18. Malcolm
Malcolm
I can’t help but watch as Makenna takes the last bite of her meal. She’s so beautiful and her bonnie pink lips are like a neon sign calling to me across a dark street. I’m going to expect some sort of award when she’s gone and I’ve kept myself from kissing her.
And the award for endurance of restraint goes to Malcolm Robertson.
I don’t want that stupid award.
I stretch my back and make an embarrassing old man sound. I hope Makenna didny notice. I’m only thirty-three, but the mattress in the guestroom is hard, and my body has been screaming at me all day.
“You alright?” she asks, and the concern on her face is so sweet and genuine. Why does she have to be so bloody endearing?
“My back’s a little off today, dinnae worry.”
She narrows her turquoise eyes at me. “Dinnae worry, indeed. It’s the guest bed, isn’t it?”
How did she know? “Aye, but I’ll be fine. I’m going to put a quilt or two on top of it tonight to make it softer.”
“No, sir. You’ll be back in your room tonight. I loved your mattress, but mine at home is firmer. I’m used to it. I’ll change or wash the sheets as soon as we get back.”
“I’m not concerned about sleeping where you slept.” Actually, I am, but not for the reasons she’s thinking. I’m afraid of what being surrounded by her scent for hours might do to me. Although it's only been one night, it might not be so bad.
Who am I kidding? Even the thought is giving me a blasted thrill.
“Alright.” Makenna shrugs. “I’m not concerned about sleeping where you slept either. I guess I’ve already done it, haven’t I?” She sips her water, and I could swear she’s hiding a smile.
If there were a future for us, I might tease her about liking it. I might tell her that I would like it as well, but as things are, I pretend not to have noticed her smile. “Up for seeing some sights? Then we can shop for whatever you need to make this chocolate gravy.”
We walk up to the Abertarff House, the oldest residential house in Inverness, and Makenna gasps.
“I love old things.”
I look over and her wide smile is enchanting. I can’t help my answering grin. “There’s plenty of that here.”
The back of her hand brushes mine and I’m tempted to take hold of it, and thread my fingers through hers. She snatches her hand away like she’s been burned and clasps it in front of her.
It’s for the best.
“I’m sure this isn’t terribly exciting to you, since you get to live here, but to me? It’s amazing.”
I’m going to take the fact that she said that I get to live here and slide it to the back burner for now.
“This was built in the 1500s. Wait until you see the Old High Church. Part of it was built in the 14th century.”
She grins up at me. “I know. I did my research. You’ve accidentally befriended a big nerd.”
“We’re mates, are we?”
She looks concerned. “I mean … I thought so.”
I bump my arm into her shoulder. “I’m just messin’. Of course we are. And it just so happens, I love nerds.”
She bites her bottom lip and smiles. “Would you say you’re a nerd?”
“Ach, no. That would be embarrassin’.”
“Malcolm!” The look on her face tells me she doesn’t quite know what to do with me.
“Aye, I’d consider myself a nerd. I’d wager most doctors have at least a little bit of nerdiness to them.”
Makenna grins, and it lights up her whole face, including that dimple that only seems to show itself when she’s wearing her biggest smile. My gaze doesn’t know where to rest, but it finally rests on her twinkling turquoise eyes.
“What would you say is your nerdiest quality?” she asks.
“It’s too soon for that sort of confession, don’t you think?”
“You know mine.”
“Fine.” I laugh and choose one of my nerdy attributes at random. “I have a very extensive rock collection.”
Before we walk into Abertarff House, Makenna’s phone rings from her purse. She pulls it out, looks at the screen, then back at me. “It’s my friend, Mai. Mind if I take it?”
“Not at all.” It will give me a chance to check my phone. It’s been buzzing every two seconds for the past five minutes. I’d be worried, but this is how my family acts in the group chat. There’s no doubt in my mind that’s what’s been happening.
As Makenna walks away from me, I pull my phone from my pocket. It is indeed the family group chat, and I regret looking before I finish reading the first message.
ISLA
Why did we have to hear from Mam that there’s a woman staying at your house, Malcolm?!
AILSA
Yeah, Malcolm. She said she’s very pretty.
ISLA
And sweet and nice and funny.
AILSA
And that you made her blush.
AILSA
To be fair, you’d asked her about her pooping.
FIONA
Why would you do that Malcolm?! But the better question is… why am I learning about this in the group chat? We’re twins! I should know everything first.
ISLA
Maybe if you hadn’t abandoned us for Edinburgh.
MAM
Be nice.
ISLA
I just miss her.
AILSA
I do too. But that’s not what we’re talking about. Tell us about this girl Malcolm. We know she’s American, but her name is Makenna. Sounds like she belongs here! Are you in love with her?
ISLA
Have you kissed her yet? (Though, please don’t share any details) *puking emoji*
AILSA
Oh good grief. Must we with that emoji? You know how it makes me feel.
FIONA
How could we ever forget the time you had a stomach bug, and someone sent you that emoji and it made you puke? I’m convinced that’s the funniest reaction to an emoji ever to have happened.
AILSA
It was not funny.
ISLA
I’m sorry about the emoji… but MALCOLM! Where are you??
FIONA
Kissing Makenna.
DA
Malcolm, you don’t have to respond to any of this.
And yet, I really do. They need to get their expectations under control so they don’t end up convincing me that this impossible situation is possible. I look up and find Makenna pacing up and down the sidewalk, a huge smile on her face as she talks with her friend.
Man, I love her smile. I imagine seeing it at the end of a hard day in the emergency department.
It’s so important to have a loving support system when you work a job like mine.
Most of my family is nearby, and that has worked so far, but the thought of having someone—having Makenna—in my house fills me with a desire that far outweighs the impossibility of it even happening.
MALCOLM
I’m not, and never have, kissed Makenna. I like her as a person, but she doesn’t live here. Need I remind you about what happened with Cait?
I’m just helping Makenna out. She’ll be gone before I know it, and I’m not letting myself get attached.
FIONA
Aww. Stupid Cait, ruining things. Question… is Makenna anything like Cait?
MALCOLM
Not really.
ISLA
Does she seem to hate Scotland? Or Inverness?
MALCOLM
No. She loves it all.
FIONA
What about moving to be with her?
MAM
I very much liked her. We should sell her on Scotland.
FIONA
What if she’s his true love and he needed to move?
MAM
I would adjust and be fine.
Eventually.
It would just be sad and take some getting used to. And frequent visits.
FIONA
Send us a pic of her!
MALCOLM
I don’t have one.
Makenna walks over, finished with her phone call.
“Sorry about that. I haven’t spoken to Mai since I’ve been here. She’s the one who was supposed to be here, so she wanted all the updates. And to fuss at me because Mom told her about my surgery.”
“No problem. I’ve been getting texts from my family. They want a photo of you. Could we take a selfie in front of the house?”
“Of course.” Makenna steps towards me as we turn our backs to Abertarff House and slides an arm around my back. I put my arm around her shoulder and she snuggles in like she’s right where she belongs. That’s what it feels like to me, anyway. I wonder if she feels it too.
I raise my arm, trying to frame both us and as much of the house as I can manage. We smile, and I take the photo, holding on to Makenna a moment longer than necessary before opening it to show her.
“Not bad.” She smiles as she looks at the photo. “Can I send this to myself?”
I panic and take the phone. I can’t have her seeing my family chat. “I’ll do it.”
Makenna looks at me a bit funny, but gets over it quickly, and gives me her number. Once the photo is sent, I share it with my family as well. Three responses almost instantly appear.
ISLA
Oh. She is lovely.
AILSA
You two look like a couple. Really. And she’s tall!
FIONA
Please don’t count her out. You never know. She’s giving me all the good vibes just in this picture!
I’m about to slide my phone back into my pocket when one more text comes through.
DA
You never know.