Chapter 16
Bursting through the doors of The Thistle & Hive Inn, Donal and Tina were greeted by a sight that brought great joy to their hearts.
“Da,” Elena said. Maggie sat beside her with a blanket strewn across the floor covered with toys of all kinds.
“We got a little carried away,” Maggie explained.
“I guess you did,” Tina replied, going to Elena and picking her up. “You look wonderful. Are you feeling better?”
“The fever’s gone and so is the rash,” Maggie reported.
“You’re back,” Edna said, entering the lobby. “I won’t ask how it was. All I need do is look at ye.”
“Everything was perfect,” Tina said.
“Your wee lass is well and will be ready for travel soon,” Edna said.
“That’s wonderful! We’ll just head upstairs and get our things put away.”
They made their way upstairs, placing their things in Tina’s room.
“I can’t wait to take you home. You’re going to love California.”
“Tina, I love ye,” he said. He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “I wish to be with ye, but I dinnae ken how to fit into this world.”
She turned in his arms so she could see his face. “Are you saying you don’t want to stay in this time with me?” Fear filled her heart. She thought everything had been settled, but Donal seemed to be having second thoughts.
“I’m saying I’m a warrior. ’Tis what I’ve done my whole life. ’Tis who I am. I want to take care of Elena and I want to take care of ye, but I dinnae ken how I’m to do that here.”
“Don’t worry about that. We’ll find something for you to do. My father always needs extra ranch hands.”
“What would I do?” he asked, gazing into her eyes.
“Take care of the cows and horses. Fix things, you know, stuff like that.”
“I took care of the animals when I was a lad, but I left that behind when I came to Breaghacraig. I no longer wish to be that young lad. I’m a grown man. I’m a warrior. Better than most with a sword and dirk. ’Tis what I wish to do. Is there nae need for warriors in this time?”
“Well, yes, there is, but that might be hard for you to do.” How could she make him understand? She knew being a warrior was where he got his sense of self worth, but that wasn’t something he’d be able to do in Livermore.
“Why? I’m one of the finest warriors at Breaghacraig. On a good day I’m even able to beat Cailin and Cormac.” He blew out a breath as he ran his hands through his hair, eyes filled with apprehension and maybe even a little fear. “What does Hamish do?”
“Hamish plays in my sister’s band. He works with my father and takes care of the horses.”
Donal seemed disappointed by this answer, but straightened his shoulders and stood proud before forcefully saying, “I must be useful.”
“You will be. It might take some time for you to get used to the way things work in this time, but you don’t need to worry about that now. I can take care of everything.”
“I cannae have my wife taking care of me. I am the man. I am the one who is to protect ye and Elena and to provide for ye. What kind of man allows his woman to take care of him?”
Tina was getting frustrated. Nothing she said was getting through to him.
They’d had such a wonderful time with each other and she thought everything was worked out between them.
It wasn’t that she didn’t understand his point of view.
He was from the sixteenth-century after all, but Hamish managed to give up the crazy notion that the man had to be the breadwinner in the family, why couldn’t Donal?
“Let’s not talk about it anymore. Maybe Edna can help us figure this out.” She moved closer, rubbing his arms with her hands.
Thankfully Donal didn’t argue the matter any further, instead he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist. Tina nestled into his chest, breathing in the scent of him as he kissed the top of her head. It would all be okay. It had to be.
“I’m going to take a shower, maybe you’d like to join me.” She rubbed her hand down the front of his jeans and got an immediate response. “Come on. Let’s just enjoy each other for now. We’ll iron out the details later.”
She didn’t have to ask him twice. He lifted one brow and a wicked smile crossed his lips.
***
They took advantage of the baby sitting services Edna offered and after their shower, slept the afternoon away.
“We should get dressed and go down for dinner,” Tina said.
“Will Dylan be cooking again?” he asked.
“I think he does all the cooking,” Tina responded.
He quickly put his pants and shirt on and was at the door before she’d even begun to get dressed.
“I’m hungry,” he said.
“I’ll bet you are.” Tina teased. “I think we both worked up quite an appetite.”
That sexy smile she loved appeared on his face as he watched her dressing. She met him at the door with a kiss that almost sent them both back to the bed, but the sound of his stomach rumbling brought them to their senses.
Entering the dining room, they saw that everyone was seated at the table, including Elena, who sat in a high chair attached to the table.
“Look who’s having dinner with us.” Tina said, giving Elena a kiss on the cheek.
Donal examined the seat. “’Tis quite a useful thing,” he commented.
“You’d be amazed at all the baby stuff available in our time. All to make mom and dad’s life easier. And make baby’s life safer,” Maggie said.
Tina sat on one side of Elena and Donal the other.
Dylan brought the food to the table and everyone helped themselves to the delicious fare he prepared for them.
“So what is yer plan?” Edna asked, passing a bowl of roasted potatoes to Angus.
“Well, we wanted to talk to you about that,” Tina said. She took a quick peek at Donal, who was busy looking over the food. “Donal is worried that he won’t find his place in our time, because he’s been a warrior for so long.”
At the sound of his name Donal glanced up from the food, tipping his head in question.
“Is this true?” Angus asked. “Are ye worried about staying in this time?”
“I cannae allow my woman to take care of me. I must be the one who provides and cares for my family.” The stubborn set of his chin and the gruff tone of his voice were making it clear to Tina that this wasn’t going to be a battle easily won.
“I understand yer concern,” Angus said. “I wasnae sure I could live in this time either, but Edna helped me to see that there is more to life than wielding a sword and dirk.”
“I dinnae ken what that could be.” Donal was dismissing the conversation. Tina couldn’t believe it. It was obvious he had no wish to even listen to what they had to say.
“So are ye saying ye don’t want to stay in this time?” Maggie asked.
“I wish to return to Breaghacraig.”
Tina thought her head might explode. Sure, she knew he was nervous about leaving his world behind, but she thought he loved her and that because he did he’d be willing to take a leap of faith and stay with her. She shook her head and turned to Donal. “And what about me?” she asked.
“You’ll come with me. The other ladies like it there, and ye liked them. So ye will be happy there,” he said.
Tina couldn’t believe her ears. Had he just ignored everything she had said about wanting to live near her family?
He thought that just because he said so, she was going to go with him.
She clenched her fists in her lap, doing her best to control the panic that was beginning to well up inside of her.
She had spent most of her time in the past hungry and wishing she could be home.
She had been very clear that she wasn’t going back there.
“What if I don’t want to?” she asked through gritted teeth.
There was silence at the table as everyone waited for Donal’s response.
He glanced around at all of them, settling his gaze on Tina. “Then I will go back without ye.”
Tina was shocked. She hadn’t seen this coming and from the looks of the others at the table, neither had they.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Tina got up and ran up the stairs to her room.
She couldn’t breathe. She had finally admitted to herself and to Donal that she loved him and now the unthinkable was happening.
She didn’t know how to make this right. She wanted to be with him and little Elena, but she wasn’t going to live in another century and desert her entire family.
She knew it wasn’t the same, but it felt an awful lot like being tossed aside.
Again. This seemed like a hopeless situation.
He wasn’t willing to fight for her. She did the only thing she could think to do.
She picked up her phone and called her sister.
“Tina, what’s wrong? Are you crying?” Elle asked.
Tina managed to pull herself together enough to answer. “Donal doesn’t want to stay in our time. He wants to go back with Elena. I don’t know what to do.”
“Mom and Dad would be devastated if they never saw you again and so would the rest of us.”
Tina couldn’t seem to stop crying.
Elle let her cry for a while then gently said, “Come home to us. It’ll be alright. I promise. Maybe if you tell him you’re leaving he’ll change his mind. But no matter what, just make the reservation and get on the plane.”
“Alright.” She hung up from Elle and immediately made a reservation on the first flight home the next day. Then she locked her door, got into bed and cried herself to sleep.
***
Donal knew he was being unreasonable, but this was a big step for him to take and the fearless warrior was afraid.
He was afraid of leaving everything he knew behind and heading into a future full of unknowns.
Maybe he wasn’t as brave as he thought he was, but if he couldn’t at the very least take care of a wife and child then he had no business staying.
He hadn’t bothered Tina last night. He had a lot to think about and he knew she would be very upset with him.
He hoped that when she came down to breakfast this morning she would understand that this was the only way and she would consent to going back with him.