Page 21 of Long Live the King

He took it and bowed over it, a red curl brushing her wrist, his lips hovering above her knuckle. “Pleasure tae meet ye.” He kissed it and raised his head.

She said, “Oh, shoot, that was...wow.”

He said, “M’apologies, mistress, I am Lochinvar, brother of Magnus the First.”

“Oh.. double wow, and you’re from Scotland? I’ve never been to...”

“Aye.”

She fanned herself, not in mockery, but because she had been working. But it was also clear that his steamy swoony brogue had caused her to heat up more.

She said, “My friends call me Ash, and um... yeah, I live um, here, grew up here.”

He asked, “Are ye named for the exalted Ash tree?”

She shook her head. “The Ash tree? No, that’s interesting, no one has ever asked that before, they usually mention ash, like from a fire.”

He chuckled. “Dost ye mean the ash from a fire would come tae mind first and not the noble tree, renowned for its protection? The Ash Tree is the Tree of Life! Ye canna tell me that is not the first thought?”

“It’s true, I’ve never had someone mention the tree first. My real name is Ashley McNeil.”

“Och nae, I winna understand modern man.” Then he added, “M’friends call me Lochie.”

“Like Lucky?”

“Aye, like lucky, I am the luckiest man tae be speakin’ tae ye.”

Hayley dropped her head to the table.

Zach sprayed his drink. He was laughing so hard he had to leave to go to the bar.

She said, again, “Wow.”

Emma nudged him, “You had a question for her...?”

He drew his eyes away from Ash’s face. “Och, I did... the one about her father?”

Fraoch said, “Nae, Og Lochie, ye were going tae ask if ye could stay after tae speak tae her.”

Lochie ran his hands through his hair. “Och, aye, Mistress Ash, would it be permissible for me tae wait for ye tae finish yer work. We could... um speak with one another...?”

She watched his face intently then glanced at all of us. We all averted our eyes as if we weren’t hanging on her decision. Shechecked her watch. “I was early shift, the bar is still open, but I finish in twenty minutes. Would you want to wait? You could wait out front.”

“Aye, I will wait.”

She smiled her dazzling smile, and said, “Great, but I have to get back to it.” She asked James, “You need anything else?”

He said, “Just the check.”

She wandered off and we all played it cool until she was in the back, out of earshot, then Fraoch clapped him on the back. “I knew ye could do it!”

Lochie was even paler than usual. “Did I do it? I canna remember a moment of it, I think it all went black.”

Magnus said, “Ye must remember tae breathe, and yer statement about bein’ lucky was verra good.”

Lochie said, “Good, I felt twas a good thing tae say. Dost ye think she liked me?”

Zach said, “If the girl you’re talking to says ‘Wow’ like that over and over, that’s a pretty good sign.”

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