Page 106 of Wild Scottish Beauty

Willow turned from where she sat between Agnes and Sophie, her eyes wounded as she looked at me. I’d been the one to put that look on her face.

“Just let me talk to her,” I said, pushing past Graham.

“You’ve been drinking.”

“Just some wine. I thought she’d gone home.” Graham checked me with his shoulder, stopping me in my tracks. I met his eyes.

“Watch yourself, mate.” My tone was deadly serious.

“It’s not me that needs to watch himself. You’re not welcome here until you get your shite together.” Graham shoved my shoulder, and I rocked back on my heels, my fists clenching at my sides.

“I shouldn’t find this hot, right?” Agnes asked.

“Willow,” I pleaded over Graham’s shoulder. When she looked away, my heart cracked, and I shoved past.

“Bloody hell, Ramsay.” Graham shook his head before cocking his hand back and clocking me in the gut and the wind went out of me. I doubled over, clenching my stomach, as Graham gripped the back of my neck and propelled me from the pub. “You’re a lousy drunk when you’re miserable, mate.”

“I need to talk to Willow,” I gasped, trying to catch my breath as the cold air slapped my face.

“Then you’ll do so sober. But not in my pub and not like this.”

With that, Graham left me slumped against the outside wall of his pub, sadness and anger brewing in my gut as I gasped for air.

“Ramsay.”

I turned to see Sophie standing in the doorway.

“Is she okay?” I asked, hating that I had screwed things up so badly.

“That’ll depend on you. You really hurt her. What the hell were you thinking?” Sophie hissed.

“I’m an idiot.”

“Clearly. The grump thing was cute and all until it wasn’t. You really messed up.”

“I thought she’d left.”

“God, no. Willow’s made of stronger stuff than that. I convinced her to stay, no thanks to you. She’ll still work for the castle.”

“She’s not leaving?” Relief filled me. I straightened, rubbing my hand over the tender spot in my gut.

“She might. It’s hard to say. The whole town has been talking about you picking fights with people left and right, breaking a table. You even insulted Fergus and his gingerbread house skills.”

I winced.

“Not my finest moment.”

“What the hell are you doing, Ramsay? Why are you being like this?”

“Because I’m an eejit?”

“Clearly. But you’ll need to dig a bit deeper if you’re going to convince Willow to talk to you. Acknowledging you’re an eejit barely scratches the surface.”

“What do I do?” I asked and Sophie crossed her arms over her chest, an annoyed look on her face.

“Oh, so now I’m supposed to solve all your problems?”

“Bloody hell, Sophie. Do you want me to make it up to Willow or not?”

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