Page 2 of A Thistle Beyond Time
“Nay, lass, I’m here—”
“I know, I know, you’re here for me,” she growled.
“I’ve nowhere else to go,” he admitted in a somber voice.
“So you’re homeless. Is that it?”
“Nay. My home is far from here.”
“Do you have any money?” Jenna asked, her initial wariness turning down a notch.
“Nay, I dinnae.” he responded, with a curious look on his face.
“Okay. Since you insist on following me, if you leave me alone and don’t try anything, when we get to my place, I’ll give you some money and I’ll have my cousin, Dylan, drive you to the homeless shelter. There are people there who can help you.” Why was she leading him right to her front door? She kept telling herself that Chester wouldn’t let any harm come to her and Jenna simply didn’t get a bad vibe from him.
He continued to look as if he couldn’t understand why she thought he needed help. “That won’t be necessary, lass. If ye come with me, we’ll tell Edna we’re ready and she’ll bring us back to my home.”
“I can’t argue with you about this. You obviously have issues that need to be dealt with and I don’t have the time or the patience to do it. So, please, don’t say another word about me going anywhere with you. As a matter of fact, don’t say anything else at all.”
“As ye wish, lass.”
Jenna kept her eye on him as she walked. She had been accosted by strangers in the past. San Francisco was a big city and there were many roaming the streets who needed help. None of them had ever followed her home though. Some would ask for money and some only wanted someone to listen to them for a moment. Cormac MacBayne didn’t utter a single word, but she noted his head on a swivel, turning from side to side. He looked at the cars and buses with immense curiosity. Everything seemed fascinating to him.
Jenna was relieved when she finally reached her house, a neat little Victorian with lots of gingerbread trim, in a row of similar multicolored houses. It may not have been the wisest decision to lead him straight to her front door, but something told her she had nothing to fear from this strange man.
“You wait here. I’ll send Dylan out to help you.”
“Jenna, lass, I—”
“No. Don’t say another word. Zip it.” She motioned to her lips like she were zipping them shut.
Cormac wrinkled his brow and looked confused at that, but he did not speak.
“Come on, Chester.” She had to pull the dog away.He must be wearing bacon cologne,she thought, as she climbed the stairs to her front door. She took one more look at gorgeous, but crazy and then unlocked the door and went inside.
* * *
“Dylan,” Jenna called as she closed the front door. “Dylan, get up. I need you. We’ve got a problem and he’s waiting for you downstairs.”
“Morning to you, too, cuz.” Dylan stretched and rubbed his eyes as he emerged from his room, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans. “Coffee.” He pointed as he made his way to the kitchen and poured himself a cup.
“So, what’s up? Jonathan back?”
“No. Some crazy guy followed me home from the Green. Oddly, he knows my name. Some lady named Edna sent him, or so he says. I’m supposed to go with him and be his wife.”
“Well, you better get packed then. You probably shouldn’t make him wait too long. He might leave without you.” Dylan chuckled at his own joke.
“Very funny. You’re just a riot, first thing in the morning, aren’t you?”
“I do believe I am.” He tossed his golden blonde curls back out of his face and reached for a shirt tossed over a nearby chair. “Between that, and this face and bod, it’s a wonder I don’t have women beating down the door to be with me.”
“I don’t want your head to swell, but they do.”
Dylan grinned. “Oh, yeah, you’re right.”
“Come on, Dylan. Get serious. We need to do something about this guy. And when I say we, I really mean you.”
“Should I bring my baseball bat?” he teased.
