2. Locke #3
He nodded. She was so damn adorable, with Alistair’s dark hair, soft curls and blue eyes. “How about I come sit next to you during dessert?”
“Kay,” Kenna said, plopping down in her chair to further inspect her name card. Speaking of seatmates, my eyes dropped to the name card on the plate next to mine.
Isla.
Oh, please God, no.
There she was again, camera in hand. Would I ever be free of this nightmare?
“I’m being tortured,” I muttered, wondering how much Weston would hate me for leaving early.
“How do you think I feel?” she replied, narrowing her eyes in my direction. “All the people in this tent, and I have you next to me for company.”
“I’m excellent company,” I shot back, unfolding my napkin and dropping it onto my lap.
This close, I could make out a smattering of freckles along her nose and deep, brown eyes framed by thick lashes.
I wrenched my gaze away. She might have been pretty, but all I could think about every time she glanced my way were those blasted mud-flinging sheep.
Why couldn’t I be on the other side of the table with Alistair and Kenna?
“Excellent company? As if,” she quipped. “I thought I was smelling eau de dirty farm animal, but it’s actually just your rotten personality.”
My pulse throbbed in my head, but I bit my tongue as I felt a tug on my jacket. Kenna had come around the table to visit.
“Up,” she requested.
I pulled her into my lap, trying to keep a lid on my annoyance. If I just focused on Kenna, I could get through this dinner. Kenna reached for the name card on my plate, then glanced at the one on Isla’s. She studied Isla for a beat then said, “I’m Kenna.”
Isla smiled softly. “Hi, Kenna. I’m Isla.”
Kenna pointed across the table to Alistair. “That’s my daddy.” She tapped me on the chest. “This is my Unca Locke.”
“I have had the absolute pleasure of meeting your Uncle Locke,” Isla assured her. I did not miss the sarcasm, but thankfully, it went right over Kenna’s head. I did hear Alistair’s amused snort, though.
“What’s that?” Kenna said, poking at Isla’s camera.
“It’s a fancy camera for taking nice pictures,” she explained. “You want me to take yours?”
Kenna perked up and nodded. “Yeah! Me and Unca Locke.”
“Say puppies,” Isla said.
Kenna obeyed, tilting her head to the side and laying her hands beneath her chin. It was the epitome of cuteness.
Isla looked through the camera. “Tell your Uncle Locke to smile so he doesn’t ruin your photo.”
“Unca Locke!” Kenna said, nudging me. “Say puppies.”
Christ, I hated this woman. But I loved my honorary niece. I summoned a smile. Luckily, it didn’t take much for her to get distracted from her photo shoot. The small box of chocolates at every place setting soon had her rapt attention.
I reached for one of the appetizers in the middle of the table while she was busy trying to open the chocolate box.
“How do your sheep friends feel about you eating haggis?” Isla said lightly. “Isn’t that taboo for a sheep whisperer?”
I dropped the appetizer and growled, “Isn’t there a vendor’s table you’re supposed to be seated at?”
Before she could respond, Weston appeared behind us. “Thought it was about time you met properly,” he said, laying his hand on Isla’s shoulder.
“Hi, Unca Weston!” Kenna said, handing him the chocolate box to open.
“Not before dinner,” Alistair interjected.
“Just one?” Weston said. Alistair relented. Weston handed over a chocolate, and Kenna cheered. The corner of his mouth curled as he glanced from me to Isla. “Heard you two had a run-in with some sheep?”
She snorted. “It was certainly an eventful afternoon.”
“Well,” he said, focusing his attention fully on her, “just know how much I appreciate you standing in as our photographer. And for heading off a massive meltdown. Lena said you rushed out to Glenby for memory cards.”
“Of course,” Isla said, grinning up at him. “I wouldn’t let you guys down. Plus, I needed an entire memory card just to capture Aisling in her dress. You’re going to have nine hundred photos to sift through. You’re welcome.”
Weston laughed. This wasn’t the sort of conversation you had with a vendor or even an acquaintance. “You’re…friends?” I asked, growing hot as I realized my error.
“Isla’s more of an honorary little sister at this point,” Weston said as he scooped Kenna into his arms. “C’mon, you. Aisling wants you to visit.”
Embarrassment prickled behind my ears as they walked off. That’s why she’d been in such a rush to get down that road—because she had to get to Glenby to pick up memory cards to capture my best friend’s vow renewal. I’d obviously been a major arse, and that irritated me even more. I glared at her.
“What’s that look for?” she said.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me this was why you were rushing?”
“How was I supposed to know this was where you were headed? It’s not like you said, either. And anyway, when did you give me a chance to say much of anything? You were too busy ordering me to remove sheep from the road,” she pointed out.
I hated that she actually had a point. I hated even more that she clearly knew it.