Page 44 of Highland Hearts Holiday Bookshop

“I am.” Alexander stood slowly, and I followed suit, realizing my time with Tattie was done. “If you’re alone, you can’t get hurt. You can protect your peace. There’s nothing wrong with a quiet life.”

There was a world of pain behind those words that was none of my business.

I had my own problems to deal with, my own healing to do and revelations to unearth. It wasn’t my job to fix this man when he seemed perfectly content with the path he’d chosen. And evenifthere was attraction there, I doubted that he’d act on it, and I should squash that too. I’d never been a one-night stand kind of girl, and thissmall village was not the ideal place to flex that unused muscle.

“Thanks for introducing me to Tattie. You’ll have to let me know if I can help with the play park. It would be fun to see him in his element.”

“I’ll do that.”

It felt like he was ready for me to leave now, and if he wasn’t used to ever having visitors, that was likely the case. “Right, I should get a move on. Thanks again for having me by.”

“Wait, I’ll walk you home.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“It’s dark and I have a big flashlight. Please. It will make me feel better if I know you get home safe.”

Peering at the darkness behind his windows, I decided to accept.

“Actually, I’ll take you up on the flashlight offer. My phone only did so much.”

“Great, let me grab it.”

I waved goodbye to Tattie, hoping I’d get to see him soon, and crossed through the kitchen and gorgeous living room where Alexander tamped the fire down. I wanted to tell him to leave the fire, to stay in his comfortable place where nobody could ever hurt him again.

Instead, I silently put my boots on and waited.

“Shall we?” Alexander appeared with a flashlight and his coat, and I smiled up at him. For as much as he said he preferred to stay in and not form connections, he’d already put himself out to help me several times now. Maybe he had a damsel in distress thing, but it was morelikely this was just who he was. Sighing, I mentally rolled my eyes.

Why were the good ones always unattainable?

And then I shut that thought down, fiercely reprimanding myself. I wasn’t here for love. I was here to start a new life full of books and a new career. Nowhere in my neatly written schedule had I slotted a space for falling in love.

Maybe Alexander had the right of it. Being alone was just easier.

Chapter Fourteen

Alexander

Iwanted her to read books on my couch while I worked on my computer.

Was that weird? That I wanted her to just be there? Next to me? Quietly existing in my space?

The way her laugh had hung in the air, causing lust to spear through me, had me harshly reminding myself how my last relationship had ended. I had worked so hard to find my peace, and now that I had it, was it worth giving that up for a woman I’d just met?

Assuming she’d even date me.

Which was unlikely.

Did she know just how stunning she was? Half the time when I found myself juststaring at her, unable to speak, it was because all thoughts had left my brain because I was fixated on her beauty.

You told her she was round like a hen.

Silently groaning, I mentally berated myself. What the hell had I been thinking? I hadn’t meant it like that, and I knew women could be sensitive about their bodies, and I didn’t want her to think I was commenting on her body. Being a professor had taught me to be very cautious with my words, and I always tried to make sure I was being respectful. It seemed that Rosie flustered me, which was something I’d have to examine more deeply. Later. Not when the wind teased me with her scent and made my thoughts scramble in my brain so I struggled with my words.

“One moment,” I said, stopping by my outdoor shed. I’d already grabbed a bag from the kitchen, and swinging the shed door open, I took the lid off the bird feed container and scooped some food for her birds.

“Is that for my happy sunshiny birds?”

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