by Vella Day
“Call Marybeth. She can give him your new address if he shows up at our old place.”
“Good idea.” Marybeth Randall lived next door to where she and Blair had shared an apartment. Ainsley checked her phone and dialed their friend. When it went to voicemail she told Marybeth what happened, and that if she spotted a six-foot five, redheaded burly man and a funny accent, to give him her new address. She rattled it off. Ainsley then set her phone on the coffee table. “All set.”
“I can’t wait to meet this Shamus fellow. He sounds really nice.”
Ainsley smiled. “He is, but don’t get too attached. I doubt he’s staying longer than a few days.”
“Well, darn.” Blair grinned.
*
“Jackson, come help me take off the top to the pickle jar,” his mother called from the kitchen.
Jackson Murdoch leveraged himself out of his dad’s recliner and went in to help his mom. When he saw the three plates of hors d’oeuvres and ton of desserts, he shook his head. “I know you said my cousin was a big man, but Mom, he’s not going to eat all this stuff.”
“I’m doing it for my sister, goddess rest her soul. She always said her son could eat a horse.”
A knock sounded on the front door and a smile broke out on his mom’s face. “He’s here.” She wiped her hands on her apron then slipped it off. “Well, go answer it,” she said, shooing him out.
“You come with me. He knows you better.” Jackson had met him one time when he was eight after Aunt Moira had come over to the States with her husband and young son.
“Dan? Where are you?” his mom called out as she hustled out of the kitchen, and rushed past the dining room table. Striding up to the front door, she shook her head. “Where is your father when I need him?”
Jackson knew better than to answer.
When she pulled open the door, the cold air rushed in, and his mom gasped. “Shamus? Is that you behind that beard?”
“Hi, Aunt Felicia. Thought I’d give it a try.” His grin was wider than the door.
“Come in, come in. It’s chilly out there.”
“This isn’t cold.” They hugged, and when the big bear of a man lifted Mom off her feet, Jackson thought he’d have to intervene. His cousin finally set her on her feet and looked down at her. “You haven’t changed a bit. Still a lightweight I see.”
Jackson bet his mom loved that since she was always on a diet.
“Aw. You don’t need to sweet talk me.” She turned to Jackson. “You probably don’t remember, but this is my youngest son, Jackson.”
Jackson stuck out his hand to a man who was a good two inches taller and a lot heavier. He had on dark blue jeans, work boots, and a plaid shirt that looked close to bursting. Jackson bet his cousin would be a beast in a fight. “Nice to finally meet you—again.”
Jackson didn’t expect the bear hug that followed, but he did enjoy it. “Can’t wait to get to know ya better too.” Shamus looked around. “Where’s Uncle Daniel? And the rest of the crew.”
“Your uncle will be here in a moment,” his mom said.
“And Kalan?”
“Kalan’s still at work.” Jackson faced Mom. “You did tell Blair about the visit, didn’t you?”
She glanced to the side. “I don’t remember. When Shamus wrote us a month ago to say he was coming, Blair hadn’t moved back here yet. I told your dad to let her know.”
Jackson held up a hand. “I’ll give her a call right now.”
“Before you do, bring in Shamus’s suitcase while I get your cousin something to drink.”
“Is your car locked?” he asked Shamus.
“No, but leave the bag. I’ll get it later.” Shamus faced his aunt. “Now where’s that drink you promised? I’m a might thirsty.”
His mother smiled. “Come with me. I figure after that long flight, you’d be hungry too.”
“You can count on it,” Shamus said.
Jackson liked his cousin. He was open and honest. What a shame they hadn’t connected once they grew up. As Jackson headed through the living room toward the sliding glass door that led outside and to his dad’s workshop, he called Kalan.
“Is the guest of honor here?” Kalan asked.
“He is.”
“And?”
Jackson chuckled. “You’ll like him. Too bad he’s some kind of banker. If he had any law enforcement background, I know you’d try to recruit him at the sheriff’s department. Half the criminals in town would take one look at him and run. The man is huge.”
“Good MacLeod stock.”
“You got that right. Are you going to make it to dinner?” Jackson asked.
“On my way there now.”
“What about Elana?”
Kalan let out an audible sigh. “I’m afraid my mate will be absent tonight. She’s creating some arrangements for a wedding and has to set it all up. She’ll come over if she finishes early.”
“Great.”
When Mom had first announced that their cousin from Scotland was coming for a visit, he wasn’t overly excited to meet him. Shamus was kind of scrawny as a kid with bright red hair. Jackson always pictured him growing up to be some stuffy, conservative man. Boy had he been wrong. Now that he’d met him, Jackson wished he’d found the time—and the funds—to take a trip to Scotland to meet all of his relatives.
Just as he was about to step outside to find his dad, his father exited his workshop and headed his way. Mom must have telepathed him.
Dad stomped his feet on the outside porch before coming in. “Your mom said Shamus is here?”
“Yup. They’re in the kitchen.”
Seconds later, mom came out of the kitchen carrying a tray of hors d’oeuvres, followed by Shamus who had a large tray in his hands too.
“There you are, Daniel. Take off your coat and join us.” She waved both of them over.
His father strode toward them and gave Shamus a hug. “I swear you’ve grown since we last saw you, boy.”
Shamus laughed. “Only in me belly.” He patted it.
Jackson joined them. “Kalan is on the way. I was just about to call Blair to let her know.”
His mom and dad started in on Shamus, asking him a ton of questions. Not needing to disturb them, he stepped into the living room and called his sister.
She answered on the first ring. “Hey, stranger.”
He laughed. “You’re the one who’s busy working all the time. Listen, I think Dad might have forgotten to mention that one of our cousins from Scotland was coming to town.”
“He never said anything about it. Have I met this person?”
“When you were seven.” Mom and Dad had flown over to Scotland two years ago when mom’s sister had passed away, but none of us kids had joined her. “He just arrived.”
Blair covered her hand over the phone. His sister must be speaking with Ainsley, who used to live over in Scotland. “What’s our cousin’s first name?”
Did it matter? “You don’t remember?”
“We have a lot of cousins.”
That they did. “His name is Shamus. Mom wants you to come over now for dinner and meet him.” His sister didn’t respond. “Blair?”
“I think we may have a problem.”
PACK WARS (Paranormal)
Training Their Mate (book 1)
Claiming Their Mate (book 2)
Rescuing Their Virgin Mate (book 3)
Box Set (books 1-3)
Loving Their Vixen Mate (book 4)
Fighting For Their Mate (book 5)
Enticing Their Mate (book 6)
MONTANA PROMISES (Full length contemporary)
Promises of Mercy (book 1)
Foundations For Three (book 2)
Montana Fire (book 3)
Hart To Hart (book 4)
Burning Seduction (book 5)
Montana Promises Box Set (books 1-3)
ROCK HARD, MONTANA (contemporary novellas)
Montana Desire (book 1)
Awakening P
assions (book 2)
HIDDEN HILLS SHIFTERS (Paranormal)
An Unexpected Diversion (book 1) – FREE
Bare Instincts (book 2)
Shifting Destinies (book 3)
Embracing Fate (book 4)
Promises Unbroken (book 5)
WERES & WITCHES OF SILVER LAKE
A Magical Shift (book 1)
Catching Her Bear (book 2)
A Surge of Magic (book 3)
The Bear’s Forbidden Wolf (book 4)
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