Page 61 of Wild Scottish Fortune

I whirled in the doorway, my mouth dropping open. Finlay gave me a shit-eating grin.

“We arenotin a relationship.”

“Aren’t we though?”

“I don’t have time for this.” I left before he could tie mythoughts up again, or we’d get stuck in one of his ridiculous loops of banter.

By the time the next afternoon rolled around, my stomach was a bundle of nerves.

I changed my outfit three times before getting fed up with myself and leaving the house in a flurry of annoyed outbursts. It wasn’t even like I owned that many clothes, let alone date-night type clothes, so I was a touch annoyed with myself for changing so many times. I’d finally settled on jeans and a dark blue scoop-neck long-sleeved top. I didn’t really know how to use makeup, let alone owned any, so I just plaited my hair back as usual and left before I got in my head about having to try out different hairstyles for Fin.

He’d told me he liked me just as I was—in my overalls and covered in sawdust, hadn’t he? The man had seen me at my most glamorous and had told me he preferred me just as I was. I was going to take his word on that, because I truly didn’t have any fancy or flirty date outfits. Maybe I’d speak to Willow about gently introducing a few into my rotation, as my budget allowed, so long as they were serviceable and could be worn for other things.

Pulling up at Shona’s gardens, I grinned. She stood outside, cradling a hedgehog in her arms and looking beautiful in jean overalls and a button-down shirt, with a sun hat clamped firmly on her head. She was all earthy goddess, and I could see why Owen had fallen for her. I’d met her partner recently, a filmmaker, before he’d jetted off to work on some project or another. He basically doted on Shona and it was sweet to see.

“Who is this cutie?” I asked, peering close at the wee hedgie. He poked his head out from where it was buried inthe crook of Shona’s arm and gave me a lopsided grin before burrowing his way back into the folds of her shirt.

“This is Eugene and he’s very annoyed by that hot ball of light in the middle of the sky. I was just off to tuck him into his wee nest before you arrived. Come with?”

“This place is grand, Shona. I can’t believe how big it is.”

“Aye, we’ve expanded back quite a bit and have plans for more. We’ll see how it goes along. I’m working on asking for more help, but that’s a challenge in its own right. It used to be just me and a few part-time helpers, but I’m beginning to grow into a full-time operation. Thank God I cut back on the weddings.”

“Did you supply for catering?”

“Nope, wedding flowers.” Shona nodded toward one of two greenhouses set behind her pretty stone cottage. “That second one is all flowers. My gran loved flowers, and I couldn’t help but follow suit. But I think I got in over my head with weddings. I’ll still do some here and there, but I much prefer selling bunches of flowers and herbs at the market than the stress of wedding planning.”

“I don’t blame you. It sounds like it would be intense. I wouldn’t even know where to start with all the color coordinating and matching dresses and so on.”

“And I wouldn’t know how to build a house, so I’m equally as impressed.”

“You start at the foundation.” I held the door to the greenhouse open so Shona could slip inside, cradling Eugene in her arms.

“Isn’t that the way of it for most things in life?”

There wasn’t much I could say to that, as I had toagree, even if my own personal “life” foundation had been shaky at best. But that was the good thing about knowing how to build things. I could always shore up a foundation, fix it, make it stronger. Which was exactly what I was doing here, in Loren Brae, by joining the Order of Caledonia. I supposed I was building a house of sorts, built on friendships and trust, that would enable a stable future for me.

“She’s good, Gnorman. One of us.”

I whirled my head around from admiring Shona’s expansive and healthy greenhouse, all bright light and humid air, greenery crawling every which way, to see a gnome statue on the table.

“For flower’s sake, Shona. Warn us. I was about to have a picnic with Gnora.”

My mouth dropped open as the statue shifted, morphing into a living, breathing thing. He wore a kilt, had tattoos lining his muscular arms, and a tiny leather biker vest buttoned to his beard.

“I did warn you. Earlier today when I said I had friends coming over. At which point Gnora reminded you that you never takeheron picnics, and you got in a huff about it, and now, apparently, you’re taking her on a picnic and you’ve forgotten that we have guests coming.”

“How dare you suggest that I never take Gnora on picnics. I always?—”

Gnorman trailed off as another gnome sauntered out of the bushes, this one dressed in a figure-hugging pencil skirt in leopard print, with a leather bustier that enhanced her curves. Spying me, she blew me a kiss before crossing her arms over her ample chest and giving Gnorman a look.

“You always what, Gnorman? When was the last time you took me on a picnic?”

“But…but…it’s been raining for weeks now. It’s spring. You said you didn’t like the wet grass getting on your skirt.”

“So you put down a blanket, don’t you then?”

“Gnora, darling, you know I’d do anything for you.” Based on his imploring tone and begging eyes, I suspected what the wee gnome was saying was true.

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