Page 92 of Gift-Wrapped in a Kilt

"And your hubby," Rory said with a hint of sarcasm, "loves to watch you blow his money."

Rory had changed a heck of a lot, Gavin realized. Once upon a time, in the pre-Emery days, Gavin had joked that Rory ought to unchain his wallet and live a little. Rory had responded, "I save money, I don't spend it frivolously." Post-Emery, the guy let his wife buy whatever she wanted, no matter how much it cost. Hell, he encouraged Emery to spend his dough.

Still gazing lovingly at his wife, Rory said, "Take the Mercedes for as long as you like."

His wife made an O with her lips and hopped up on her toes. "I have a better idea. Gavin and Jamie should take the Jag."

Rory's eyes narrowed, but then he relaxed and nodded. "A fine idea."

Gavin opened his mouth but couldn't cobble together words. A fine idea? Lending the Mercedes was one thing, but the Jaguar Rory had given his wife as a wedding present?

Rory leaned back across the desk, without releasing his wife, and retrieved a keyring from a drawer. He tossed the ring to Gavin.

Still dumbfounded, Gavin fumbled the catch. The keyring hit the floor, and he scooped it up. The ring held one key emblazoned with the Jaguar logo.

"Thanks, man," Gavin said. "Jamie'll love this."

"I'm sure you won't enjoy it at all," Rory said with a glint of humor in his eyes and on his face.

"Oh no," Gavin assured him, "I'll enjoy it. This is awesome. Thanks, you guys."

While Emery hopped up and down and clapped some more, Gavin walked out of the office headed for the vestibule where the only woman he'd ever really loved waited for him.

And later, whether he liked it or not, he'd find out what "test" Rory had planned for him.

Chapter Thirty-One

Jamie tried to watch television in the sitting room, but all she did was zip through the channels over and over, her mind refusing to focus on anything for more than a few seconds. What was happening upstairs? Would Rory and Gavin reach a truce? What if they didn't? She would side with Gavin, no matter what, because that's what couples did. At least, that's what her brothers and their wives did for each other. If Lachlan had disliked Emery, Rory would've told him to jump into Loch Fairbairn on a cold winter's day.

If Rory couldn't accept Gavin, Jamie would tell Rory to jump in the loch.

Maybe she'd shove him in herself.

Reading magazines hadn't distracted her either, so she finally gave up and returned to the vestibule to sit on the steps and wait.

"Have you been sitting there the whole time?"

Jamie leaped up at the sound of Gavin's voice, spinning around to see him coming down the stairs. "How did it go?"

Gavin strode down the steps at a leisurely pace, tall and strong and gorgeous. "Rory's helping me out with the visa thing."

"He is?" Jamie's heart took flight, flittering like the wings of an ethereal butterfly. Rory had offered to help Gavin. He wouldn't help someone he disliked. "That's wonderful."

"It's good news, yeah." Gavin stepped down to stand beside her on the vestibule floor. "I think I made some strides there, but Rory asked me to come back at two o'clock to take part in some kind of test."

"A test?" Jamie wrinkled her nose, not sure she liked this development. "Does Emery know about this?"

"Yep. She's all for it."

If Emery thought this "test" was a good idea, Jamie supposed it must be okay. Rory's wife would never let him do anything nasty if she had any warning, and Rory never was nasty, anyway. Except on Thanksgiving. Even then, she'd sensed he'd started a fight for a reason, not solely to be rude. Another test? For her or for Gavin? Both, maybe.

"Let me talk to Rory," she said, turning toward the stairs. "I'll find out what he's on about."

"No, Jamie." Gavin took hold of her upper arms, forcing her to face him. "I can handle this. If your brother needs to test me, I'll do it. I want to be a part of this family, which means I have to make the effort."

"Even if it's embarrassing?"

"Yes, even if."

---