Chapter 16
Elle was impressed that Hamish was going with the flow. She knew her family could be overwhelming even to her, but he seemed to genuinely be enjoying himself.
“Are you ready to go?” Elle asked.
He nodded. The more time she spent with him, the more she couldn’t help but stare at him. A silly half-grin appeared on his lips. This called for a kiss. Hamish seemed surprised, but not so much that he didn’t kiss her back. And what a kiss it was.
“Auntie Elle, are you going to kiss him all day?” Noah asked.
Kiss interrupted, Elle turned to her nephew and niece. “Where are your jackets?”
“By the door,” Olivia said.
“Let’s go then.” Elle led the way and Hamish took up the rear, making sure the kids got their jackets on.
Once outside, they walked a path that led toward the hills that surrounded the property.
They were the color of gold, as they always were before the winter rains set in.
To her, they were almost unreal. She’d always thought when she was a little girl that they were giant toy hills covered in brown velvet in the summer and green velvet in the winter.
They really did look that way to her even now.
“How far does your property go?” Hamish asked.
“All the way out to the foothills you see over there.” She pointed them out to him. “It’s bordered on the other three sides by our neighbors and by the road we came in on.”
“’Tis impressive,” he said. “Why do ye nae live here with yer family?”
“My career takes me all over the world. I don’t really live anywhere except for hotel rooms.”
“They’ve missed ye,” he said.
“I know.”
“Have ye missed them?”
“I have, but I don’t have a lot of choice in the matter. I’ve got a contract I have to abide by and that means I travel a lot.”
“So we willnae be staying here long?”
“I really don’t know. Things haven’t been going well for me … with my singing,” she explained. “I’m trying to figure it all out and Eric is working on getting my concert tour rescheduled. I guess I have to wait and see.”
He put an arm around her shoulder as they walked. Olivia and Noah were running ahead of them. “They’ve much energy,” he noted.
“They’re happy to be out of school for the day.”
“Do all children go to school in this time?”
“Pretty much,” she said, remembering this was all new to him. “Did you go to school?”
“I was lucky to spend my childhood with the MacKenzies. They thought it important that the children of the clan be educated.”
“Hamish! Hamish!” Olivia came running back towards them.
“What is it?” he asked, getting down to her level.
“Moomoo’s baby slid into the creek. It can’t get out. Noah’s trying to help it.”
Hamish didn’t wait for Elle. He took off running in the direction Olivia had come from. Elle took Olivia’s hand and hurried after him.
***
Hamish was concerned that Noah would be hurt.
The calf was small, but if it fell on him, it could be disastrous.
He hurried along the path until he saw the creek.
Stopping, he scanned the area. He could hear the mama cow calling to her calf and he turned in that direction.
Coming over the top of the rise, he saw them.
“Noah!” he called.
“I’m here,” Noah answered.
“I’ll take care of this. Get back away from the water.”
Noah did as he was told and Hamish was relieved that he did.
He took off his shoes and slid down the bank into the creek.
The water wasn’t too deep, but the calf couldn’t scale the steep bank to get back to his mama.
The calf was tiring and if he couldn’t get it out quickly, it might give up and drown.
Searching for a low spot on the bank, Hamish found a place a little further down stream.
He was going to have to get the calf to move, but it didn’t seem to want to leave the security of the mother cow.
Hamish did the only thing he could think to do.
Wrapping his arms around the front and back legs, he lifted the calf in his arms and walked with him bawling for his mother down to a place where he’d be able to climb back up.
Mother cow followed along atop the bank.
Once he reached the spot, he put the calf down and gave it a shove up the bank. It got a foot hold and was back up with his mother in no time.
Hamish stood in the waist deep water watching as mother and child wandered away. Looking up, he saw Elle waiting for him, arm extended to help him up. He didn’t need her help, but he took her hand anyway.
“You’re very brave, Hamish,” Olivia said.
“Thanks for saving him.” Noah stood looking up at him.
“I’d hate to see anything happen to the wee cow,” he said.
“That was amazing,” Elle observed. “Is there anything you can’t do?”
“Nae I dinnae believe there is,” Hamish smiled proudly.
“Come on. We need to get you into some dry clothes before you freeze.”
“I’ll be fine,” he said.
“You aren’t going to walk any further like that. We’re going back to the house,” Elle commanded.
“As ye wish, lass.” He liked that she was so concerned for his well being.
“Come on, kids. We’re going back to the house.”
***
“What happened?” Joe asked as they approached the house.
“Hamish saved a baby cow,” Noah said.
“He did?” Joe asked.
“You should have seen him, Grandpa. He picked him up and carried him through the water until he could climb the bank.”
“What?”
“He fell in the creek and couldn’t get out,” Elle explained.
“It’s good that you were here,” Joe said. “You better get him inside and get some dry clothes on him.”
“Can you watch the kids for a minute?”
“Sure. Take care of him,” he said. “And Hamish, thank you.”
“I’m happy to be of service, sir,” he said.
“Call me Joe, please.”
“Joe.”
They went inside and headed straight for the guest room. “Do you need any help?” she asked.
“Not with my clothes,” he said, his eyes burning through her. “I missed ye last night.”
“I missed you, too.”
Hamish undid his jeans and pulled them off.
“You’re supposed to wear underwear with those.” Elle was barely able to get the words out.
“Why?” he asked.
“Just because you’re supposed to.” She had to get out of here or Hamish might find himself wearing her and that couldn’t happen. “Give me your clothes. I’m going to put them in the wash.”
He handed her everything and was now standing there stark naked, hands on hips. Every well-defined muscle was showing and then some. Obviously knowing the effect he was having on her, he held out a hand to her.
“I can’t. We’re supposed to be babysitting.”
“Babysitting?”
“Yes, watching Olivia and Noah.”
“Why is it called babysitting? They arenae babies and we werenae sitting.”
“I don’t know. Surprisingly, I don’t know as much as I thought I did.” Her resistance was wearing thin. “Go take a shower and I’ll see you in the kitchen. It’s lunch time.”
She left him and closed the door to his room. He was like catnip and she was the cat. She had to find a way for them to be alone together, but for now she’d have to settle for making him lunch.
***
The rest of the day went without incident and after dinner, Joe, Bobby, Elle and Hamish headed into town to hear Matt’s band play at the local watering hole. They grabbed a table near the dance floor and ordered drinks.
“I haven’t heard Matt play in a while,” Elle said.
“They’ve been practicing in one of the old sheds. He turned it into a music studio. They practice two or three times a week and they play here a couple of times a month, sometimes more. They’ve developed quite a following.”
“I can see that,” Elle said. They’d gotten there just in time, the bar was bustling now. Not a table or a barstool was empty.
They were enjoying their drinks when Matt and his band took the stage to an excited crowd.
The music started and Elle was impressed with what she was hearing. “They’re really good.”
“You’re not the only one in the family with skills,” Joe teased.
“And it’s all original music? Is Matt writing it?”
“I think he does most of it, but some of the other guys write, too,” Bobby said.
“I’ll have to see that studio. Maybe he’ll let me get some practice in while I’m here.”
“I’m sure he would. He really looks up to you.”
They finished their first song to loud applause. “I’ve got a special treat for everyone here tonight,” Matt said. “My sister, Elle Carrera, is home for a visit and I think we just might be able to get her up here to sing for us. Come on up here,” he said, gesturing to his sister.
Elle stood and walked to the stage. Matt gave her a hand up.
She had no idea what to sing. She didn’t know any of Matt’s songs and she was pretty sure he didn’t play pop.
He was more rock. They discussed a bit and she chose a song they both would know.
The other band members knew it as well. This was the kind of music she wanted to sing and as she stood there on stage with her brother she became more determined than ever to do it.
This music spoke to her. She felt it in her heart and soul and so did the crowd.
The crowd erupted in applause when the song was over.
“Thank you,” Elle said. “Before I go back to my table, I’d like you all to join me in singing Happy Birthday to my beautiful mother, Bobby Carrera.
” The entire crowd joined in as Matt and his band played the birthday song.
Bobby looked embarrassed, but pleased. When the song was over, Elle made her way back to the table, accepting the compliments of those she passed.
She arrived back at the table as the rest of the family arrived with a birthday cake.
“Oh, honey, that was beautiful,” Bobby said.
“Thanks, Mom.”
“You should play with your brother more often,” her father chimed in.
“You sounded great together,” Kate said, cutting the cake. “We heard you when we were on our way in.” Their server arrived with plates, forks and napkins for everyone.
Hamish took her hand, rubbing it gently with his thumb, immediately putting Elle at ease.