Page 60 of Sanctuary at MacLeod's Cove
She held up her hand to stop him. ‘It’s OK, of course I’ve changed, it’s only…’ There was a part of her that wished, just this once, Sam wasn’t so honest.
‘We’ve both changed. It would be odd if we hadn’t. But under those cool defences you’re still the girl I fell in love with.’
‘I am?’ she asked faintly.
‘Yes. Jen McLeod, would you come on a date with me?’
She opened her eyes wide and immediately shook her head. ‘No, I can’t do that. I’m still legally married, for one thing.’
‘You’re separated, and you told Lucy you have no intention of ever returning to Alistair or to England.’
‘Lucy told you that?’
His lips tweaked into a grin. ‘Yep. I’m afraid she wants you to be happy.’ He paused. ‘Don’t think of it as a date, think of it as a caring act to an old friend to escort him to the village dance.’
She laughed. ‘A dance? I haven’t been to one in years.’
‘Me neither. But there’s a gig at St Andrews Hall tomorrow night. You’ll be doing me a favour. I won’t have to answer questions about why my house isn’t progressing. They’ll all be too busy fussing over you.’
Her face fell, and he took her hand.
‘OK,’ said Jen, ‘I’ll come if you think it’ll help. No doubt I’m more of a legend than I imagine.’
‘Infamous, more like,’ he teased, his smile widening. ’So you’ll definitely come?’
‘Happy to save you from your public, Sam.’
‘I don’t have much here — no food — but I have a bottle of malt whiskey. Would you like a glass?’
‘Any mixers?’
‘Lightweight,’ he teased. ‘Some ginger wine?’
‘Oh, potent but nice. Yes, please.’
They sat companionably together on the steps of the caravan, talking about the old times, watching the sun go down and drinking. It was only when the darkness pulsed from daylight into twilight that Jen looked around.
‘I’d better be heading back.’
In the end, Sam, who’d limited his drinking, wouldn’t hear of her walking home and so he drove her back. It was only when they pulled up outside MacLeod’s Cottage that she realised she was empty-handed. She’d completely forgotten the CRC.
She opened the car door and immediately heard a sound, which sent a wave of fear through her. Liam was screaming.
‘What the —’ said Sam, before following her up the garden path and into the house.
Inside, the scene was one of chaos. Liam sat in the middle of the hall floor, tears streaming down his face, a picture of abject terror illuminated by the harsh overhead light. Kate was crouched beside him.
‘What happened?’ Jen demanded as she dropped to her knees and gathered Liam into her arms. ‘Hush, Liam, it’s OK, it’s OK. What’s wrong, baby? Mum? What happened?’
Kate rubbed her fist against her mouth and looked up with a worried expression. ‘Nothing that I saw. One minute he was sitting at the window seat looking outside and the next he was screaming as he came running into the hall to find me. Inconsolable.’ She shrugged again. ‘He wouldn’t tell me why.’
‘Come on, Liam, let’s get you off the floor,’ said Jen, as she sensed her reassurance calm him, his cries beginning to peter out. But still he refused to move anywhere but the hall.
Jen glanced across at Sam, who stepped forward, crouched down beside Liam, and caught his eye.
‘All right, mate?’ he said in his no-nonsense way.
Liam sniffed and nodded automatically, responding to Sam in a way that was quite different to how he responded to his mother or grandmother.
