed that there were tears in her eyes.
The flight had taken nearly 10 hours, Craig choosing to fly overnight. Wrinkling her nose she had given a small groan
“I really can’t sleep on planes” she had told him, as he had looked at her with surprise
“Why?” as she had given him a small smile “Well it is not easy to sleep in those chairs”
Craig frowning back “Always found them comfortable myself”
As he had moved up the steps, Fiona gasping as she had looked around
“Oh my God…I take it back” her eyes moving around the area.
“I have only seen these things in those videos they play in travel shops…the holidays you can never afford” her lovely eyes twinkling seeing the self contained units which converted to beds.
After the plane had taken off, he had taken her hand and led her to the large bar, the two sitting as they had shared a bottle of champagne.
“This is nothing like my last journey abroad”
“Oh..In what way?” he had asked as she had in great detail told him of the trip she and Donald had taken to Lanzarote. The package holiday flight packed with crying children and over-excited teenagers
Grimacing he had laughed. “I thought those kind of planes where just an urban myth” Fiona rolling her eyes at him as the two had laughed together. As a lull in the conversation had fallen on them, he had looked at her carefully.
“I’ve been thinking about you and New York”
Fiona giving him a small smile back
“What do you think you want to do when we get there?”
Giving a soft frown she had regarded him cautiously, shrugging her shoulders softly.
“I don’t really know” dropping her eyes “It is a strange situation we find ourselves in” her eyes suddenly very serious as she had held his “neither of us knows how long I will be there …welcome or otherwise” nervously running her fingers through her hair. “So no I have not thought about what I’m doing”
Taking her hand in his he had given her a small smile, his voice gentle and sincere.
“I know this is a big thing to ask of you…and I really do appreciate it…and I HAVE been thinking about it. I work long hours Fiona and I know you. You will not be happy for long sitting alone around my apartment”.
Giving him a look full of humour she had nodded her agreement as he had continued.
“Why don’t you open a branch of the Company in New York…When you told me about The Burns Supper I went online to see where the nearest was…found lots of them taking place, but …. I couldn’t find anywhere local that I could get a full highland outfit in my own tartan”
Smiling widely at her “Seems to me there is a huge potential market there”
Looking down at her drink, Fiona had frowned softly “You might have a point Craig…but I really think that is more Scots department…he deals with the business stuff…and besides we don’t have the money to branch out like that…you know that”
Shaking his head he had been serious “When I first approached your brother, you were open to negotiate…am I right?”
Fidgeting in her seat she had given a small nod “I thought that we might have been able to reach an agreement…maybe even get you on board as a silent investor”
Giving a smile he had inclined his head, his voice soft
“And you would have been right Fiona. Everything that happened…it didn’t have to. You are a good business person…you have good instincts…and what if I was to say that your new partner was prepared to put up all the money for your expansion”
Wide eyed she had stared at him “You are prepared to finance the whole thing? Why?” her voice incredulous
“Because I think it is a solid investment. I think that there is a real need and a hole in the market …and I believe that you will double your profits in a year”
Giving a soft sigh her lips had curled in a humourous smile “Well that all sounds great, but it all takes a whole lot of planning…finding the correct location…along with setting up distribution between there and the Factory back home”
With a grin he had lent forward dropping a small kiss on her lips. “Well…you happen to be VERY friendly with somebody who can help with all of that…and…”
Standing he had retrieved the briefcase he had brought with him opening it and pulling some sheets from within “We recently took out a lease on a building that I thought would be ideal. Right in the middle of the shopping district, good through traffic, perfect. I sent my architect some pictures of your existing showroom…and he put together some rough ideas.
Staring at him with disbelief she had looked at the sheets he was handing her, her eyes scanning them.
“When did you do all this!!” she had asked in awe, as he had grinned back “When I move on something…I move”
With a sparkle in her eye she had chuckled “You don’t have to tell me that”
Craig laughing softly “What do you think?”
As the large smile had spread across her face, he had seen the excitement in them, Fiona looking closely at the store, the size of it perfect with many areas that could be used for fittings. The next was the reworked plans, Fiona giving a small gasp of wonder. The designer had captured the Scottish traditional look to perfection, filling the space with old world furnishings with present day use in mind.
Finally sitting back she had smiled “I think that it looks amazing”
Draining the last of his wine he had taken her hand “W
ell in that case, we should get some sleep…I made an appointment for you to meet with the designer tomorrow afternoon”
Shaking her head she had allowed him to lead her to her bed chair “Do you EVER expect to be turned down?”
Craig shaking his head “Nope….never have”.
Fiona had been impressed but intimidated with Craig’s downtown apartment. Unlike most she had seen on television, his was almost like a large house within an apartment situated on the topmost story, Craig leading her to the roof which held a swimming pool, bar and helicopter landing zone.
Wide-eyed she had wandered around, her mouth and eyes open admiring the many living-rooms and grand dining-room along with the five bedrooms upstairs, all with en-suite bathrooms.
“Please tell me you have cleaners”
Craig bursting out laughing as he had nodded. “Yes Miss Campbell, the place is kept clean by a housekeeper and her assistants every day”
Regarding him thoughtfully she had shaken her head “Seems a little big and ostentatious for one person”
Craig frowning softly “Maybe…but I entertain a lot and see it as an investment I guess”
Closing her mouth she had continued to explore, not really liking the grandeur of the huge house, nothing about it homely, more a statement of wealth than somewhere to live.
They had just had time to shower and change before he had taken her to one of the many high-end restaurants in the city. Fiona had moved into the vibrant buzz of the New York street, her eyes taking in the frenzy of passing life around her. There seemed not to be one piece of spare space in which people did not jostle each other as they speedily moved around their business. The sounds, smells and lights of the city had bombarded her senses, Craig seeing the doubt in her expressive eyes a strange concern filling him. Leaning towards her he had given an encouraging smile “Seems a little overwhelming to many newcomers…but you soon get used to it”
Giving him a small unsure smile back she had looked down at the menu.
