Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
“Ihave to stop in at the office for a minute or two. Just to drop off my parents’ award.” Jenna said.
Cormac nodded, not sure what or where the office was. He followed Jenna downstairs into a room with a small car in it. It was the color of silver and something about it was very appealing to Cormac. He walked around it, examining and admiring every detail.
“You like it, huh?” Jenna noted. “Most guys do. Come on, get in.” She motioned for him to open the door.
Cormac watched Jenna open her door and he went around to the other side and opened his. He climbed into what was a very small car, but he fit perfectly. He wasn’t saying much, busy looking over the seats, the windows, the roof, etc.
Jenna hit a button on the dashboard and the garage door opened. He watched as she turned the key and the car came to life with a roar. This wagon was different from Dylan’s truck. He really wanted to learn how to drive one, but Jenna told him he couldnae. He needed a license.
“Ready?” Jenna asked.
“Aye,” Cormac was excited to go with Jenna today.
He was feeling a strong bond with her and he hoped she felt the same.
It seemed that she did based on the last 24 hours.
He would be leaving and he was determined to take her with him.
After the night and morning they had shared, he didn’t believe he would have any trouble convincing her to go with him.
***
As they pulled out of the garage, Jenna’s heart was singing in her chest. She would never have believed she’d find herself falling for Cormac.
Especially after the way he came into her life and especially after she had sworn to steer clear of men following the Jonathan fiasco.
She loved the way that everything seemed so new to him.
He looked at the world around him with awe and a bit of disbelief.
Things must be very different in the part of Scotland he came from.
She laughed to herself and shook her head.
“What’s so funny, lass?” Cormac asked.
“I was just thinking about how far we’ve come since that morning on the Marina Green.”
“Aye. It seems so long ago,” Cormac smiled.
They drove through the streets of San Francisco, stopping at every red light they came to. One of the headaches of driving in the city. There were plenty of others, but they were only heading over to the Financial District to drop off the award and then they were off to Sausalito.
The car pulled up in front of The Sinclair Foundation building and they were met by the valet.
“Miss Sinclair, it’s good to see you,” the valet said as he opened her door.
“Thanks, Jimmy. We won’t be long,” Jenna smiled brightly at the valet and patted his arm before leading Cormac in through the sliding doors of her parents’ office.
Jenna stopped at the elevator bank and pushed the call button. As they stood waiting, Cormac looked baffled.
“What is going to happen,” he asked.
“We’re just waiting for the elevator to take us up to the top floor,” Jenna answered.
The doors to the elevator opened and Jenna motioned for Cormac to follow her inside. As the doors closed behind them, Cormac jumped and Jenna once again was amazed at his seeming lack of worldliness.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be okay. It’s faster to take the elevator than to walk up the stairs,” Jenna assured him.
Arriving at the top floor, the doors opened and they entered the executive suite where they were greeted by Susan Mitchum, the executive assistant to the Sinclair family.
“Hi Susan,” Jenna greeted her.
“Jenna, I wasn’t expecting to see you today.” Susan’s eyes wandered to Cormac who stood quietly behind Jenna. “I see you’ve brought a guest with you.”
“Oh, yes, Susan this is Cormac MacBayne. Cormac, this is Susan Mitchum. She’s our very capable executive assistant.”
“’Tis a pleasure to meet ye,” Cormac said.
“And you,” Susan smiled. “Can I help you with anything, Jenna?”
“I’m just dropping off the award from last night. Do you want to take it?” Jenna asked.
“Sure. I’ll put it in the display case.” Susan took the award from Jenna. “It’s beautiful. You never know, sometimes they look like trophies,” she laughed. “By the way, Jenna, I have some papers for you to sign. Your Dad asked that I have you sign them when you came in.”
“Oh, sure. I’ll just be in my office.” Jenna took Cormac by the hand and led him into a large room, beautifully decorated and with an incredible view of the city from the floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows.
Jenna went and sat behind the desk. She looked at the mail that was there and then opened her laptop to check her e-mails.
While she was busy answering them, Cormac walked over to the windows and stood looking awestruck at the view.
“’Tis incredible. I can see all the way to the water from here.”
“It’s one of the best views in the city,” Jenna proudly stated.
“Here are those papers, Jenna.” Susan walked in with a stack of folders and brought them to Jenna’s desk.
“What are all these?” Jenna wondered.
“Some contracts, letters, and proposals. Your Dad approved all of them. Here’s his e-mail explaining everything.” Susan pointed to the top paper.
Jenna quickly glanced at the e-mail and then got a pen and went to work signing. Cormac hadn’t left his spot by the window. Jenna made quick work of the papers and then handed them back to Susan. “Here you go. Thanks, Susan.”
“No problem. Where are you off to now?” Susan asked.
“We’re heading over to Sausalito. Cormac’s visiting from Scotland, so I wanted to show him some of the sights.” Jenna said.
“You should go through Muir Woods, too. It’s so beautiful. Those giant redwoods aren’t found everywhere, you know.” Susan offered.
“That’s a good idea. I think we’ll do that. Thanks again, Susan. I’ll see you soon, or Dylan will be in. You never know.” Jenna got up from the desk. “Cormac, we should go.”
Cormac turned from the window with a look of wonder on his face. A crooked grin lit his face as he headed towards Jenna and Susan. “I cannae wait to tell my family back home about all the wondrous things I’ve seen here.”
“Well, there’s more to see before you go.” If you go, Jenna thought.
The Golden Gate Bridge was unusually traffic-free as Jenna guided her car across.
Cormac looked to be enthralled by all that lay before him.
The sun was glinting off the water, which was dotted with the tiny white sails of boats below the bridge slicing through the waters of the bay on this beautiful day.
Besides the cars, there were pedestrians strolling along and taking in the view, along with those riding bikes and running.
Jenna was feeling relaxed and happy. She hadn’t had this feeling for a long time and had almost forgotten how it felt.
She was actually enjoying the view. It was fun to see it through the eyes of another.
Especially one who was so obviously excited by it all.
“Ah, Jenna, I feel like a daft idjit everra time I open me mouth. This place, this time is so verra beautiful! Words fail me.” Cormac threw his hands up in apparent exasperation at his lack of words.
“It is beautiful! I understand completely how you feel.” Jenna said as she removed one hand from the steering wheel and gently laid it on his arm.
“Aye, but no matter how beautiful, ‘tis not nearly as beautiful as Breaghacraig.” Cormac professed.
“Well, I guess I’m going to have to see that for myself someday.”
“Ye could see it with me sooner than someday, lass.”
“Cormac, let’s not go there, please,” she said.
“Jenna, ye’d like to see where I live, ye said so yerself. Why do ye nae come with me when I leave? It may be yer only chance to do so.”
“That may be true, but I am not going with you when you leave. We’ll keep in touch and maybe in a month or so, I’ll come to Scotland and you can show me around.”
“’Twill be too late. Ye must join me when I leave, or not at all.” Cormac looked dejected.
Jenna was starting to feel like her prickly old self. How dare he tell her what she must do? “Cormac, we’ve been having a really nice time. Don’t ruin it!”
Cormac sat back in the car seat and harrumphed, while Jenna removed her hand from his arm and drove on over the bridge in stony silence.
***
Cormac wasn’t quite sure how things had gone so terribly wrong in such a short time.
He merely suggested that Jenna come with him, as she herself had said she would like to see Breaghacraig.
Now she wasn’t speaking to him and he felt the wall he had worked so hard to demolish building back up.
He needed to do something before he was back where he started with her.
“I’m sorry, Jenna. I didnae mean to upset ye. Yer right. We’ve been having a lovely time together. Can ye forgive me? I couldnae help meself. I’d be a fool not to want ye to come with me, but I willnae speak of it again. I can see that ye’ve made up yer mind on the subject.”
He sat perfectly still awaiting her response and was just about to give up on her when she looked over at him wearing the saddest expression he had ever seen.
His heart hurt. Had he caused that pained expression.
If anyone else had dared to cause Jenna to be so sad, Cormac knew he would turn into the caveman Jenna spoke of, but it was he himself who was making Jenna so unhappy.
He didn’t deserve her love. Perhaps ‘twas best he go home and forget about her.
“Cormac, of course, I forgive you. You have to understand, I can’t go with you.
Not right now. We’ve known each other less than a week and even though we’ve grown close, it just wouldn’t be smart for me to drop everything and head off with you.
I’ve learned some hard lessons recently and I must be extra careful, especially with you. You do get that, don’t you?”
Jenna asked.
“Aye, I do.” He didn’t really, but he was so relieved that she was speaking to him again he wouldn’t rock the boat.
“Okay, good. We’re at our first stop. This is Muir Woods.” Jenna said as she pulled the car into a parking space.
Cormac hopped out of the car and made his way around to help Jenna out, but she beat him to it. “No need to worry about me, Cormac, I can get out of the car on my own.”
“Of course ye can, lass.” Cormac felt a bit wounded at that.
He knew she could get out of the car on her own, but he wanted to do the gentlemanly thing and help her.
He had a lot to learn about women of this century.
Jenna stood waiting for him with her hand out.
Cormac took it and they walked onto the path that led through the trees.
Cormac had never seen anything like it. The size of the trees was impressive.
“This is a grove of Coastal Redwoods. They are between 400 and 800 years old and some of the trees are as tall as 250 feet. Amazing, huh?” Jenna, sounding like a tour guide, shared her knowledge of Muir Woods with Cormac, who craned his neck back as far as it could go so that he could see to the very tops of the trees.
“These trees were here and growing in my time,” he said, feeling rather awestruck.
“Right,” Jenna rolled her eyes at him.
“I ken ye dinna believe me, Jenna, but ‘tis true.”
She didn’t respond, but instead stood with her hands on her hips and a perplexed look on her face. Cormac thought it best to change the subject and began asking her questions about Muir Woods. “Muir, ‘tis a Scottish name, aye?” he asked.
“Yes, John Muir, the man these woods were named after, was a Scottish naturalist. He was born in Scotland and came to America when he was a child.”
“Is he still living?” Cormac innocently asked.
“You really need to stop this, Cormac! It’s starting to get old,” Jenna snapped.
“Stop what, lass?”
Jenna raised an eyebrow and looked very angry.
“I really dinna ken if he is alive or dead.”
“He passed away a long time ago, Cormac. Look, can we set some ground rules for the rest of the day. I don’t believe you’re from the sixteenth century and I don’t believe a witch sent you to find me, so can you please stop this crazy game you’re playing.”
“As ye wish, lass, but ‘tis not a game.”
“Thank you.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips.
Jenna tipped her head and smiled sweetly.
They continued walking among the giant trees.
Cormac was a bit homesick and walking in the woods was soothing his heart.
This was as close to home as he’d seen since being here.
He could imagine walking in the woods back home, holding Jenna’s hand and showing her his world.
He had one day left to convince her and it wasn’t looking good.
Jenna wouldnae even allow him to bring the subject up.