by Diane Darcy
“Enough,” Calum said.
“Now, horses, —”
Horses? Ugh, the world had gone mad.
Calum grabbed up a dirt clod, threw it at Joe, and it hit him in the shoulder, making the other man stop talking and start laughing. Finally, he said, “You’re the one who brought it up.”
“And I’m verra sorry I did.”
Joe laughed again. “All right, already. Grab that last bale and let’s get out of here.”
Calum did exactly that, and then shut the back of the truck. They both got inside, Calum in the driver’s seat, as Joe was pretty lenient about letting him drive.
Joe hit the top of the truck with one hand. “Let’s go. We’ve got a lot to do today.”
Calum started the vehicle and slowly drove down the road. “I’ve some news,” he said, feeling more settled. If the world had gone mad, that didn’t mean he had to go there as well.
He knew who he was and what he wanted.
He was Mandy’s husband.
“What is it?”
He glanced at Joe and the worries of the morning fell away. “I married Mandy Calhoun last night, and she’s now Mandy Milne.”
Now it was his turn to laugh as Joe’s expression slackened. “The heck you say!” Joe let out a whoop and slapped Calum’s shoulder with the back of his hand. “You sly dog! I knew all along you was the father of that child! And everyone else knows it too! But if you’ve done right by that girl, I say all’s well that ends well! Does anyone else know yet?”
“Red and his friends were there, as well as the priest and his wife.”
Joe rolled his eyes. “He’s called Pastor Williams. And what you’re saying is I’m the last to know.”
Calum scoffed, but he was smiling. “Red does love tae talk.”
“Yeah. And he’s not here helping us, is he? I bet he’s at the bar telling everyone who cares to listen.”
Calum didn’t doubt it.
Joe grinned again and shook his head. “Mandy Calhoun married. Who’d a thunk it. Well, congratulations, man. And welcome to the family.”
Chapter 13
When Calum and Joe finally pulled up for lunch, Joe didn’t just drop him off, but came inside. Both men seemed to be in high spirits and as they washed up in the downstairs bathroom, she could hear them laughing and joking.
Mandy was in the kitchen, and when the men came in, she couldn’t help feeling a bit awkward. “Joe, you staying for lunch too?”
“Nah, I’m headed to the house. Julianna will have something ready for me. I’m just popping in to say congratulations on your marriage.” He slapped Calum on the back. “Calum here seems like a great guy, and he’s a lucky devil to have gotten you to say I do.”
She smiled. “Thanks, Joe.”
“He didn’t say a word ’til halfway through the morning! I guess he wanted to keep it to himself for a while and enjoy the secret. But he finally came clean. Anyway, congratulations you two. Calum, I’ll be back in about an hour. I hope Julianna hasn’t heard yet. I want to see her face when I tell her!”
Joe left, and Mandy, feeling a sting of hurt, busied herself pulling out the sandwiches she’d made for lunch, and the pasta salad she pulled together to impress her new husband. She arranged the food on plates.
After the way they’d left things this morning, to find out Calum hadn’t told Joe right away made her wonder if maybe he was regretting the hasty marriage.
She didn’t look at him as she set the plates on the table, poured drinks, and then finally sat down.
He took his seat across from her. “Is anythin’ amiss?”
Her chest ached and she kept her gaze down. She was on the verge of tears. “I’m fine.”
“Has somethin’ happened?”
And, dang it, just like that, her eyes did well with tears.
His chair scraped the hardwood floor as he stood back up and came around the table to kneel at her side. He placed one arm around her and the other on the table. “What is it?”
Feeling incredibly foolish, she took a breath and rolled her eyes. “It’s nothing, just hormones.”
“What are hormones?” He said the word like he’d never heard it before, and that made her laugh.
“Let’s just say that I’m a woman, and a pregnant one to boot, so my feelings overwhelm me upon occasion.”
He looked relieved. “I understand.”
She was glad one of them did. She wasn’t acting like herself and expected him to get up and go sit down again, but rather than that, he lifted a hand and cupped her cheek. “I missed ye today.”
His tenderness, and the words, had her eyes filling again. “I missed you too,” she said. He stood, kissed her forehead on the way up, and then returned to his seat.
The spot where he kissed her felt warm and tingling.
He moved his food so he was sitting beside her, and then he took her hand and blessed the food, which struck her as incredibly sweet.
She was flustered, touched, and falling more in love with her husband by the second.
Love?
Hormones!
They started eating, and she decided to just flat out ask, “Why didn’t you tell Joe we were married? Did you think it was a secret?”
He set his fork down and a frisson of alarm ran through her and she did the same. So much for keeping it casual.
He took her hand again, and met her gaze. “I was mulling over what ye said earlier, about how the babe came to be.”
Her stomach clenched and she suddenly felt sick. He was already regretting marrying her. They didn’t know the most basic things about each other. Marry in haste, repent at leisure. “If this is something you can’t get past —”
He lifted his other hand to silence her. “Hush, my sweet, doonae upset yerself.”
She sank back against the chair, the endearment calming her a bit. “But —”
“Let me finish. I doonae always understand the changes that have taken place over the centuries, and I’ve come tae the conclusion that I doonae need tae. I know who I am, and that is now yer husband. That willnae change, no matter the misunderstandings or revelations as we learn one another. Do ye ken?”
Again, she calmed a bit more at his assurance. Even managing a chuckle. “Sure. All right. But you make it sound as if you were born hundreds of years ago. Is Scotland so different from here?”
His grip tightened as he stared into her eyes. He drew in a breath, looking for all the world like he was about to reveal some great secret.
And then he exhaled, released her hand, looked down at his plate and picked up his fork. “Mayhap it is. This looks delicious, lass.”
She’d spent an hour making the dish in hopes that he’d think so, but now was simply left wondering what he’d been going to say. “Calum, I think there needs to be honesty between us, don’t you?”
“Aye. I certainly do.”
She considered pressing the matter, asking him what he’d planned to say, but decided it was unfair to expect him to share his every thought. “Good. Honesty is very important to me, as well.”
They both started to eat and after a moment Calum said, “We’ve a long time to know each other, our whole lives in fact. While I’d like tae tell ye everythin’, and lay my life out before ye, I believe those conversations will unfold when they’re supposed tae.”
She didn’t understand exactly what he meant, but she did understand holding back part of yourself, because wasn’t she doing that too?
She glanced at the manila envelope she’d set on top of the microwave. The one with the picture of Calum inside, or, rather, the father of her child who looked so much like Calum that maybe she was starting to believe it was him on some level.
She’d been going to show it to him, but she wasn’t rushing to do so, was she?
Weird or uncomfortable conversations could happen later, after they had more time together.
She started eating again and decided it was time to lighten things up. “I can’t wait to show
you off at the social tonight.”
He looked pleased at that assessment. “Show me off? Like a new hat?”
She laughed. “I can honestly say I don’t believe I’ve ever shown off a new hat in my life, but yes, something like that I suppose.”
“Anyone who sees us together will know I am the lucky one. I’ll nae doubt be bragging of my good fortune in marrying ye.”
She smiled, very happy with that assessment, and impulsively reached out to take his hand again.
She hadn’t even known the man a week, had already married him, and could feel hope expanding within her.
This could work out.
She wanted it to work out.
There was that voice inside of her that had led her to try and have this baby on her own. The voice that told her she wasn’t good enough, that no one would stay with her anyway, that she didn’t need anyone and could do it alone.
But she didn’t want to do it alone anymore.
She wanted Calum, and was suddenly very hopeful that this could work out.
Calum went to the bar for a couple of hours and Mandy kept forcing herself to get back to work, and in doing so she’d accomplished a lot today, though all she wanted to do was head out to Red’s and hang out with him.
She finally compromised with herself, made a to do list, and as soon as she finished it, she was going out there.
After all, it wasn’t unusual for her to show up. She’d go there for lunch on occasion, and even worked behind the bar when they needed extra help.
Oh, why didn’t she just admit it to herself? She wanted to go and see her new husband. There was nothing wrong with that.
She got in the car and headed over to Red’s, and as it was a Saturday afternoon, it was busy as always.
She went in the front door, and the first thing she saw was Calum serving drinks to a few regulars, and then a couple of ladies she didn’t recognize down the bar.
She had a moment of insecurity as she watched him take their order.
They were all smiles as they chatted with him, and he was smiling in return.
She almost turned and walked back out of the bar again as old feelings of insecurity swamped her.
Just then he looked up and smiled, the pleasure and excitement in his face made her realize just how polite he’d been to the women seated in front of him.
Even as she was thinking that, he rounded the bar and headed in her direction.
He swooped in for a quick kiss, and then was smiling at her once more. “I’m so glad tae see ye. It feels like forever since ye were last in my arms.”
Her face was already heating, even before one of the girls at the bar shouted out, “You go, girl!”
They both chuckled, and then Mandy said, “It looks a little busy in here, do you need any help?”
He had his arm swept around her and was leading her behind the bar practically before she finished the sentence.
“I do. Ye, here with me, is exactly what I was wishing for only moments ago.”
They spent the next couple of hours helping customers, chatting, stealing kisses, and being toasted once it was known they’d only married the night before.
By the time Jimmy relieved them at the end of Calum’s shift, her mouth hurt from smiling, and she couldn’t remember the last time she felt so alive.
She really liked Calum, but even better than that, she could see her way to falling in love with him very quickly.
And if the way he looked at her was any indication, she thought he was feeling exactly the same way.
Calum packed his few possessions from the guesthouse, and moved them into Mandy’s bedroom.
As the two of them got ready for the social, he was truly having a hard time believing his good fortune.
She looked beautiful. She wore a yellow dress of her own creation that showed far too much of her legs, but he knew better than to make a comment.
Over the centuries he’d seen for himself the changes in attire and knew this was nothing to get upset about.
Though, if he had his way, he’d cover his bride from neck to ankle as was proper.
Still, it didn’t keep him from enjoying the view.
She had beautiful legs, and the shoes with heels she wore were feminine, pretty, and drew his gaze to her shapely ankles.
He tried not to let her catch him looking, though suspected he wasn’t very successful.
Getting ready with her to go out was a singularly sweet experience.
He loved being in the same room as she flitted about, adding makeup, fixing her hair, and though she’d dressed in the other room, he’d been very aware of the fact that she was just behind the door, in a state of dishabille.
The intimacy of it all had something, a feeling of satisfaction and rightness settling within him.
This was his woman.
The babe within her was now his.
His feelings of possessiveness seemed to grow by the hour.
She turned to face him and gave a little tug on both sides of her silky looking dress. “Okay, how do I look?”
An invitation to look wasn’t one he’d pass up.
Rather than glancing as he’d been doing, he took a moment to just stare, inhaling slowly as if he was trying to breathe her in.
Her dark hair curled about her shoulders, a striking contrast to the bright yellow color of the dress.
The dress itself was formfitting, but pleated at the top of her stomach, a small reminder of Scotland.
The dress stopped about an inch above her knees, exposing the rest of her legs on down to her strappy beige colored sandals.
“You look delicious.”
“Delicious?” She laughed, but the pink filling her cheeks and the smile on her face said she liked the compliment well enough. Besides, he might not have thought before he’d said the word, but it was true. She looked good enough to eat.
When she started to put on a white sweater, he hurried forward to help her. When she turned around, he glanced down at his kilt.
“Is this acceptable? Or would ye prefer it if I wore some of my new jeans?”
She moved forward to playfully straighten the sash over his white shirt. “You look wonderful. I’m excited to show you off.”
He held out his arm and she took it. “Show me off, will ye?” He quite liked the idea of it. She was accepting him, ready to introduce him to her community. Which would make him part of it. “I’ll strive to make ye proud.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that, you already do.” She headed toward the door, opened it, and tugged him along. “Come on, I promised Sierra we’d get there before Tiffany Padgett does. We’ve got to take turns watching the pies, in case of sabotage.”
“Sabotage?” he asked, as she released him and led the way down the hall.
When she reached the stairs, she turned back and nodded, her expression serious. “This is a church social. We’re playing with the big girls, and there are no participation awards.”
“I doonae understand.”
Gripping the rail, she hurried down the stairs. “Oh, don’t worry, you will.”
He was right behind her. He did not know what she spoke of, but did understand it was important to her. So, it was to him as well. If she needed him to stand guard and prevent sabotage, he’d keep a sharp eye, and his weapon at the ready.
Chapter 14
The moment they arrived at the church, a blonde of about Mandy’s age squealed, and ran forward to give Mandy a hug.
She stepped back to look at Calum expectantly, and Mandy put an arm around him. Pleasure rushed through him at the show of possession and he was quick to slip his arm around her as well.
“Calum, I want you to meet my very good friend, Sierra Boyd. Sierra, this is Calum Milne.”
With his arm around Mandy, he gave Sierra a nod. “Tis verra nice tae meet ye.”
Sierra shot Mandy a grin before nodding in return. “It’s nice to meet you as well. But the two of you are in so much trouble!”
Mandy grinned and raised a finger to her lips. “Shh.”
Sierra rolled her eyes. “Ha, as if it’s a secret the two of you got hitched in the middle of the night.” She put a hand to her heart. “So romantic, by the way. You are spinning one surprise after another. I might need to talk to Luke about eloping.” She raised a hand in the air. “Mom! Over here!”
An older woman who looked like Sierra hurried over. After the introductions were made, she looked at him, wide-eyed and expectant. “Any truth to the rumors going around that the two of you have known each other for a while?” Deanna shot a suggestive look at Mandy’s stomach and arched a brow at him.
He gaped at the implication but Mandy came to his rescue. “Deanna, seriously, don’t believe everything you hear.”
He should say not. Truth be told he wished Mandy’s babe was his, but did not wish for the blame if he’d not had the pleasure.
“All right, I won’t. Especially not with this crowd. So, the tables are now set up.” She dangled car keys in front of them. “Don’t worry, I haven’t let these out of my sight. Let’s get the pies laid out.”
It hadn’t taken them long to collect the pies, but it took much longer to lay them out to Deanna’s satisfaction and she had competition in the form of several other ladies doing the same thing with other desserts.
Boxes underneath the tablecloths displayed the sweets at different levels, several two and three-tiered plates giving it all a very elegant appearance.
They were all shooed away from the tables as the pastor and others came forward to inspect the offerings. “Ladies, I’m sure you have things to do.”
No one moved.
The pastor sighed and glanced around. “Calum? Do you think you can be impartial? Can I get you to stand guard behind this table as we make some decisions?”
“Wait a minute!” A matronly, but still pretty brunette protested. “He’s not impartial! He was just helping Deanna bring in pies!”
