Page 24 of Kilt Trip

Some people found their mother’s spirit in butterflies or wildflowers. No matter how much Addie willed it, she never got that tearing-up jolt of recognition. But the clouds broke up and the sun streaked down across the fields, and Addie thought she felt something close.

She skirted the mossy rock wall along a sharp turn. Down the road, white puffs littered the fields, spilling onto the pavement—

Sheep!

Addie slammed on the brakes, heart in her throat, as the van skidded toward the open field.

The van lurched to a stop, and the seat belt caught her forward momentum, slamming her back in her seat.

Her breath came out in short, sharp gasps, hysteria threatening to overtake her, while the offending sheep chewed grass and looked at her with all the haughty disdain they could muster.

Which was a lot.

They didn’t even bother moving off the road when she blared the horn in three long blasts. After a minute of catching her breath, Addie locked eyes with herself in the rearview mirror. “You can do this,” she encouraged herself. She attempted to reverse the van but cringed at the dreaded combination of revving engine and slipping tires.

She opened the door and stepped into ankle-deep mud. It took less than a minute of shoving against the bumper before she remembered that in the movies, there was always a driver to hit the gas. And bodybuilder extras to do the heavy lifting.

She opened the door to the van and climbed back in, attempting to kick off as much mud as she could. Her wellies wore brown boots of their own.

Addie sighed. “I’m sorry, beautiful shoes.”

Slouched over the steering wheel, chilled and overheated at the same time, Addie twisted her now-frizzy hair away from her face.

How could she get out of this mess without Logan finding out?

The last thing she needed was an I-told-you-so from him.

If she sat here too long, the rain would soak the earth until it swallowed the van whole. She’d be forced to abandon it and start a new life in the nearest village. And Addie would not cohabitate with sheep that snooty.

Maybe they had AAA here.

Already knowing the state of the internet connection, she fished out her phone and prayed for divine intervention, but she must have used up all her celestial favors for the day pleading for empty roads.

Not a soul drove by.

She was going to get hungry in about thirteen minutes.

Addie glared at the pretentious tail-twitching outside. She couldn’t say she’d ever been judged by a sheep, but it felt about as bad as the thought of calling Logan to tell him she’d sunk his van.

She considered dialing Elyse instead, but honestly, the two of them would end up initiated into the flock. And it wasn’t like she could legitimately hide this from Logan.

Summoning her remaining courage, Addie searched for his number. Logan Hot Scottish Tour Guide stared back at her mockingly. She cracked her neck, then updated his contact info.

Satisfied, Addie tapped Logan NOT Hot Scottish Tour Guide and brought the phone to her ear.

“Enjoying all the beauty our country has to offer?” he asked in lieu of a greeting.

“No tourist wants to spend two hours driving these hellish roads just to get stuck in a herd of seriously jaded sheep. Ask me how I know.”

“Are you alright?” Logan sounded genuinely concerned.

“Oh, I’m fine. And the van’s fine,” Addie rushed to add, a bit surprised he hadn’t asked about that first. “But I’m stuck in the mud and need a tow. Is there a specific place I should call? I’m on the A84, past Strathyre, I think?”

“That’ll take ages up there. I’ll come.”

“I can handle this.” Under no circumstances did she want him to come up there.

“What are you doing out there, anyway?”

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