Chapter 19
“Ican’t do this, Eric,” Elle said, throwing her clothes in the bag. “I’m going home.”
“You’re throwing your career down the drain and you know it.” He threw his hands in the air in obvious exasperation.
“I’m throwing this career down the drain, but not the one I intend to have when I get back home.”
“What? Are you going to be a farmer now?” he laughed.
“Eric, I’m going to sing the music that speaks to me.
The music that touches my heart. I’m done with this.
I went the pop music route because you told me I had to if I wanted to make it.
Well, I haven’t made it and I believe it’s because my heart wasn’t truly in it.
And, yeah, maybe I will be a farmer. I’ve got the land and I’ve got Hamish. That’s all I need to be truly happy.”
“Fine. If that’s what you want, but don’t come crawling back to me when you decide you want to give it another shot.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan and it doesn’t include you. I appreciate everything you’ve done and tried to do for me, but you don’t need the headache of trying to make a square peg fit into a round hole.”
Eric watched her pack, not saying another word. She didn’t care though. She was following her heart and it was the best feeling in the world.
“Goodbye, Eric,” she said, as she left.
She walked out the door. The freedom she felt was exhilarating.
The happiness she’d been missing since she’d left home had returned.
She couldn’t wait to get back to Carrera Ranch, to her family and most of all to Hamish.
The door man signaled for one of the cabs lined up outside the hotel, and she gave the driver directions to take her home.
She closed her eyes and went back to the wonderful memories her song had conjured up this morning.
Hamish had captured her heart and soul. She felt in her pocket for her phone so she could call him, but it wasn’t there.
She must have left it in the hotel room.
Oh, well … she thought, everyone likes a surprise.
***
Elle got out of the cab and ran into the house. “Hamish! Hamish!”
“Elle, is that you?” her mother’s voice came from the living room.
“Mom! I’m back!”
“You’re too late,” her mother said.
“What do you mean?”
“Hamish left. Your brother Matt drove off with him about an hour ago. He’s going home.”
“What? How?”
“He’s been so sad since you’ve been gone and he didn’t think you’d ever really be back to stay, so he decided to go.”
“No. I’m back. I’m here to stay. I gave up my manager and the ‘so-called tour’ he set up for me. Mom, I realized after I left that I wasn’t happy. That the only time I’d been happy throughout this whole music career was when I was with Hamish and here at home with all of you.”
“I’m so sorry, honey. He loves you so much and he was so hurt and sad without you.”
She dropped onto the sofa, shocked. She’d lost him.
“Who’s here?” her dad called coming in the door.
“Elle’s home,” her mother answered.
“Elle,” he said, as she looked up from her perch on the sofa.
“Daddy,” she cried, running into his arms. “What am I going to do?”
“You’re going to go find him.” He held her away from him and looked into her eyes.
“I can’t. I wouldn’t know where to start.” She didn’t dare bring up the time travel.
“He’s going back to Scotland, you can just go back, too,” her father said, sounding puzzled.
“It’s not that easy, Dad. I wish I could explain, but I can’t.”
He took her by the hand and led her to the door. “We’ll be back,” he said to Bobby.
“Where are we going?”
“I’ve got something to show you.”
They got in the truck and drove to the property next door that she’d bought so that she could live there with Hamish. “Dad, why are you bringing me here. I can’t even think about living here without Hamish.”
“Patience. You’ll see.”
They crested the hill and Elle was shocked to see a small cabin sitting where she’d hoped to build their home.
“He built this for you. We all helped, but he did the bulk of the work. He’s slept here every night since it was finished.
“Have I been gone that long?” she asked, knowing the answer. She’d been gone several weeks. She couldn’t blame Hamish for not waiting for her. She’d hurt him terribly and there was nothing she could do to make it up to him. He was gone.
“Let’s go in,” Joe said.
She opened the door and was taken by surprise to see a cozy, warm little cabin.
“This is so beautiful. He did this for me.” It was astonishing to her that he would have done this.
It wasn’t much bigger than the hunting lodge they’d stayed in, but it was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her.
“He loves you, sweetie. Of course he did this for you.”
She sat on the edge of the bed, holding one of the pillows to her chest. “Daddy, I’ve made a terrible mistake. I should never have left.”
“If you didn’t go, you’d always wonder what if. Now, you know what’s truly important to you. I believe in my heart that Hamish will be back. You have to believe it too.”
“I think I’ll stay here for a while, if you don’t mind.”
“I’ll see you back at home.” He left her.
She had so much to think about. Could she contact Edna? Was it possible to speak with her?
Truck doors closing and male voices caught her attention. Who could that be? She got up to open the door, but it swung open before she had a chance.
“Hamish!” she cried, running to him.
“Elle,” his husky voice was filled with emotion.
He held her to him for a long, long time and she held him right back, “I thought you were gone.” She’d almost lost him.
“Yer brother was taking me to the Marina Green, but we heard ye on the radio.” He pulled away just enough to look into her eyes. “I heard what ye said about me, about us. I didnae wish to leave. I belong here with ye.”
“That’s what I figured out, too. I don’t want to be anywhere that you’re not.
” She felt the tears streaming down, but ignored them, “I’ve decided that I’m going to stay here and write the music that I want to write.
I want to make a recording studio here on our ranch and if I perform, it’ll be at small clubs and venues.
We’ll get Edna to make you an I.D.” She stopped to take a breath.
As she looked into his eyes, she saw love there and made him a promise, “From now on I’m taking you with me where ever I go. Will that be enough adventure for you?”
“Elle, you’re all the adventure I need.” He lifted her chin with his finger and sealed their new life together with a kiss.