Page 85 of In Search of a Husband
He had a caber toss to win.
Gabriel had spent far too much time as of late being a hypocrite, telling Katie he’d be respectable and then… Well, doing what they did last night wasn’t exactly respectable. He didn’t wish to hurt her, and he was done being afraid.
He’d see her as his wife, yet.
They had worked together to sort out the rest, and he would have to believe the same with McQuarrie. Once the man realized Gabriel wouldn’t concede and proceed with his plans to expand and legitimize the distillery, the two men could work out their disagreement. But Gabriel would never stop his plans only to appease McQuarrie.
Kate glanced over at him from her spot on the hill. A soft breeze moved through her curls, and she brushed them back, her cheeks pink from the chill. And like a man possessed, he felt himself drawn to her, needing to be near her.
The madness of if it made no sense, but love apparently wasn’t logical.
And he loved her.
“What are ye three up to now?” Elsie asked as he approached. “I suspect trouble.”
Lorna and Maisie chased each other in circles, both wearing a crown of pink and blue ribbons.
“Dinna ken what ye’re talkin’ about, Sister,” he answered Elsie, but his focus was solely only Kate and the way the sun kissed the freckles dotting her cheeks.
“Ye’re takin’ a long time to call the start of the caber toss,” Elsie teased.
“Nerves,” Kate said, nodding definitively.
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Are ye teasing me, lass?”
She shrugged, her gray eyes dancing with mirth.
That was to be the way of it, then?
What he wished to do more than anything was to draw her up to him and kiss her, to let the perfect Scottish day wash over them, and not hide his love for her.
Instead, he cleared his throat. “Would ye care to take a walk, Kate? I can show ye around.”
“Show her around? I need a hand pie, Uncle.” Maisie pulled at hiskilt, her determined brow drawn low. “I’ve been askin’ for hours. I willna make it much longer… hand pie.”
“We havena been here for hours,” Elsie countered. “The day’s only begun. Let’s find some hand pies and leave yer uncle alone to contemplate his loss.”
“I willna lose.”
His sister glared at him. “If ye said what ye meant this morning to Katie here, then ye best no’. I dinna think she’ll be persuaded otherwise.”
Kate only adjusted her brooch, ignoring the pair as if she weren’t keenly listening. But he saw the blush on her cheeks.
“I would love for you to show me around,” she said finally, peeking up at him. The softest smile hinted at her lips. “Maisie and Lorna, I hope you enjoy your hand pies.”
“Nae runnin’ off now, Brother,” Elsie warned, wagging her finger. “Ye’re to be gentleman-like.”
But he knew the truth. He knew Kate liked it best when he wasn’t a complete gentleman.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Kate huffed, grabbing his hand. “I am right here. Find something else to bicker over.”
“We’re to find hand pies,” Maisie called out after them. “Load of ‘em!”
He chuckled along with Kate as they finally broke apart from the rest of the family. He quickly scanned the crowd for McQuarrie, or Archie and Finn, but couldn’t find them.
“Is there anything the matter?”
Gabriel shook his head. “Only that I wish to kiss ye, and I canna.”
