Page 54 of Lochlan

“Aye, and I'll miss my two grandsons.”

“We hope you both will have a safe journey back,” Geordie says.

Of the two, Geordie seems to be the most affected by the end of this brief visit with his grandfather; he might be missing home more than Lochlan.

“Thank you. I've decided that since there was a slow start to Catriona, help is needed to push this project forward. Lochlan, you'll have increased funding for this phase only. Use the MacTavish marketing department to help select an American marketing firm for the project. I'll also leave Fiona here to help you secure backers. After that's accomplished, I'll decide on who will be in charge of Catriona and the California wine operation.”

CHAPTER24

DRIVE-BY LOVE

LOCHLAN

When Granda leaves the room, it takes away our incentive to remain. Geordie and Fiona glance at me as though they want a private word. I ignore their silent signals and bid them a good night before they leave for their rooms. When we're alone, I ask Kenzie to wait with me until I'm sure everyone has gone to their beds to avoid a conversation with Geordie or Fiona. It's a silent ten minutes in the living room, staring at the fire together, until it's time to escort Kenzie back to our suite.

We stroll down a quiet, carpeted hallway. Kenzie walks a wee bit in front of me, staring ahead as if she's walking alone. I don't dare touch her because I caused the unease between us. When I push the door open, she sweeps past me into the room. Standing in the middle of the space, she yanks the halves of her sweater tighter across her body. Her chin tilts up in defiance, but it's as if she's having a problem forming a question.

The room is just as we left it—the section of the bed comforter we laid on is rumpled from our brief session, and our cases, with our clothes exposed, are on the bed. I'd like to continue where we left off and have her screaming my name with pleasure as I planned, but it isn't right to be that selfish after I've been with Fiona. Even I couldn't be that unfeeling, so out of an awkward respect, because there's no etiquette for what I allowed to happen, I keep my distance.

“Sorry I was late,” I say to an agitated Kenzie. “My meeting became more involved than I expected; it took longer to complete our business. I checked the conservatory first, where I'd left you. When I found it was empty, I returned to the room. I must've come back just after you and Geordie left. I waited for a long while; I couldn't imagine where you'd gone.”

“What does that mean?” she asks, frustration reaching her voice. “It sounds like a lot of double-speak. What happened? You were gone too long to just go over the numbers.”

I take the few strides across the room to the table and retrieve my cell and a red envelope that sits underneath it. “Our bargain was for you to help me with the presentation and to be my girlfriend until Granda left. If it wasn't for your help with creating and presenting to the Wine Association, we wouldn't have had so many interested investors. You did an excellent job. Granda pulled me aside to tell me how well you did and that he's glad we're together. You fulfilled your end of the bargain and more. It's my turn to do what I promised. You wanted proof from me we slept together.”

She glances at the bed. “But we haven't; there was no penetration,” she says.

“It doesn't matter; this was all pretend. What we did...” When I can't finish what I want to say, I hand her the envelope. She looks at the offering, then glances up at me. “What's this?”

I sigh. “I've tried to think of a way that would convince everyone, without a doubt, that we had slept together. This is a letter to you, a love letter, actually, expressing my feelings and referring to the nights we spent together. I've already sent you the photos that were taken of us this weekend when I asked Geordie to snap a few pictures. The letter and the photos should be enough to convince Poppy.”

She practically snatches the red paper from my hand as if I might change my mind. While she clutches the envelope, I offer her my phone. “The photographs I took of you that night with the sign, I want you to delete them. Dinna fash yourself, I didn't make copies, but I want to give you the satisfaction of destroying them.”

Telling her not to worry herself doesn’t lessen her agitation. She takes the cell phone and thumbs through a few pictures and deletes the photos, then hands it back to me. I thought she would protest, that maybe there would be a screaming battle where we could end up hating each other, then this would make it easier. From what happened earlier in this room, I thought something was growing between us. I can tell by her silence that she has just been placating me since we met; even on this bed she went along to get what she needed. I shouldn't regret anything; we both got what we wanted.

“I have my camera here. Would you like to delete the photo session as well?”

She doesn't answer immediately. Her lips grimace into a thin line, calculating something before she speaks. “No, you can have them.”

“Aye, well, I think that's everything.” I stride to the bed to lock my case and pull it off. “I'm leaving you the room. Aubrey will find another place for me to stay the night. If not, then I'll stay with Geordie. I'll tell him we had a lover's spat.”

She blocks my path to the door. “So that's it? I thought you promised a different ending when we returned to the room. You said that we'd talk. Lochlan, let's talk.”

“Lass, we just did.”

I hate to see the surprised anger in her eyes. Telling her about my meeting with Fiona would do no good; it would accomplish nothing. There's no future with anyone as broken as me, even if I could convince her to start again with me. The result is that I'd only disappoint her; it's better that she end up with Connell. I've decided on a path and I can't turn back now.

“In the morning, after Granda leaves, Aubrey will arrange for you to be driven back to your apartment.” I grip my case tighter and head for the door. Before I turn the knob, I glance back at her. It kills me to see that there might be hope in her eyes, or maybe it's me who wants to see something that says I mattered to her in those large brown eyes. “Kenzie, I really hope you get that Olympic gold you want, and that it makes you happy.”

* * *

The endof the weekend couldn't have come fast enough. Back in my office, looking out over the twisted black vines of winter, it's as if nothing has changed, but everything is different.

“Lochlan?”

“Aye, Layla,” I say, turning to face her. She's holding a large wrapped rectangle in one hand that scrapes the ground.

“This was delivered to the front office; it's for you. I thought I'd bring this with me because I have a message from Geordie. He and Connell are out in the vines looking at the irrigation. Geordie should be back in twenty minutes. He'll call you when he's in his office so the two of you can have your morning meeting.”

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