Page 5 of Love Beyond Wanting
“Aye, and if she’s half as bonny as Laurel...”he trailed off as Harry laughed and spoke just a short distance ahead of him.
“Aye, I believe she is.Marcus said she’s verra striking.”
“O’course, she is.”
He’d not yet met her and he could already sense he was in trouble.
Chapter 3
Present Day
It was exactly five-thirty in the morning when I finally cast aside any remaining doubt that all of this was real.After stewing over my therapist’s parting words for the better part of the day, I returned to Laurel’s apartment more ready than ever to dive back into the research I’d been obsessed over since the moment Laurel left for Scotland.Mr.Crinkles lay curled up on the far corner of my bed, surrounded by the empty wrappers of one-ounce pieces of chocolate that I’d recklessly strewn over the top of my mattress.Over the six-plus-hour study session, I’d nearly eaten my weight in chocolate.The candy, combined with the extra-large thermos of coffee I’d guzzled, had me near caffeine overdose.My feet seemed to bounce on their own as I reviewed my sources one more time.The book on The Isle of Eight Lairds, which had mysteriously appeared in my sister’s path, was now excessively highlighted and worn from use.The four credible websites I’d found on the subject were all open on different tabs of my web browser for easy reference, and the recorded documentary was paused on its most fascinating part on my bedroom television.
The movement of my feet shook the bed.Mr.Crinkles stirred, opened his one green eye, and glared at me as if to say,Stop it, human, or I will cut you.He would, too.He could leap faster than I could move out of the way, and his claws were like little razor blades.The moment I stopped fidgeting, he closed his eye and went back to sleep.Careful not to disturb him again, I pushed myself slowly off the bed so I could burn off the excess caffeine by pacing the room.
I’d combed through every page of the book three times, watched the documentary on the subject twice, and knew every word on each of these web pages by heart.Each and every source held some piece of information that made it impossible to deny what my heart already knew.My sister and her best friend, Marcus, truly were in the past.They were both meant to be there.And—if the book’s footnote about a marred woman, along with one very quick mention of a one-eyed black cat in the documentary was to believed—so were Mr.Crinkles and I.
Every bit of it was absurd, but I knew in my bones it was true.
I paced back and forth for the better part of an hour, until I heard the quiet movements of my mother in the kitchen.Knowing that I couldn’t take another day of eggs Benedict, I took a quick glance in the mirror and rumpled up the sleeves of my pajamas so it would look like I’d just rolled out of bed before I went to the kitchen to stop her.She couldn’t have looked more surprised to see me up and about.
“Kate.Did I wake you?I thought I might run over to the gym down the street and get a short workout in, but if you’re up, I can go ahead and make you breakfast first.”
I walked past her to the cabinet and reached inside to grab a box of cereal.
“No need.Honestly, just something simple will be perfect this morning.Enjoy your workout.”
There was something resembling guilt in her expression as she left, and I quickly took on the feeling myself.
Everything that I’d learned overnight affected her, as well, and I’d done a remarkable job keeping it from her.If Laurel and I were destined to live in the past, surely she was, too.We were her world.She couldn’t bear being away from us forever.And if my mother would have to come with me, then surely David would have to, as well.Marcus’ dad was as attached to his son as our mother was to us.
Overwhelmed and slightly dizzy from all the caffeine and sugar, I set the box of cereal down on the counter and went to the bathroom and turned on the shower.There was so much I needed to do, and I didn’t have a clue where to start.A nice, long, hot shower was in order to get me prepped and ready for the very busy day ahead.
I needed to take care of everything as quickly as possible.
Otherwise, I knew I’d talk myself out of it.
The shower was a disaster.The hot water helped clear my head, but doing so only made room for all of the doubts and questions my research had unearthed to come rushing to the forefront of my mind.None of it made sense.Even if somehow it was all possibly true, what was I supposed to do about it?By the time I got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my body, I was shaking with anxiety.The moment I stepped back into my bedroom, there was a knock at the door.
Looking through the peephole I saw an elderly woman smiling up at the door.
“Umm…hold on just a moment, ma’am.Let me put on some clothes.”
Her gaze flickered to the peephole.I swear she could actually see me.
“Ach, no need, lass.I know what a naked woman looks like.I’ve the same bits myself.Though nowadays, they’re a little softer and droopier than yers are, I reckon.Open the door.I need to speak with ye this instant, before yer mother returns.”
Suspicion washed through me, and I found myself hoping that she was who I so desperately needed her to be.
“Who…who are you?”
“Lass, ye know who I am.’Tis Morna.Open the door, please.”
Pinching the towel closed with what was left of my right arm, I glanced down to make sure I was covered and opened the door.She stepped inside without hesitation and had no qualms about making herself at home.
“’Tis a lovely apartment.Ye decorated it, aye?Ye have wonderful taste.”
“Yes, I did.”I stared after her with a sense of astonishment.I’d spent days trying to piece things together.I couldn’t believe she was here.
