Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
“San Francisco has a new hero tonight and from the response to this cell phone video taken earlier today, he’s setting hearts across the Bay Area aflutter.
” The evening news was on and Jenna and Cormac sat in total amazement, as they listened and watched, the news anchor continued.
“Earlier today a woman was robbed of her purse and cell phone outside of a local coffee shop.
The victim tells us that a man wearing a kilt ran after her assailant and not only retrieved her possessions, but captured the thief, disarming him of a knife.
“His friend ran after him, turned her ankle and fell. He picked her up and carried her back, all the while holding my attacker by the scruff of the neck. It was unbelievable. Like something you’d see in a movie.
” Cormac recognized the woman he helped.
She was smiling brightly as she described what happened.
The video continued, showing the woman hugging Cormac tightly around the waist and continued to follow their every move, even as far as Cormac picking Jenna up and carrying her away as the crowd applauded.
“Oh my God,” Jenna said. “You’re on the news!”
Cormac’s mouth had dropped open as he looked unbelievingly at the television. “Jenna, how did I get in the box?”
“You’re not in the box, Cormac. Someone took a video of the whole event with their cell phone.”
“I dinna ken what ye speak of.”
Jenna pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and held it up, waving it in front of him.
Cormac nodded his head at her, but was still puzzled.
“It takes photos and video.” He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.
“Watch, I’ll take a picture of the two of us.
Come closer and look at the phone.” Cormac did as he was instructed and Jenna held the phone up in front of them.
He could clearly see himself in the phone.
“Okay. Smile.” He looked at Jenna and saw she was smiling brightly.
He did the same and she took the photo. “Now look. See, there we are.”
“Is it magic?” Cormac questioned.
“No, silly. It’s technology. I can’t believe you’ve never seen a cell phone. You must be the only person left on the planet who hasn’t.”
“Aye. Ye may be right.”
“So, if I push this button, it takes a video.” Jenna pointed the cell phone at Cormac, who furrowed his brow.
“What is it doing now?”
“You’ll see.” She stopped the video and played it back for him.
“If I didnae see it with my own eyes, I wouldnae believe it.” He took the cell phone from her hands and said, “Can I see it again?”
“Sure. Touch the arrow on the screen,” Jenna showed him and then said, “So, you see someone at the coffee shop had their phone out and recorded everything. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.
If they find out where you are, they’ll be camped out on our doorstep wanting to talk to you.
” Jenna reached over to the coffee table and picked up her laptop.
She tapped the keys and brought the news video up online.
“Wow! That video’s gotten thousands of hits already and it’s only been up for an hour. Looks like it’s going viral.”
“Viral?” Cormac was more confused than ever.
“Don’t worry about it. Hopefully no one I know will see it. If they do and they alert the media … well, you don’t want to have to deal with that.”
Jenna knew it was unlikely that would be the case.
Someone was bound to recognize them and that could spell trouble for Cormac.
He hadn’t exactly been truthful with her and she was afraid that all the scrutiny he would receive would bring up questions.
If he answered them the way he had answered Jenna’s questions it could be bad for Cormac.
Jenna’s cell phone vibrated in her hands.
She checked the caller ID and decided to let it go to voicemail.
Her phone vibrated again. This time it was a text from Dylan.
“Just saw the two of you on the news. Stay in tonight.”
“Jenna, is all well?” Cormac looked concerned.
“Oh, yeah, it’s just Dylan. He says he won’t be joining us for dinner.
” The phone buzzed again. “And we should stay in tonight. I wasn’t planning on going out anyway.
” She watched as Cormac lifted her foot in his hands and gently prodded her ankle.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” she reassured him. “I just turned it. No big deal.”
“Good. I’d not want to see ye hurt, lass.” The look on his face told her he cared a great deal about what happened to her.
“I’m fine. No need to worry about me,” she said, although she was secretly delighted at his attentiveness. “We’ll just stay here and relax.”
“Jenna, tell me about yer life here in San Francisco. I ken that ye dinna spend all yer time at the beach, or attending feasts. What do ye do that makes ye happy.”
Jenna thought long and hard about that one.
She realized that Cormac must think she was a spoiled rich girl.
She hadn’t shared the details of her life with him.
She’d basically been enjoying a vacation from her everyday life and she’d been happier than she had been in ages.
“Hmmm … that’s a good question. I work at my parents’ foundation.
You know, they do a lot of charitable work involving children and since they’re away all the time, Dylan and I handle matters here at home.
I also work with the local homeless shelters and battered women shelters.
I have many friends in the restaurant business and I see to it that at the end of the day they collect any food that’s left over and donate it to both groups. ”
“Does that make ye happy, Jenna?” Cormac asked.
“I haven’t had much to be happy about this past year. Don’t get me wrong, the work I’m doing is very rewarding. It makes me feel good to know we’re helping so many people. My own happiness is the last thing I think about.”
“Ye deserve to be happy, lass.”
Jenna rolled her eyes. “Happiness is overrated,” she lied.
Cormac raised an eyebrow at her. “What do ye mean by that?”
“I don’t know if I can explain it. It’s hard to be happy. I guess I have moments of happiness, but it can’t last forever.” She reached her hand out to Cormac and he took it. “You know, you’ve made me very happy this past week.”
“Aye, you’ve done the same for me.”
“What makes you happy, Cormac?”
“Lots of things make me happy. A smile on your face makes me happy.”
“Not here and now. What makes you happy at home?”
“Ah … so many things. My family, my home, the people of my clan. Riding my horse through the MacKenzie lands and feeling the cool breeze on my face. The green grass, the forests, the ocean—the feeling that I belong there. There is much more, but I dinna wish to bore ye.”
“You’re not boring me, Cormac. I love listening to you talk.
Your home sounds like a wonderful place.
I wish I could go with you. And before you say I can,” she paused, thinking of how she would explain it to him.
“I know I can, but I also know I can’t. This is all so new to me.
You’re so new to me. I’m afraid to make a mistake.
Afraid my heart will be broken. I wish I was the kind of person who didn’t care about that kind of stuff.
I wish I was the kind of person who could just leave everything behind and go, but I’m not.
I tried it once, with Jonathan and I regret it every day. You understand, don’t you?”
“Aye.” Cormac remained silent for a moment, his eyes travelling to her hair, her face. “I don’t want to forget ye, love. I want to always be able to think of ye and remember exactly how beautiful ye are. I want to remember the touch of yer hands, the smile on yer lips, the taste of ye in my mouth.”
Jenna found herself speechless. That was the most beautiful thing anyone had ever said to her.
It brought tears to her eyes. Cormac noticed and brushed them away with his thumb.
He ever so gently brought his mouth down on hers.
Jenna met his kiss with all the sadness, hunger and longing she was feeling.
Her senses drank him in. She couldn’t tell where she ended and he began.
He felt so right, but somehow she knew it had to be wrong.
Jenna would let herself forget all about that for now.
She wanted to be with him, to go with him.
How could she not? She cleared her mind of all doubt and gave herself up to this man, to this moment.
In the darkness of the room, Cormac lay awake, Jenna secure in his arms. Edna, are ye there? I must speak with ye.
“Aye, Cormac, I’m here. Are ye ready to leave tomorrow?” The sound of Edna’s voice in his head was reassuring. Cormac was very worried that he might not be able to return home tomorrow, although a part of him didn’t want to go.
I am. Jenna willnae be returning with me. Of that, I am sorry.
“I’m so sorry, Cormac. You couldn’t convince her? What reasons does she give?”
She doesnae trust me enough. She has been hurt only recently by her idjit husband.
“Do you love her? Because if you do, there is always hope. It is always possible she will change her mind. You do not know what tomorrow will bring. Be at the appointed spot at first light and wait for the fog. You will be home before you know it.”
Thank ye, Edna. I do love her and I believe she feels the same for me, but it may be asking too much to expect her to leave her life here.
“Go to sleep now, my dear. The morning will be upon you before you know it. Things will work out exactly as they were meant to. I promise.”