Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
PARKER
I stood on the sidewalk outside the headquarters of Out of Bounds Scotland, bouncing with a sense of giddy anticipation and excitement.
After months of dreaming and planning, I was finally here, surrounded by scenic vistas at every turn. Everything about Scotland was so dramatic, from the sweeping mountains to the forests and lochs. I’d spent the entire series of trains and buses I’d taken to get here glued to the window, soaking in the views. I’d come so much further than the literal miles I’d traveled from Tennessee, and I’d had to do a few things I was less than proud of to make it this far. My guilt over that was going to be with me for a while, but at this point, the ends justified the means. I’d come to Scotland for an adventure, and I’d landed in the tiny Highland village of Glenlaig because the sister of a friend had raved about it.
Also, because no one would think to look for me here. I was supposed to be in London, after all.
But I was through doing only what I was supposed to. This wasn’t the first step toward taking control of my life. I’d been making dozens of small ones in that direction for the past couple of years. But it felt like the biggest, if only because it was symbolic of how I wanted to live from here on out. No more thinking small. No more letting other people decide what was best for me.
You’ve got this.
Squaring my shoulders, I strode up the walk and stepped inside the building. A massive, broad-shouldered man stood behind the counter, the phone to his ear, his face set into a scowl that pulled at the wicked scar that bisected his left eye.
“I dinna ken who you think you are, but I’ve never heard of such entitled?—”
My inner Southern debutante clutched her pearls in horror at the blatant rudeness, even as I marched across the room and took the phone straight out of the giant’s hand. The handset was warm from his grip. I had absolutely no idea what I thought I was doing, but I was in it now, so I put on my best polite tone and focused on the call. “Hello? Hi. I apologize. Someone answered the phone who shouldn’t have. How can I help you?”
“I was simply going over all the customizations I’d like to add to my package.”
American guy. Definitely huffy. Probably thought the world revolved around him. I’d had plenty of experience with his ilk, and while they were annoying, it wasn’t an excuse to be rude.
“Uh-huh.” In all the time I’d spent combing the company’s website, I didn’t remember there being a single thing said about customizations, but it wouldn’t hurt to write down his requests. “And what would those be?”
As the guy on the line, whose voice sounded solidly Silicon Valley, prattled on about high-end whisky tastings, gourmet catered meals, and a host of other things that he’d be far more likely to find at some kind of all-inclusive five-star resort rather than an outdoor adventure company, I grabbed a pen and notepad and began to scribble down his requests, murmuring encouraging replies to make sure he felt heard. The guy was an A-plus asshat, and I absolutely understood the frustration of the man whose stare I’d been concertedly ignoring through the conversation.
“Yes, sir. I understand. Well, I can’t make any promises, but I’ll see that all this gets to the appropriate people for discussion.” It was the best offer I could make, considering I had less than zero power here.
“You’ve been most helpful. Thank you. Have a good one.”
“Uh-huh. You, too. And I’m sorry for your experience earlier.”
“Between you and me, whoever the first guy was deserves to be fired.”
I wasn’t about to voice an opinion on that. Time to wrap this up. “Uh-huh. Buh-bye now.”
With careful deliberation, I hung up the phone and set down the pen, bracing myself to face the consequences of my impulsive action. The man I’d interrupted was even bigger up close, towering over me by the better part of a foot, with shoulders that would do any linebacker proud. His brows were drawn together, a furrow dug between them as he stared down at me. No doubt he wasn’t accustomed to someone who stood only a few inches over five feet, daring to take charge.
Knowing I’d probably just killed any shot at getting what I’d come here for, I straightened and prepared to take my lumps. “I am so sorry. I know that was overstepping and incredibly inappropriate of me, but you cannot talk to people like that.” If I’d already destroyed my opportunity, it wouldn’t hurt to use this as a teaching moment.
He loomed over me, an intensity to his expression that I probably should’ve found alarming. “You’re hired.”
I went brows up, positive I’d heard him wrong. “I’m sorry?”
“As the new office manager,” he explained. “When can you start?”
It was my turn to knit my brows. He couldn’t be serious. “I… what?”
“Do you already have a job?” He took a half step forward before he seemed to catch himself. I probably should’ve been intimidated, but there was an unmistakable edge of desperation in his tone.
“Well, no—” I mean, I technically had a job, but it wasn’t full time, and I could do it from anywhere.
“Do you need a job?”
I hesitated. I did need a job. Finding one had, in fact, been my number one priority after booking my Scottish adventure.
“Do you?” he pressed.
“Yes, but?—”
“Then you’re hired.” He pronounced this with a tone of finality, as if we’d just solved world hunger.
Scooping a hand through my hair, I couldn’t do anything but laugh at the absurdity of this situation. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know you just saved my business a potential client, and you’re apparently no’ afraid of me.”
The rumble of his Scottish burr stroked over me like an almost physical touch, and I had to repress a shiver as I angled my head to peer up at him. No doubt there were people who were put off by that scar and the one milky eye. But I sensed no malice in him, only a deep well of frustration and pain. When was the last time anyone had acknowledged that for him? “Everybody has bad days.”
“Every day is a bad day for some.”
The words fell between us, vibrating with a ring of truth that I felt down to my very core. I understood that hopelessness. I’d been there myself. Still slid back from time to time. As I didn’t think it was appropriate to wrap him in the hug I wanted to offer, I gave him the gift of holding space for his pain without flinching away. I suspected it was another thing he didn’t experience very often.
The door opened behind us, and another man came inside. “We’ve got ten new kayaks. Finn’s pulling around back. We need to open the loading bay door.” He stopped when he caught sight of me. “Oh, who’s this?”
The giant of a man didn’t tear his gaze away from me. “Our new office manager. This is…” He paused, a fresh intensity coming into his expression. “What’s your name, lass?”
You can call me anything you like, if you’ll just keep talking.
Flummoxed by the thought and the job offer, I blinked at him. Surely, it shouldn’t be this easy to execute my plan. I’d expected it to take weeks to find a job. I hadn’t even checked postings yet, as I hadn’t decided where I wanted to settle. Was this kismet? Maybe it was a sign from the Universe that I was in exactly the right place at the right time.
There was only one way to find out.
I extended my hand. “Parker. It’s nice to meet you.”