Page 100 of Gift-Wrapped in a Kilt

Her brother picked up the hammer and twirled it by its leather strap. "You take the first run. I wouldn't want to embarrass you from the start."

"Of course not," Gavin said, striding forward to snag the hammer from Rory. "It's better if I show you up first. Your wife can lick your wounds for you,Rory baby."

Jamie expected a muscle to jump in Rory's jaw, but instead, he raised his eyebrows. His lips twitched with a hint of humor.

"Need a wee bit of instruction?" Rory asked Gavin.

"Watched you do it once," Gavin said. He slapped Rory's shoulder. "If an old man like you can pitch this thing, so can I."

"Think you can beat my mark?"

Rory pointed down the green toward a little orange flag planted in the earth with a little wooden stick. There were two flags, actually. Lachlan must've thrown first, like he usually did.

Gavin seemed unfazed. "Yours the closer one?"

Rory chuckled with that threatening glee he loved to use as intimidation. "It's the farther one, laddie."

He pointed again, and she tracked the path his finger drew across the green.

The flag must've been thirty meters away. A hundred feet or so to the Americans gathered with the Scots here on the green.

Jamie bit the inside of her lip. Could Gavin best Rory? Well, Gavin had sworn he'd endure any amount of shame for her. Losing at a manly Scottish sport, maybe that would encourage Rory to be nicer to Gavin.

But she really, really wanted Gavin to win.

She retreated to wait in between Aidan and Lachlan and the American Wives Club.

Gavin took up his position at the starting line, his back to the green, the crowd in front of him. Everyone glued their gazes to the American. Beside Jamie, Aidan and Lachlan leaned in close to each other and murmured things she couldn't make out, holding up fingers as if counting something. Lachlan held up five fingers. Aidan raised ten. They shook hands and aimed their gazes at Gavin.

Were they betting on Gavin's odds of beating Rory? When Aidan glanced at her, she gave him a tight-lipped look she hoped conveyed the fact she didn't like her brothers making wagers about the man she loved.

Aidan hiked up his shoulders and spread his hands.

Gavin wore a determined expression.

Jamie clasped her hands under her chin, tapping her foot on the grass, the anticipation almost too much to bear.

Iain waved to Gavin. "Aller Anfang ist schwer."

Gavin froze in the midst of raising the hammer. "Are you speaking German?"

"Aye. It means every beginning is hard."

"Uh… thanks. I think."

Iain held his hands parallel to the ground, fingers spreads. "Keep the heid, mate."

Gavin looked baffled.

Jamie's cousin strolled up to their group, smiling and nodding at Erica, Calli, and Emery before slapping the backs of her three brothers.

When he patted Jamie's arm, she smacked his chest. "Donnae be rattling Gavin before his hammer throw. Are ye wanting him to lose? He has no idea what 'keep the heid' means. Why didn't you explain it means to stay calm?"

"He grasped the gist of it. My gesture of steady hands got the point across."

"You made him flustered right before his first hammer throw." She tapped a finger on his chest. "You may be a million years older than me, but that doesn't mean I won't batter you for this."

He gave a lazy shrug. "You can if you like, but I think you're underestimating Gavin. He's made of stern stuff."

---