Page 29 of Highland Hearts Holiday Bookshop

“I’m an absolute slut for it. I love lists, labels, neat little boxes that hold tiny little things. It makes my heart sing.”

“A woman after my own heart. I’m a programmer,” I explained, crouching to unzip my backpack. “Well, asoftware engineer. We love when things are logical and line up. It’s built into our very DNA.”

“That makes sense. One wrong line of code and the whole thing can crash, right?”

“Pretty much.” Pulling out the laptop I’d spent a good portion of the evening refurbishing and installing programs on, I placed it on the table. Rosie eyed it suspiciously before looking up at me.

“What’s that?”

“That, lass, is what we call a laptop. They are a new invention from the last forty years or so, but one that has gained popular traction around the world.”

“I know what a laptop is.” Rosie stomped her foot in the most adorable manner, and I grinned. Wow, that was like three smiles and two laughs before ten in the morning. It was more than I’d laughed in weeks. “What isthislaptop?”

“This laptop is now yours.”

“What? No.No. Alexander, I couldn’t. I can’t.” Rosie put the bird feeder on the table and promptly picked up the computer to hand it back to me.

“Sure you can. It’s easy. You just say, thank you Alexander, and we skip this whole song and dance where you pretend you don’t need it to run the shop.”

“You can’t justgiftme a laptop.” Rosie squinted at me like she wasn’t sure if I was all there. “You don’t even know me.”

“What would make you more comfortable about accepting this? Do you want to get to know me better? Och, go on then. Fireaway.”

“Fine. How did you come up with a laptop so fast?”

“I have a good twenty of them sitting around.”

Rosie’s mouth dropped open. “You do?”

“Yes, Rosie. It’s what I do. This is an older model, but not too old, gently used, and honestly not worth all that much in today’s market. But it’s serviceable and will suit your needs just fine.”

“Hmm.” Rosie looked up at the air and then back at me. “How old are you?”

“Thirty-four.”

“What’s your astrological sign?”

My lips quirked. “Capricorn.”

“Mustard or mayo?”

“Depends on the situation.”

“Sandwich.” Rosie narrowed her eyes at me.

“Mayo.”

“How many pillows for sleep?”

“One is sufficient.”

Rosie scoffed and shook her head. “If you live in a prison.”

“How many pillows do you use?”

“At least three. I like one for my head and one on either side of me so when I turn, I can wrap around it.”

Instantly my mind went to images of a sleep-flushed Rosie, all soft and round and warm, and I had to pull my mind away because the very thought made me a little dizzy.

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