Page 122 of Gift-Wrapped in a Kilt

"What's your point? We MacTaggarts are a bunch of bloody fucking erses?"

Rory stared at me in the stone-cold way that intimidated many people, but not me. I'd known him since the day of his birth — I'd changed his dirty nappies, for Christ's sake — and it was hard to be intimidated by a man whose erse you'd wiped.

"You are not too old," Rory said in an even tone. "You deserve a second chance. If as you say you've learned a lesson from Gavin's experiences, then take this chance. Let's find your woman."

"That's why I came here. But, ah…" I squirmed again. "Hosenscheisser. It's more difficult than I expected. Thinking of doing a thing is easy, taking action is a bleeding terror."

"If you want to curse in German, you could at least inform me of the meaning."

"Trouser-shitter, literally. Cursing at myself. It means I'm a damn coward who's too afraid to take a risk."

Rory drew his head back as if my statement had shocked him. "Iain MacTaggart is admitting to being afraid? I should mark this day on my calendar, so we can commemorate the event every year."

"Have your fun with me, I deserve it." I set my hands on my knees. "But will you help me find her?"

"Of course I will." He cleared his throat in a sardonic manner. "But I will need to know the lassie's name first."

A name I hadn't spoken aloud in more than a decade. I thought her name every day, a hundred times or more, but I hadn't voiced it in far too long. "Rae Everhart."

Rory nodded, then retrieved a pad of paper and a pen from a drawer. He pushed the items across the desk toward me. "Write down everything you know about her."

I picked up the pen, my gaze trained on the blank sheet of paper. "Do you think we can find her?"

"With my legal connections and the help of an investigator I know in America, I'm certain we can. It might take time, but we will find her." Rory tapped a finger on the paper to gain my attention. "You know I never make a promise I can't keep."

"One of your most admirable traits." Unlike me. I'd broken too many vows to count, but now that I'd set my sights on tracking down Rae, I knew this would be one vow I'd keep — with Rory's help.

Pen in hand, I began to document every fact I remembered about Rae Everhart. Memories unreeled in my mind, memories of her auburn hair shining in the sunlight, of the way her sapphire-blue eyes sparkled and captivated me, the delicate melody of her laughter, her throaty moans when I'd made love to her.

My hand froze in the middle of writing a word. Dear God, was I really doing this?

Yes, I was.

To see Rae again after all this time… Would she want to see me? Not knowing the answer used to unnerve me. Today, after resolving to do this at last, I had a different reaction. A sort of excitement I hadn't experienced in years electrified me, and I dove into my writing task with a new fervor.

For the first time in thirteen years, I felt fully alive.

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