by LL Muir
She recognized other family members playing Frisbee or soccer. Still more gathered on the basketball court, shooting hoops.
Maybe they could just sneak away to play sports and avoid the interrogation sure to follow.
Her mother quickly waved her over, squashing the fleeting hope. She gathered Allison in a quick hug, then glanced past her, her gaze falling on Kenrick. “Hi, sweetie. I’m so glad you made it! Who’s your friend?”
Allison heaved an internal sigh. So much for sneaking away. She couldn’t help but catch the blossoming hope and wonder in her mother’s gaze. “This is my fiancé, Kenrick Macfie. Kenrick, these are my parents, Rebecca and Yancy King.”
Her parents stood side-by-side, a united front. Her mother’s hand shot forward toward Kenrick as she gave him a thousand-watt smile. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
As both her parents murmured, they looked him over, glanced at each other, and smiled at Allison. “He’s from Scotland?” Her father asked.
“He is.”
Her father made a disapproving noise in his throat while her mother placed a hand to her chest. “I’ve never been to Scotland before, but I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”
Kenrick stepped forward, his eyes twinkling at the mention of his home. “Aye, ’tis breathtaking. ’Tis my first time in Texas and ’tis a fine place to live as well.”
Her mother giggled like a girl. “Your accent is beyond anything.”
Kenrick seemed at a loss and Allison suppressed a smile.
Her father lifted his chin, ready to put Kenrick through his paces. “Well, what brings you to Texas, boy?”
“Allison does.”
“Please don’t tell me you met on one of those awful dating websites!” Her mother looked horrified.
Allison knew a good opening when she heard one. “Yes, we did actually. It’s a great way to meet new people.”
Her mother groaned. “Oh, Allison, really.”
Kenrick looked confused, but Tara took up the story thread instantly. “Oh, yes. I’ve met people from all over the world on a couple of different dating websites. I’m talking to a guy who just got out of prison. I’m going to be meeting up with him soon.” Tara laughed as horror crossed the older woman’s features. “It’s a fun way to meet people.”
“I bet that musician you were dating is going to look pretty good after they hear what you’re up to.” Yancy said darkly. He glared at Kenrick. “So, what do you do for a living?”
“He’s between jobs at the moment,” Allison was quick to answer. “So he’s helping me out at my place.”
Yancy snorted. “On the dole, are you?”
“The dole?”
“Isn’t that what they call welfare over there?”
“He was in the military, daddy.”
At that, Yancy lost some of his attitude. “A veteran? Well, why didn’t you say so? Afghanistan or Iraq?”
“He was stationed in Scotland.”
“Well, it’s true that not everyone can see action, someone has to stay home and guard the homefront, don’t they? I won’t hold that against you, boy. As all of us veterans know, we go where we are called.”
Kenrick nodded. “That is the truth of it.”
At that point, two of her aunts, and three of her cousins sidled closer and she introduced Kenrick to more of the family.
“Tell us about your mom and dad.” Rebecca pressed after the introductions.
“They’ve both passed on.”
Rebecca’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, I’m so sorry. That about breaks my heart. Let’s get you a cookie while we’re waiting for lunch to start.”
Rebecca hustled him over for food and Tara leaned close to Allison’s ear. “That sure didn’t take long.”
Allison nodded. “I know, right? He makes a good first impression.”
Tara watched as the older ladies, and some of the younger ones, fussed over him. “That he does. That he does. I think it’s the muscled calves, myself.”
Just then, Kenrick glanced up and saw her watching him. He held her gaze, looking at her across the distance, and his expression instantly softened. The look on his face, soft and intimate, was just for her. For a moment the crowd faded away and it was just the two of them. The slight smile, the way his mouth lifted at one corner. All for her.
Somehow she was going to keep this guy.
She didn’t know how, but he was definitely hers, and she wasn’t giving him up.
“All right, everyone!” Aunt Laura called. “Time to play water baseball!”
As cheers erupted, Allison hurried forward to rescue Kenrick from her mother. She took him firmly by the arm, laying further claim to him, and was one of the first to stand in line. Her aunt had set out four small swimming pools for the bases. A plastic baseball bat and a large plastic ball floated at home base.
Allison turned to Kenrick. “Do you want to go first?”
“I’ve never done this before.”
“Let me guess, they don’t have baseball in Scotland?”
He grinned at her. “Golf. Or so I’ve heard, anyway. Ladies first.”
“I don’t think so.” Her cousin Jess pointed at the two of them. “Couples are on opposite teams.”
Kenrick’s grin widened as he followed instructions and went to stand by second base.
After the pitch, Allison easily hit the lightweight ball and her aunt Kathy picked it up and chucked it to first base. Too late! Allison easily made it to the first-base pool with a split second to spare.
She met Kenrick’s gaze over second base and he narrowed his eyes. He turned to one of the girls standing near him. “So, I’m to stop her from getting to this pool?”
“Yes!” her cousin Sherry responded. “Touch her with the ball. Whatever you do, don’t let her get in your pool!”
Allison grinned at Kenrick’s determined expression. After the next ball was hit, she ran for all she was worth toward his pool. He ignored the ball that was tossed to him and surged forward to grab hold of her.
Allison screamed as he easily lifted her up and swung her around. She fought to get down, but he gripped her about the waist so she tried to slither instead, having limited success as she dropped to the ground and tried to crawl.
On the ground himself, he had hold of her leg.
“Cheater!” She could barely get the word out as she choked on laughter.
“Ye want in my pool?”
She reached for it, inching forward as he yanked her back. “Yes! Let me go!”
He rolled, scooped her up, and walked toward the water. He started to lower her.
“No! Help! He’s cheating. This isn’t how you play!”
“’Tis how it’s played in Scotland.”
“Liar! You don’t even play this in Scotland!”
He was laughing as he lowered her further and she tried to climb over his shoulder.
Her relatives cheered him on as he dropped into the water, taking her with him.
“Ahhh! You are such a cheater!” She scooped water and threw it in his face. He quickly retaliated and soon it was a free-for-all, with both of them flinging what was left of the water at each other.
“Do ye concede?”
She splashed him again. “Never.”
The water in the pool was almost gone so he picked her up and hauled her toward third base.
She screamed. “No! All right! I concede!”
They were both laughing as he finally let her go, lowering her toward the ground.
She jerked away and ran a few feet from him. “I concede that you’re a jerk, and can promise I will get even with you for this.”
He bowed his head slightly. “I look forward to the battle, lass.”
Laughing, she went back to second base to try again. “Aunt Laura, I don’t think he understands the game. Maybe you should put him at shortstop.”
Her aunt shook her head, laughing. “No, I think he understands the game just fine.”
With her cousin Debbie’s permission, he took over
third base, his posture defensive, his gaze fixed on Allison once more. She chuckled.
This was going to be a long game.
Kenrick watched Allison as she played the game. She was so much fun, laughed easily in a way his wife never had, and he loved to be her reason.
When he considered having to leave her, and soon at that, his heart actually ached in his chest.
He would take as much of this fun as he could get. He’d play with her as much as he could. Save up the memories and, hopefully, be able to take them with him.
He’d certainly had plenty of memories to mull over when he’d been in Culloden Moor; most of them painful and filled with regret.
So why wouldn’t he be able to take these joyful memories as well?
Memories of warmth, smiles, laughter. Appreciation. Hope.
The girl was pure magic.
If he was ever cold again, the way he’d been on the moor for years, then decades, then centuries, at least he’d have her name and face to remember.
To warm his heart.
Aye, he’d gratefully take as much of this as he could get.
Chapter 11
“Heads up at 3 o’clock,” Tara instructed.
Allison looked to her right to see her sister crossing the park, hand-in-hand with Isaac. “It’s okay. I knew this was going to happen.” She stopped on the grassy field, reluctant to join everyone dishing up plates of food.
Tara rolled her eyes, but gently placed her hand on Allison’s arm. “I know that you knew. It’s a little different when it’s actually happening.”
Allison glanced around to see some of her relatives looking between her and her sister, as if to be the first to catch her reaction.
She kept her face carefully blank.
“Besides, now that everyone’s met Kenrick, instead of feeling sorry for you, they’ll be thinking you’re the one with the better catch.”
“That’s the plan.” Allison glanced over to where Kenrick was being tutored in the finer points of soccer. The teens, shocked that he’d never heard of the game, insisted on teaching him the basics. She wasn’t sure if he was doing well or bad, but there was a lot of laughter.
She considered joining him, anchoring herself to his side for the coming confrontation, but decided he’d done enough.
Almost as if he could feel her gaze upon him, he turned and smiled at her.
She couldn’t help but smile back and her heart did a little somersault. Somehow, her picky family had easily accepted him. They believed their relationship was real, and she wished with all her heart that it was. That they actually had met online and that she’d introduced him as her real fiancé.
Tara squared her shoulders, presenting a united front with Allison. “Here they come.”
Allison was surprised to see her sister and The Toad make a direct beeline for her. “Do not leave me,” she said from the corner of her mouth.
Tara snorted. “Don’t even worry about that. I’m not going anywhere. Do you want me to get Kenrick?”
“No. He got it in the neck last night. Hopefully Linnie wants to play kiss and make up. At least in front of everybody else.”
It would be easier this way. Less embarrassing. Everyone was watching, waiting to see what would happen. Dinner and a show. But at least they were off by themselves and it would be semi-private.
Tara gave her arm a squeeze, letting her silently know she had her back. As Linnie and Isaac drew nearer, Allison couldn’t help but straighten her shoulders.
Was her imagination, or was there actually a hush in the crowd? Then everyone started talking at once, as Linnie faced off with Allison.
Linnie’s tight face pretty much said it all.
This was going to get ugly.
“You know what? Me and Isaac have been talking—”
“Be careful, Linnie,” Tara inserted. “Things aren’t going to go well for you if you attack Allison.”
Allison could have told Tara not to waste her breath. She knew that look on Linnie’s face. Linnie wouldn’t stop until she’d said what she came to say.
Behind Linnie she could see her parents shoot up off their bench.
Linnie’s finger lifted. “After we saw the two of you yesterday, it finally occurred to us what’s been going on. You’ve been over here letting everybody feel sorry for you, and this whole time you had another guy on the side, didn’t you? You didn’t even care that I stole Isaac from you, did you? This whole time you’ve been letting us feel bad while you haven’t had so much as a sliver of pain in your heart. Admit it.”
“You think you have it all figured out, do you?” Allison’s temper rose as Linnie put her own spin on this thing, and did so in front of every relative on their mother’s side of the family.
“How long has this thing with the Scottish guy been going on, Allison?”
“Now Linnie,” Her father finally arrived and tried to intervene.
“Don’t you, now Linnie’ me! My sister’s been playing away, and I’ve been taking grief from every member of this family, and she doesn’t even care about Isaac! At least be honest!”
Allison opened her mouth to defend herself, but what was she supposed to say? That she had loved Isaac? Had thought to be with him forever? That it had broken her heart when her sister had stolen him away? Did she really want to look that pathetic in front of everybody? Again?
Did she even believe it anymore?
Her sister had already taken a lot from her. Her fiancé, self-esteem, the family. She’d had no idea what Allison had been going through this entire time. Now she wanted her to stand here and argue her case?
“You know what Linnie? Think what you want.” She turned and strode away.
“Yeah, think what you want, Linnie.” Tara said, her voice scathing. “Try and spin this so you come out all innocence and roses. As if you could. You know what?—”
Allison heard Tara backing her up and had never been so grateful for anyone’s support. She could hear her parents start in on Linnie, could hear Linnie burst into tears, and she just kept walking. It took her a moment to realize she was walking toward Kenrick.
The guy was like a beacon.
How, in just a short couple of days had he’d managed to turn from someone she ran into—to somebody she ran to?
Kenrick looked up from the new game he was playing and saw Allison approaching.
It took him one glance to see she was upset, and then another one beyond her to note the reason.
Her sister and The Toad.
The two of them had obviously upset her again, and Kenrick wanted to kick himself for not being there when she needed him.
That had been his entire purpose, after all, and he’d messed it up.
Why couldn’t he ever get anything right?
With a wave to the boys, he headed off the field to intercept Allison.
“Are ye all right, lass?”
She nodded, and gave him a weak smile. “Oh, sure. Family reunions, all fun, all the time.”
Kenrick wrapped his arm around her shoulders, as Tara arrived and started to tell him what happened.
Allison cut her friend short. “No, Tara. It’s not that big a deal. Let’s just let it go, eat some yummy food, and get out of here as fast as we can. What do you say?”
Tara’s brows drew together. “Why do you let her get away with things like this?”
“What am I’m gonna do? Fight for a guy I don’t even want anymore?”
That pinched Kenrick raw. “Nae. I’ll not have ye doin’ that. Yer with me now.” The man should have been beneath her notice entirely, and the fact he’d hurt her made him want to punch things.
He glanced at Isaac, standing slightly back from Linnie and her parents, not saying a word as anger and confusion roiled through the group.
Kenrick’s body seemed to tighten as anger flooded him. “I think I’ll just have myself a wee chat with the man.”
Allison grabbed his arm. “No!”
He gently twisted away
. “Doonae fash yerself, little love. I’ll do it away from yer parents. None need know what I have to say to him. ’Twill stay betwixt ourselves.”
“Let’s just let it go. Aren’t you hungry? The ladies in my family can cook, let me tell you.” Allison sounded slightly desperate.
“But a word, lass.”
“No.”
For the second time he pried her grip off his arm, and strode toward Isaac. He glanced back and was gratified to see Tara keeping Allison at her side.
This was his good deed to do, and he’d serve it as he saw fit. He stopped in front of the smaller male and tilted his head. “Follow me, Toad. A word if ye please.”
Isaac puffed up like his namesake. “Are you talking to me?”
“Are ye blind, man? Use yer wits and look about. Ye’ll soon see ye’re the one I’m looking at, will ye no’?”
Isaac turned to look at Linnie. “Can you believe this guy?”
“Now, if ye will. Else call yerself a coward.”
“Boys,” Yancey said in a stern voice.
But Kenrick never looked away from Isaac. “We’ll be but a moment.”
He turned and walked away, counting on the man to follow, certain the man sported at least a bit of pride. He wasn’t disappointed as he heard boots scuffing across the pavement of the basketball court until they hit the grass behind them.
Kenrick walked a short distance away, then turned to face the man. “I’ll not have ye upsetting Allison anymore. Do ye hear?”
“You’ll not have?” The man stuck his chin out, tempting a fist to his jaw. “I don’t care what you’ll have, do I?”
“Yer intent upon causing trouble, then, are ye?”
The smaller man settled into a smirk. “It must really bug you, huh? Seeing as you’re engaged and all, the way Allison can’t quite seem to forget me? Does she talk about me all the time? Sigh my name in her sleep? Or is it my kisses she’s missing?”
Kenrick chuckled. “Aye, man, we do talk about ye, and that’s the truth.”
The smaller man smiled smugly.
Kenrick let his smile broaden tauntingly. “’Tis been quite amusing, actually. I’d not heard that men come as soft as ye do, and in so many different ways.”
