51. Chapter 51
Chapter 51
The Coo's House
Violet wore a black tank top with a cute red tartan skirt and adorable Mary Jane high-heeled shoes, and she felt sexy. She felt like she needed to prove to herself that she could feel appealing and beautiful without Lachlan—or maybe in spite of him. She was determined to have one last great night in Scotland, and then tomorrow, she'd figure out her plans for moving. The thought was a heavy one, but she pushed it aside.
The two ladies walked into The Coo’s House. It was a large room with high ceilings and a bar in the middle. The decor was dark and rustic but with a modern twist. It didn't look old-fashioned despite having old wood barn boards and vintage-style paintings. It was packed with people laughing, drinking, and apparently having a great time. The wine they'd drunk earlier was wearing off quickly, and Violet was ready for a proper drink.
“Drew said he's near the stage off the far side of the bar,” Fiona said over the din of the crowd. She grabbed Violet’s hand and led the way through the throngs of people.
Violet was surprised when Drew scooped Fiona up and planted a very-happy-to-see-you kiss on her. But she just laughed and batted him off like it was no big deal. And that was when it hit her. It was the Drew that was Lachlan's brother, although he was clean-shaven now as compared to the scruffy beard he'd had when she'd seen him at the breakfast place. Violet felt a little shock of nerves remembering what Lachlan had told her. He’d punched his brother in her defence.
“This is my friend, Violet,” Fiona introduced them. Drew's blue-green eyes landed on her, and she suddenly realized how stupid it was for her to have come out tonight. What had she been thinking? Maybe he wouldn't remember her from that day.
Sheesh, he was a handsome one—the family resemblance was strong. Though, no man could compare to Lachlan. Her heart clenched. Drew's eyes widened in surprise. He recognized her. Shit.
“Violet.” A sly grin spread over his chiseled features. He looked like he was about to plant the same type of kiss on her as he did on Fiona, but then seemed to think better of it. Instead, he awkwardly shook her hand.
"Nice to meet you," she said, trying to determine the quickest way to the exit.
“Violet!” he said again with excitement, and suddenly, his hands gripped her shoulders in a squeeze. "One sec, dinnae go anywhere," he told her and then inched past her, leaving her feeling uneasy.
“Well, that was weird,” Fiona said, leaning over the bar trying to catch the bartender's attention.
“Look who’s here!” Drew said from behind her.
Violet turned around as Lachlan was shoved in her direction. Her heart hammered in her chest. He looked just as stunned to see her as she was to see him.
“V, you’re here!” There was an ease about him, and she realized he was probably a bit drunk as his handsome crooked smile spread across his face. “Did I tell ye I was here?” A confused, annoyingly adorable expression appeared on his handsome face.
Yep, definitely a bit drunk . This was more important than seeing her? Talking to her? Any of it? Nice.
“Nope, you didn't tell me anything. Not a thing,” she snapped, remembering she was supposed to be mad at him despite his easy charm.
"Uh-oh," she heard another voice.
She glanced over her shoulder and looked up. Holy shit. It was Lachlan but not Lachlan. Violet couldn't help but stare at the man who was equally as big and gorgeous as Lachlan.
"Oi, fuck off, Alex."
She turned back to Lachlan. Right. Alex. His twin. If she wasn't so mad at Lachlan, she would have laughed at the jealous look in his drunken blue eyes. Was he jealous that she'd looked at his brother? The man was hard not to notice. The three of them stood well over six feet tall, muscled, and too good-looking for words.
But her heart ached looking at Lachlan. He was the only man who could set her on fire. Her body was already reacting to his nearness. It was like she yearned for him in a way that defied reality. She was helpless to her feelings for him. No , she told herself, hanging on to her conviction by a thread.
She looked at Fiona, who appeared just as surprised by the Mackenzie men as she was. “I have to go," Violet said, realizing escape was her only option. She quickly slipped past Lachlan to make her way through the crowd to the door. With every step she took, the lump in her throat grew, nearly choking her. She didn’t want to cry.
Lachlan grabbed her arm right before she reached the door.
“Please, dinnae go,” he pleaded.
She turned to face him. Her eyes were burning with unshed tears.
"Dinnae leave. I huv so much to tell ye." He was still wearing the same dress shirt and pants from this morning, but now, he had a five o'clock shadow on his square jaw line.
“If you wanted to talk, why are you here and not with me?" She gestured with her hand. "You said you wanted to see me tonight, Lachlan. Take me to dinner. If you wanted to go out and get drunk instead, why didn't you just say so?" All her anger was bursting out of her.
"Och, I'm sorry. I ken, I'm a numpty."
If she wasn't so furious and hurt, she might have laughed. Damn him, this big gorgeous man looked so cute drunk and grovelling.
"I should huv called ye and no' just texted. That was very inconsiderate lass. I ken it.”
"You didn't text me, Lachlan." She leaned against the wall behind her a few feet away from the front door where another group of people were piling in.
Lachlan looked at her from under an arched brow as he stepped toward her, laying his hands on the wall on either side of her head. She was certain he was using the wall for support, but she was wholly affected by the move. She could smell the whisky on his breath and his cologne, and she just wanted to breathe him in and kiss his stupid face.
He leaned forward, their faces inches apart, and he studied her in a way that made her traitorous vagina throb. He picked up a loose strand of her hair, running it between his thumb and finger. "Aye, love. I did. I texted ye.”
"Maybe you thought you did, but you didn't, Lachlan. There was no message, no phone call. No nothing. Once again, you just ghosted me." She was going to hold her ground damn it. Her vagina and heart could just shut up already. He pulled his hands from the wall, and she felt strangely bereft.
He still looked at her, though, as he pulled his phone from his pocket. She gave him all the time he needed to find the so-called text. His lips lifted in his crooked smile, and he held his phone up for her to read it.
Lachlan: Hello my gorgeous lass, I apologize, but I am not going to be able to see you tonight after all. I should have messaged earlier. It is a long story. Let me make you brunch tomorrow, and I'll explain everything. I promise to make it up to you… all day and all night if you let me xxxxxxx
"See?" he said when she looked back up, triumph in his sexy, drunken gaze.
She crossed her arms over her chest. Her pulse tapped rapidly, reading his words.
"You didn't hit send."
His brow crinkled, and he flicked his phone back, examining the screen.
"Och, right, shite," he said.
She could tell he knew he'd fucked up, and then he hit send as if it would rectify things. Her phone dinged, and his eyes landed on hers, his lips quirking into a hopeful grin, and she couldn't stop the twitch of her own lips.
"I texted you, though. I'm assuming you didn't see it." She held her ground. Barely.
He looked down at his phone and ran a hand over his stubbled jaw. Clearly, he'd seen it now as a guilty look passed over his features.
"I am sorry, love. I'm doing a right job of messing things up, aye?”
A grinning Drew appeared over Lachlan's shoulder, draping a muscular arm over him.
"Ye two all right, then?" he asked, his eyes darting between them like a ping-pong ball.
Neither answered. "Och, Saint, did ye tell her ye defended her honor with the nasty MacDonald besom?" Drew supplied as if he thought it would help Lachlan's cause.
Violet found it kind of endearing—both the way he called him Saint and that he was making an argument on his brother’s behalf. So it was true—Lachlan had told that woman off. There were still many unanswered questions, though. She still wanted to know what their relationship had been and, more importantly, when .
"Ye arnae helping, Drew," Lachlan said, though his blue eyes were still glued to Violet like she was the only person who existed in that crowded pub.
"She doesnae look happy," Drew said to Lachlan as if she wasn't standing right in front of both of them, hearing every word.
She looked at him with his flirty-looking, devil-may-care, wide grin and almost laughed. He was exactly the kind of sibling she could imagine would drive Lachlan crazy. Then she thought of Orlagh, the petite powerhouse of a woman she'd met. How did she manage growing up with these men for brothers? As if on cue, Alex strode up to them, standing on the other side of Lachlan. The three big, broad, handsome Mackenzie brothers surrounded her. And all the while, Lachlan's eyes didn't leave her.
"What's happening here, then?" Alex asked, looking between them.
"As far as I can tell, Lachlan's gone and fucked something up," Drew supplied. "I think he should just tell her he loves her already, aye?"
Violet's heart jumped into her throat.
"Aye," Alex concurred as if they were discussing whether or not the sun would come out tomorrow. "Right, well, are we drinking? Kian's mam Mary just pulled out a bottle of the good stuff. An eighteen-year-old Macallan."
"Good ol' Mary, bless that woman." Drew laid a dramatic hand on his heart.
Lachlan continued to look at Violet while his brothers nattered around them. The corners of his mouth were tilted in a heart-stopping smile. Her head was spinning.
"He's not wrong ye ken,” he said, as if it were only her and him, and then he dipped his head to give her a swift fleeting kiss that still had the power to set off fireworks low in her belly. Lord, help her. She was as changeable as the wind because right now, with every fiber of her being, all she wanted was the man towering over her with a sexy twinkle in his eyes, looking at her like she was a slice of artisan cheesecake on a jailbird's lunch tray.