Page 26 of Lochlan

“Is there a story behind it? Some fairytale where a hunter found his true love while hunting under the moon?”

She stops to pull the shawl tighter around her shoulders, then glances at the night sky. “Fall is the time when farmers harvested their crops during the full moon and hunters hunted by the moon's light for game to get them through the winter. We're city dwellers now; we've fallen out of the rhythm of the earth. I would think living out here you're more in tune.”

“I've only been a farmer of sorts for the last three years. I'd never heard that story before; I'll remember it when I see a moon like this again.”

She shakes her head as if I'm addled, then resumes our stroll until we find her lone car under a light. She pulls out her keys to open the car remotely, then yanks the door open. “I'll have a preliminary presentation pulled together by tomorrow.”

“Not all of it?”

She leans her back against the car, appearing to have the upper hand in this moment. She doesn't. I need to give her some measure of control.

“I need to know if I'm on the right track. I'm throwing something together quickly for you to review, to know if I've captured your ideas.”

“Fair enough. We can go over them after your shift tomorrow.”

She slides into the car and pulls her seatbelt over her lap, while I hold the door open. “I thought you said I don't have a job here.”

“That's if you had turned down the bargain, but you've also agreed to be my leannan.”

She slams the door shut, not seeing the humor. “Don’t call me your leannan. I’m not your sweetheart, I’m your fake friend.”

It was a poor attempt to lighten the mood. I’ll have time to smooth this over into a workable relationship for both of us.

“It's best you're seen around the winery. We'll be more convincing as a couple if we spend time together. Why don't I take you out so you can get to know me? Tell me what you like to do.”

“Why, is that part of the deal?”

“No, but it would help to get our stories straight. Granda will ask questions. He'll want to know how we met.”

“Tell him the truth. You met me when I was hired to work in the tasting room.”

“That will work, but I'll need more intimate details, like do you sleep on your side, do you snore, are you allergic to anything?”

She turns the key in the ignition. “I sleep on my stomach, I don't snore, and I have no allergies.”

“See, that wasn't so hard,” I say, trying to produce a grin, although it might look more like a grimace. I'm out of practice; maybe that's why it feels strange. “I'm already getting to know you. Let me take you out.”

There's no reciprocal smile. I know I shouldn't expect it—I was an arse to her—but I have a problem when a woman tries to take advantage of me.

“If you want to know more about me, send me a questionnaire.” She pulls the shawl from her shoulders, balls it up, and flings it out the window at me and I catch it before it hits the ground.

She revs the engine to a roar. The car lurches forward, then she accelerates to the far end of the lot.

“Thank you for a lovely evening,” I yell at the car's red taillights. “We should really do this again.” I'm not certain she heard me.

CHAPTER12

HELLO, SWEETHEART

KENZIE

The apartment seems too quietwithout my boisterous roommate bouncing around. Pru has left to visit her family for Christmas. The beach practices are lighter and not mandatory close to the holidays. The only girls attending are the ones who can't or don't want to go home for the holiday. I plan to visit Dad for at least a week, but I have to see how I can make that happen. Now, it might only be a two- to three-day visit, depending on working at MacTavish, the presentation I'm working on for the Wine Association, and my new boyfriend.

When I got my practice schedule, I signed up for more hours to work in the winery. That was before I made my devil's bargain with that grumpy asshole Lochlan. I figured if I was working in the tasting room more, there'd be an opportunity to win my challenge. As with most things, my chance came sooner than expected. My attempt to take a photo in Lochlan's room, on his bed naked, might have gone well if I hadn't been caught. Unfortunately, I was. That means my fortunes have changed and I'm in a worse position and I'm in too deep to stop now.

Lochlan is now on board only because of the ridiculous bargain he proposed. Maybe it's not so bad. I mean, it could have been a blow job and raunchy sex. Even after all of his stipulations I agreed to, there's no guarantee that if I do everything he asks, the photo won’t still go up on social media. He said flatly that he doesn't want to fuck me, but even that could be an added condition in the future. I need leverage that will tilt this game in my favor so there's no way he'd use that picture.

A green juice smoothie is the fastest breakfast I can consume if I want to leave on time to start my shift at MacTavish Cellars. My phone flashes before I down the last green drop. When I see Dad's face light up the screen, I smile. I'd love to talk with him, but I'm torn between answering and leaving so I'm not late. I hit the green button with a compromise. “Hey, Dad.”

---