Page 46 of Gift-Wrapped in a Kilt

"Today's rain is tomorrow's whisky."

"Not a big fan of whisky. I prefer beer."

Iain wagged a finger at Gavin. "Best not let the Three Macs hear you say that. They treasure their single malts."

Gavin drummed his fingers on the sledgehammer's handle. "Yeah, I'm sure that's why they hate me. I drink beer instead of whisky."

"Never know. Having a wee dram now and then might grease the wheels, so to speak."

"Uh-huh." Gavin seriously doubted guzzling the right kind of booze would smooth out the potholes in the road between him and Jamie's brothers. He glanced at his watch and discovered he'd forgotten to wear it. He asked Iain, "What time is it? My stomach thinks it must be close to lunchtime."

"It is."

"How do you know? You didn't look at your watch."

"Donnae need to." Iain nodded past Gavin toward the old farmhouse surrounded by scaffolding, evidence of its renovation currently underway. "Have a look."

Gavin turned to glance back, and his heartbeat sped up.

In the driveway, Jamie leaned against Aidan's truck while she chatted with her brother. The flowy skirt she wore cascaded over her hips and down past her knees, its pastel colors matching the peasant top that draped loosely over her breasts and down her arms. The sun emerged from the clouds like it had come out solely to see her and touch her with its warm glow, streaming over her hair and painting the light-brown strands with molten gold.

Aidan pointed toward Gavin, though his focus stayed on his sister.

"I don't get it," Gavin said to Iain, though he couldn't look away from Jamie. "How do you know it's lunchtime because Jamie and Aidan are talking?"

"Look closer."

"At what? I don't —" Then Gavin noticed it. Plastic bags slouched on the ground at her feet, bags pooched out by the Styrofoam containers inside them. "Is that food?"

"Jamie brought lunch. She does it every day when she's working in the office."

"She's taking a vacation these days, at Rory's castle. Why would she drive all this way to bring lunch to the gang?"

"Ah, it's a mystery."

The knowing and slightly snarky tone of Iain's voice made Gavin swerve his attention to the other man, but Iain's expression gave away nothing.

"I know you're being sarcastic," Gavin said, "but I'm not getting the joke."

The Scot rolled his eyes heavenward. "How dense are ye? She came to see you."

Gavin's gaze flew to Jamie at the instant she smiled broadly at Aidan, her face lit up by the expression.So damn beautiful.Gavin rubbed a palm on his chest where an ache had sprouted.

Aidan picked up the plastic bags and strode in the direction of Iain and Gavin.

Jamie turned, leaning her front side against the truck. Her focus traveled over the landscape until it settled on Gavin. She raised a hand, wiggling her fingers at him in a faint wave.

He raised a hand but couldn't make his fingers move, or any other part of him except his jaw. It decided to go slack.Way to win back the girl, Romeo.

She pushed away from the truck and headed for the Mercedes parked behind it.

"If she came to see me," Gavin said, "why is she leaving? She never got within twenty feet of me."

"She saw you, though, didn't she?"

Was that all she'd wanted? To see him? Not to speak to him, no, she wouldn't want that. Sex only, she'd commanded. He knew Jamie too well to believe she actually wanted that, but he hadn't succeeded at gaining much ground in his battle to change her mind.

Maybe it was time for a different tactic.

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