Chapter 8 #2
Elle heard Hamish before she saw him. He was steaming mad as he walked away from Nessa.
Elle scurried into the castle trying to hide herself.
The last thing she wanted to do was to have to explain to Hamish why what had happened between them would be a one-time-only thing.
As she stood peeking from her hiding place, she told herself it was all for the best, but the mere sight of him was doing things to her she had no control over.
The chemistry they shared was undeniable.
She’d never felt anything like it before and she was afraid she may not ever again.
She had a life and a career back in San Francisco and Hamish simply wasn’t going to fit into it.
It wasn’t fair to lead him on in any way, no matter how much she might like to explore more than just kisses with him.
It was better to leave things where they were than to risk a broken heart for both of them when she had to leave.
She was so busy mulling things over in her head that she failed to notice the hulking Highlander standing in front of her.
“Elle, I must speak with ye,” he said. Green eyes the color of emeralds implored her to look at him.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” she answered a bit hesitantly, averting her eyes.
“Ye must ken that what Nessa told ye wasnae true. She lied to ye. I dinnae ken why she would do it.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and she gently removed them.
“Hamish, I know she lied. I talked to Sara about it and she explained things to me, but it gave me some time to think about things … about us.”
She could see the emotions flashing across his face from sad to hopeful to uncertain.
“What do ye mean?”
“This isn’t going to work out between us. I have to go home to San Francisco. I can’t stay here.”
“I’ll go with ye.”
“No. I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t have time for a relationship. I have too many other things I have to focus on and I’m sorry, but you can’t be one of them.”
The hurt in his eyes tore at her heart. She didn’t want to do it, but she didn’t have any choice.
“Well, then. I’ll leave ye be,” he said, turning to go.
“I’m so sorry, Hamish. I truly am.” She said the last words to his retreating back. Her emotions were raw. Tears bit at her eyes. She swiped at them with the back of her hands before running upstairs to her chambers to have a good cry alone in her room.
***
“Ye look as if ye just lost the woman ye love,” Donal observed in his cocky, teasing voice. “What ails ye?”
“I have just lost the woman I thought I could love.” Hamish brushed past him, heading for his quarters.
“I wasnae serious, Hamish. I didnae ken it.”
“’Tis nae concern of yers.”
“Is it because of Nessa. I told her not to do it.”
“Nae. ’Tis not.”
“Then what?”
He shrugged his massive shoulders, still uncertain as to what happened between the time they’d shared their first passionate kisses and the moment where his heart was torn from his chest.
“Hamish, perhaps ye can set things right.”
“I dinnae believe so.”
“But …”
“Leave me be, Donal. I need time to think … alone.”
He left his friend appearing bewildered in the middle of the courtyard as he strode to his room.
What did he do wrong? When they’d left each other two days ago, she would have been his in a heartbeat.
Something happened to change her mind, but what could it be?
He could ask himself those questions over and over again, but the only one who had the answer was Elle and it didn’t appear she would share it with him.
He sat on the edge of his bed, head in hands, feeling lower than he’d ever felt in all his years.
“Sara!” he said, leaping to his feet, realizing she might be able to help him.
She might know what had happened. He would find her and she would tell him what he needed to do to win Elle’s heart once again.
He practically ran from his room, hurrying past his men and passing Donal once again as he headed from the courtyard towards Logan’s croft.
Determination drove him to do something he would never have done in the past, to ask for help with his love life. Of course, he’d never needed help before this; he’d never felt this bereft about a woman. Elle had changed everything.
***
Edna Campbell tucked her legs beneath her as she made herself comfortable on the sofa in her office.
A cup of tea and a scone sat on the small end table to her left, but she hadn’t so much as touched them.
Her latest matchmaking endeavor wasn’t going well, or at least going the way she’d wanted it to.
“Poor Hamish,” she said, staring into the blazing fire in her hearth.
“Did ye say something, Aunt?” Maggie said, entering the office.
“Maggie, dear, come sit with me.” She motioned to a spot next to her.
Maggie sat down, placing a hand on Edna’s arm. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m nae sure. I thought this match would be perfect.” She gazed up at the ceiling seeking an answer there.
“What match is that?” Maggie asked.
“Oh, didnae I tell ye?” Of course she hadn’t told her, but she didn’t want Maggie to think she was keeping things from her.
“No, you didn’t.” Maggie narrowed her eyes at her aunt, obviously aware it wasn’t an accident she hadn’t been kept in the loop.
“I brought a lass from San Francisco to Breaghacraig … for Hamish.”
“And it’s nae working out?”
“Not as I’d planned,” Edna responded, pursing her lips and gazing at Maggie. Perhaps her niece would help with her dilemma.
“Tell me about it.”
“Well, the lass is a singer. Perhaps ye ken her - Elle Carrera.”
The shocked look on Maggie’s face said she did, “Did she want to go back in time?” There was a worried tone in Maggie’s voice.
“Nae. Not exactly.” Edna fidgeted with her blouse.
“So you more or less kidnapped her?” The disbelief in Maggie’s voice concerned Edna.
“Nae. I would never do such a thing,” Edna protested, realizing she may have done something very wrong here.
“But ye didnae tell her she was going back. Has she told ye how she feels about that?” Maggie’s disapproval was obvious.
“I havenae spoken to her.” Edna was feeling a bit sheepish. It was obvious Maggie was not as excited about this as she was.
“Auntie, ye havenae spoken to her since ye brought her back?” Maggie threw her arms up in the air, leaping from her spot next to Edna and pacing back and forth across the room.
“Nae.”
“This isnae good. Ye must speak with her right away.”
“I was waiting to see her fall in love with Hamish, and it was working. She was developing feelings for him and then things happened that were beyond my control.”
“Okay. I know this isn’t the first time you’ve had to deal with uncontrollable situations, but you’ve got to make this right. You can’t keep her there against her will.”
“I ken it, Maggie. I really do, but I’m so heartbroken fer Hamish.”
“I thought he wanted to time travel. Why have you brought him a time traveler?”
“I saw her just as Brenna and Zeke were departing for San Francisco. She was such a cute, wee thing and so engrossed in her phone. I thought it would be fun to surprise her. Hamish was already at the bridge. He was curious to see how the time travel worked. Wallace was also there. I whispered in Wallace’s ear to see that Hamish stayed for her arrival and the rest, as they say is history. ”
“You wanted to surprise her?!” Maggie wore a disapproving frown on her face.
Edna felt like a child being reprimanded for her bad behavior.
Maggie was right. She needed to get on this right away and fix it.
This might be her first failure as a matchmaker, but with any luck things would work out.
They were perfect for each other. “Hamish reminds me of yer Uncle Angus in many ways.”
“And Elle reminds you of you?” Maggie asked.
“Nae. Of course not. I cannae sing, as ye well know.”
Maggie laughed at this. “True.”
“I just want Hamish to have the adventure he’s always wanted and I thought Elle might be the one to give it to him.”
“So what’s gone wrong and how can we fix it?”
“Oh, Maggie, my girl! Have I told ye how much I love ye?”
“I believe ye have.” Maggie leaned over to give Edna a cuddle.
Edna filled Maggie in on all that had transpired since Elle’s arrival in the year 1517.
“Oh, Auntie. They need to be together. Elle isn’t seeing how truly important love is. She thinks she’s going to have everything she needs if her career gets back on track. But what if it doesn’t?”
“That’s my point. She’s focused so much attention on her career that she’s left her family and friends behind.
‘Tis all well and good to have a career. When I first saw her walking along the beautiful Marina Green in San Francisco, she was so engrossed in her phone that she didn’t even look up to notice the sun sparkling on the water or the majestic Golden Gate Bridge off in the distance.
It was a glorious day and yet she didn’t even notice the warmth of the sun on her face or the breeze off the water.
‘Tis a shame. She’s given up so much with the mistaken belief that it has to be one or the other. ”
“And now, she’s about to do the same with Hamish.”
“Right. She must come to the realization that she can have it all. She doesn’t have to sacrifice her family, friends, or Hamish.”
“Okay. Well, let’s get to work. We’ve got lots to do if this is going to work.”
Putting their heads together they came up with a plan.
“I hope this works,” Maggie said, a hint of worry in her voice.
“Fingers crossed,” Edna answered, giving Maggie’s cheek a soft pinch.
***
Hamish wasn’t sure he was doing the right thing, but he had no idea how to handle his feelings for Elle. He knocked on Sara’s door and after a short wait, it opened.
“Hamish!” Sara seemed very happy to see him. “Come in.”
Hamish entered the small croft and stood awkwardly near the hearth.
“Are you looking for Logan, because if you are, he’s not here.”
“Nae. I came to speak with ye.”
Sara’s eyes opened wide. “What about?” She pulled out a chair and motioned for him to sit.
“Elle.”
“Isn’t she the best?” Sara’s excitement would be contagious under normal circumstances, but there was nothing normal about what was happening to him.
“Aye.” He glanced around the room as he thought of how to broach the subject with Sara.
“What is it? Is it something bad?” He was worrying her. It was best to blurt it out.
“She says she doesnae want me,” he said, feeling sad and confused.
“Oh. And you thought she did.” Sara rubbed her hands together and brought her chair closer to his.
“After what happened the other day, I was sure of it.” He couldn’t believe he was baring his heartbroken soul to Sara.
“What happened the other day?” she asked.
“I cannae say.”
“When you guys were making out?”
“Making out?” He had no idea what that meant.
“Kissing?”
“Oh! Aye.”
“And it was good?”
“Aye.”
“Hamish, you’re going to have to give me more information here.
I can’t work with one word answers.” She tipped her head, obviously waiting for him to say something, but he seemed at a loss for words.
“Okay. So, you don’t want to kiss and tell, but I’m going to assume you feel something for her and you thought she felt it too. ”
“Aye.” Another one word answer. “I think Nessa ruined things.”
“Elle told me about what she said, but I set her straight. I told her there was nothing going on between you two.”
“She said she believed ye. Do ye think she did?”
“As far as I could tell. Hamish she wouldn’t have been worried about Nessa if she wasn’t feeling things for you.”
“’Tis what I thought, but she says differently.”
“Don’t believe her.”
“I don’t, but what can I do?”
“Hamish, you have to understand what her life is like in the future. She’s famous.”
“Like the king?”
“Something like that. She’s what we call a pop star. There are so many demands on her time that she hardly has time for herself. She’s constantly traveling. Visiting new cities every day. A few hours on stage performing and then on to the next place.”
“I’d like that, but I can see that it must be hard for her. How does she do it?”
“I don’t know. All I can tell you is that her life isn’t really her own.
She constantly has to smile and be happy, even when she’s not.
It’s all part of being a celebrity. People are always watching her and no matter how she might be feeling—sad, tired, sick—she has to be the pop princess for them. ”
“Why must she do it then?”
“It’s her job. It’s like the other day when you had to go out on patrol, but you would rather have stayed with Elle.
Your job as a Captain required you to go on patrol and so you did.
Elle’s life is like that all the time.” Sara looked him in the eye as she spoke.
“This isn’t hopeless, Hamish. Be there for her.
Don’t push your feelings on her. Let her know you’ll help her in any way you can.
Be her friend. I guarantee, she’ll eventually take down that wall she’s built around herself and let you in. ”
“Do ye really believe so?”
Sara stood on tiptoe to reach two mugs on a shelf above the table.
“Allow me,” Hamish retrieved them for her.
“Thanks. Do you want some tea?”
“I’d love some,” Hamish said. He’d always loved to have tea with his mother when she was alive. They would sit and talk for hours. She could make any and every worry he had go away with her words of wisdom. Sara was doing the same for him now.
“Just so you know, I think Elle is falling for you hard and it scares her.”
“I understand. I’m afraid, too.”
Sara giggled. “I find it hard to believe that a big, strong man like yourself is afraid of anything.”
“I’m nae afraid of anything,” he protested.
“You just said you were,” Sara said, sitting across from him. She placed some herbs in both their cups and poured hot water over them.
Hamish couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yer right once again. What I meant to say is the only thing that frightens me is loving Elle and her nae loving me back.”
“You big teddy bear, you. Don’t worry. It’ll all work out. Besides, you have Edna on your side.”
Would he ever get used to the strangeness of her words. “How do ye ken it?”
“She brought Elle here for you. She’s not likely to give up on getting the two of you together.”
“She’s a witch. How do I know that the things I’m feeling are real and not some spell she’s cast on me?”
“Oh, it’s real! There are no spells necessary where love is concerned, only hard work.”
Hard work was something he was willing to put in if the end result meant Elle would be his. “Thank ye, Sara, yer a good friend. I believe ye’ve given me hope.”
“I’m happy to help.”
He held up his tea and silently toasted her.