Chapter 35 Taran
Thursday night, Quinn and his pipe band were scheduled to play at the Lantern. I’d done my very best to stay away from him, to not take him up on that silent invitation. But every night I lay in bed, it was a test of my willpower not to go to him.
When Tierney insisted we all meet at the Lantern to support the pipe band, I didn’t put up much objection.
She and Cammie had asked if something had happened between me and Quinn in Oban, but I’d avoided the question as best as possible, not telling them the truth and not quite lying.
The only person who knew I’d slept with Quinn was London, because she was the only person who didn’t have a bias toward him.
London accepted my confession with no judgment, trusting me as an adult to do what felt right, and assuring me she was there for me however it played out.
London was by my side as we entered the Lantern.
I knew Laird was playing the pipes this evening instead of Ramsay.
Playing smaller events often meant changing their formation from five to three.
Ramsay and my brother took turns on the pipes, while Murray, the bass drummer, usually sat the smaller venues out.
Murray was at one of the larger booths on the edge of the barroom with Tierney, Cammie, Ramsay, and Akiva. They’d left a few seats empty for me and London. I shimmied into the booth beside Cammie while London took the empty seat next to Murray.
They murmured hello to each other as Cammie hugged me into her side.
“How are you?”
“How are you?” I studied her pretty face. “I’m sorry about the Defender.”
She’d come into the store this morning and told me the car needed a completely new paint job.
“I just need to pay for the supplies. Forde pulled in a favor with a specialist in Glasgow.”
“It’s busy tonight.” Tierney had to raise her voice over the chatter to be heard. “What’s the deal?”
Ramsay lowered his pint and gestured to the room. “I recognize some faces from the surrounding islands.”
“A lot of female faces,” London observed.
Frowning, I scanned the pub. She was right. There were more women than men here tonight.
Cammie snorted. “I don’t know how it evaded your notice, but the Leth Sholas Pipe Band is beginning to collect a few groupies.”
Something unpleasant gnawed at me. Something like irritation. And possessiveness.
Tierney seemed to realize there were people shooting covetous looks at our table at the same time I did. Of course, we were seated with two of the band members. Ramsay scowled at the attention and Murray appeared oblivious as he shot London surreptitious glances.
My amusement overtook my annoyance as I thought of London and Murray and how they reminded me of two shy teens dancing around their crushes on each other.
However, the irritation returned in force when Quinn stepped out into the pub with his snare drum attached, my brother at his back with the pipes, and Forde with his tenor drum.
A riotous cheer of wolf whistles from the audience escorted them, and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as the men grinned at each other before taking their places.
The thought of Quinn enjoying said female attention made me want to get up and leave.
As he stepped up to the only mic, he searched the room until he found me. His shoulders visibly relaxed and my ire dulled as our eyes connected. Even with a crowd of people between us, our chemistry was palpable.
“Fàilte gu the Lantern!” he welcomed the crowd, and they cheered and whistled again. “Tonight’s first song is for a very special person. Every time I hear it, I think of you, Taran.”
I tensed as Cammie made a choked, muffled sound of delight next to me.
The shifting of chairs and heads made my cheeks burn as the locals looked right at me. I kept staring ahead at Quinn, though, promising myself I’d murder him later for embarrassing me.
His voice deepened. “Let’s face it, Mo luaidh. Everything makes me think of you.”
“Aw, ye auld romantic, McQuarrie!” someone, I think it was one of Laird’s crew, shouted from the bar, and everyone tittered.
Quinn grinned as I tried not to squirm. I scowled at him because he knew I hated attention, but he merely laughed into the mic before stepping back to start the “Rose of Kelvingrove.”
My breath caught. It was one of my favorites because it had been one of my mum’s favorites.
Cammie reached for my hand under the table and squeezed it.
I covered hers with my other and held on as Quinn’s band played the song.
People tapped their feet to the lighthearted melody while I sat in turmoil.
Quinn had promised not to expect more from me than physical intimacy, but he hadn’t promised not to pursue me.
And apparently that meant making a public declaration in front of our town.
It could leave him with egg on his face. It most likely would.
Why would he do this?
I must have muttered the words out loud because Cammie leaned in and murmured, “Because he loves you and he doesn’t see any point in pretending otherwise.”
An ache flared across my chest, and I barely touched the drink Murray got me as the band played through its set list.
Cammie nudged me, her gaze all too knowing. “Tell me again you and my brother haven’t slept together.”
“Of course we’ve slept together. We used to date.”
She made a face. “Evasions, evasions.”
I blew out a sigh, shifting nervously in my seat as I waited for the band to finish.
After they bid the audience good night, Forde went to the bar while Quinn and Laird made their way over to us.
My big brother leaned down to press a kiss to my cheek.
He’d called me every day since he’d heard about the attack on Saturday.
At first, he was pissed off I hadn’t told him (Quinn had), but I didn’t want him to worry.
He’d offered to come stay with me, but I didn’t want to interrupt his life with Finella and the kids.
As a fisherman, he worked hard, and Finella needed him around during his free time.
“You doing all right?” He hovered, blocking Quinn from getting to me.
“I’m fine. I’m here. I’m safe,” I reassured Laird for the millionth time.
He grunted but nodded. “I need to get back to Ella and the kids.”
“I know. Go. I’m surrounded by people here.”
Quinn peered over his shoulder at me. “And I’ll walk her home.”
Laird rolled his eyes where Quinn couldn’t see, making me chuckle. My brother winked at me and leaned over to press another kiss to my temple. “You call me if you need me.”
“I will. Night, big brother.”
“Night, Taran.” He brushed past Quinn, giving him a big-brotherly scowl just for the sake of it.
Quinn was completely unfazed as he slid into the booth, forcing everyone to budge along. Even then it was a tight squeeze. Our faces were only inches from each other.
“There are other seats.”
He shrugged unrepentantly. “This is comfy.”
“There’s an open mic night here next Wednesday,” Cammie announced to the table. “I saw Aodhan putting posters up around the harbor.”
Ramsay grimaced. “Note to self: Stay home next Wednesday.”
Tierney chuckled, shaking her head at his surliness before she looked across the table at London. “If Spoon didn’t have stage fright, I’d say she should do it.” She called London by her nickname.
Cammie studied the redhead. “You can sing?”
“Nope.”
Her best friend tutted. “Lies. London has a beautiful voice.”
“Aye? Murray’s voice isn’t so bad either,” Quinn opined. “Maybe you should go up there, Mur.”
“No, thanks.” He cast London another glance just as she looked at him. They both quickly jerked their gazes away from each other.
I smiled to myself as I took a drink of my gin and tonic.
“Surprise, surprise,” Cammie murmured.
There was something in her tone that made me follow her line of sight to the bar.
Where Forde was very clearly flirting with an attractive brunette.
Quinn put his finger and thumb in his mouth and let out an impressive, piercing whistle. Everyone including Forde looked our way. “Where’s my drink?”
“Keep yer knickers on!” Forde yelled back, making the pubgoers laugh.
“Insolent wee shite,” my ex murmured. “I sometimes worry he’d flirt with a fucking sheep if it batted its lashes at him.
I laughed, drawing Quinn’s attention. “Seriously?”
He grinned. “Nah, but he is a pain in the arse.”
“I heard that.” Forde slammed a pint down in front of Quinn. “Why are you salting my game?”
“I don’t think being known as the local bus equals game, Forde,” Cammie teased.
“Local bus? Harsh, Cameron, harsh.”
“I’m confused. What does that mean?” London’s head moved back and forth between them.
“It means Forde will give anyone a ride.”
London’s lips parted like she wasn’t quite sure how to react.
“Not anyone.” He shook his head pointedly at Cammie.
She stiffened. “Well, not everyone wants an STD, Forde.”
“All right, play nice, children,” Murray inserted, leaning forward, brow furrowed.
Forde crossed his arms over his chest. “Clearly you’re not talking about yourself since you dated a walking STD for a year.”
“I think you’re supposed to call them STIs now,” Tierney offered unhelpfully.
Ramsay flicked her a warm look of amusement.
“What did I miss?” Quinn leaned past me to look at his sister. “Why are you two at loggerheads?”
“Ask him!” Cammie flicked a wrist at Forde. “He’s the one who has been acting like an arsehole.”
“Oh? Getting you a deal on your repaint is me acting like an arsehole?”
“Doing a nice thing while acting like an arsehole doesn’t make you any less of an arse with a hole!”
I snorted back an inappropriate laugh.
“Okay, okay, people are starting to look.” London raised a hand between them. “Time out, you two.”
“How are you being an arsehole?” Quinn’s tone was dark with threat as he glared up at his best friend.
It was totally and utterly wrong that him being a protective big brother made me want to jump him.
Forde seemed shocked by Quinn’s sudden change in demeanor. His arms fell to his sides. “Fuck …” He looked from his friend to Cammie, his expression falling. “I didn’t think I was. I thought … I thought it was just our usual banter.”
“Being mercilessly mocked for sleeping with a younger man didn’t feel like banter, Forde.”
“You should have said that to me instead of making it public.” He gestured to our table. “If I crossed the line, I’m sorry.” Forde didn’t wait for Cammie to reply. He strode back to the brunette at the bar and gave her an easy smile, like what occurred between him and Cameron hadn’t happened.
“So. Open mic night?” Cammie’s tone was tight with ire. “Any takers?”
No one got a chance to respond because suddenly an angry and very drunk Eoghan McCall stumbled into the Lantern. I was the first to see him and grabbed Quinn’s arm. “Eoghan.” I warned too late.
“I heard you were here!” Eoghan shouted, pushing past tables and chairs, falling into people and righting himself as Quinn stood up, blocking me, guarding me. The pub fell into a hush, only a murmur here and there.
“Call the police on me, eh!” Eoghan shoved Quinn.
Several things happened at once.
London cringed back in pure terror, Murray noted it, and dove out of his seat to stand in front of her, guarding her from the altercation.
At the same time, Ramsay eased Tierney out of the booth to join Murray and Quinn to create a wall protecting us from the older man.
And Akiva, sensing the tension, started barking at Ramsay’s side.
I couldn’t see anything but the men’s backs as Tierney reached for the Alaskan malamute, trying to calm her.
“After what you did to my boy!”
“You need to leave,” Quinn commanded.
“I’m calling the police.” Cammie rummaged through her bag, pulling out her phone to do just that.
“We didn’t do anything to Liam,” I heard Forde say. “Everyone knows you abused him and his mum. If it wasn’t an accident, it was a deliberate choice to escape you.”
“You wee—” There was a scuffle, and the men moved quickly.
Eoghan suddenly appeared in the shuffle, struggling between Quinn’s and Ramsay’s holds. Spittle flecked down his chin with his red-faced rage. Then he saw me and his eyes blazed. “I didn’t kidnap you, you wee bitch!”
Quinn yanked hard on Eoghan’s arm, face a mask of fury. “You don’t even look at her!”
“I admit I ran my car at ye!” Eoghan nodded, expression sneering and vicious. “I wanted to make him feel what I feel!”
Oh my God.
“And my car?” Cammie yelled.
“Aye, your car too.” Eoghan stopped struggling. “I just wanted to scare you. But I didn’t try to kidnap your whore!” Eoghan spat at Quinn, fighting him again. “How dare you! After you took my wee boy!”
At that, Quinn and Ramsay dragged Eoghan from the pub.
I sat stunned for a few seconds, my mind whirling with his confession.
“Everyone heard.” Cammie shook my arm. “There are a ton of witnesses to him admitting to driving the car at you and vandalizing mine.”
But he hadn’t admitted to the attack in Oban.
Or the break-in.
A deep sense of foreboding rattled through me as I dazedly followed my friends out of the Lantern while we again waited for the police to arrive.