Chapter 21 Graeme
Chapter 21 Graeme
I was in no state to attend a ball.
In fact, I’d never thought of myself as the type to attend one in the first place.
But after Allison’s visit, then the message relayed by Lachlan about Katie—and the added worry that whatever I said to Katie
could possibly scare her away—I was left flummoxed. I couldn’t seem to get anything right.
I almost forgot my kilt pin. Couldn’t find my sporran. And nearly walked out of the house without attaching my fly plaid.
Thankfully, Mum had stopped in to take Lachlan for the night, so she caught my oversight and proceeded to attach the cloth
to my shoulder. Someone would have thought I was getting married, I was so off my head.
The conversation with Allison proved all the more how badly I needed to ensure Katie of her freedom—that I’d support her future.
That I wasn’t trying to tie her down or squelch her dreams. The last thing I wanted to do was scare her away. I wanted to
create tomorrows with her.
I drew in a deep breath as I walked through the doors of Craighill. And I’d embrace whatever those tomorrows might look like.
And then I entered the ballroom into a surprising host of people. Two dozen, at least. They had to be acquaintances of the
Lennoxes, from the accents I heard as I walked through the room. I even noted a few reporters.
I steered clear of them.
As I studied the space, I had to admit I was chuffed at the look of the room. Seeing one’s ancestral home adorned and celebrated in such finery did any Scot’s heart good. Even if the adornment came in Edwardian fashion.
It meant the place wasn’t sitting abandoned and forgotten. Someday, if God allowed, the MacKerrows would run their own business
from these walls, celebrating the culture and history, hosting weddings, welcoming visitors.
It was a brilliant plan with the family all in.
Katie could bring her own creativity to it all too. As part of the family.
But for now, even if it involved an extended partnering with Lennox and her dramatics, the house was well cared for and brimming
with people who appreciated it.
So where was my particular person of interest?
And then, as if my thoughts materialized into reality, my attention caught on a shimmery sea of teal and ginger locks.
All thoughts of Craighill, kilt pins, and ex-fiancées disappeared. In fact, most everything cleared from my head at the sight
of Katie Campbell coming down the stairs in a gown of sea and starlight.
My life had been filled with many bonnie things, but the longer I looked at her, the dimmer those other things became in comparison.
Her hair was piled in fiery curls atop her head, leaving ample view of her bare neckline.
My feet responded of their own accord, approaching her.
She caught sight of me as she neared the last step and froze for a second before stumbling.
But I caught her. And immediately my lungs filled with honeysuckle and sea and Katie. Losh, I wanted to catch her over and
over again. Right into my arms. And never let go.
Allison’s blame immediately came to mind. But I couldn’t hold on too tight, could I? I had to grasp her and this future loosely, and I was poor at that. Because when I held on to someone, it was for keeps.
“That stumble was your fault this time,” she whispered, her gaze trailing over me as her smile crooked like a temptation.
“I got distracted by how braw you look.”
“It’s no comparison to you, Katie Campbell. I’ve never seen such a bonnie lass.”
Her brow raised as if she didn’t believe me. “I would argue with you, but the word lass from your lips is kryptonite to my sarcasm.” She sighed. “It’s pretty much kryptonite to my logic too.”
“Ah!” I held out my hand to her with a bow. “Then I’ll make wise use of it, as long as I’m able. Might I have this dance?”
I wiggled my brows. “Lass?”
***
Katie
No man should show up dressed like that and not bring a marriage proposal with him.
And then he goes and looks at me the way he does while adding “lass” in his excellent, deep-voiced accent!
How was I supposed to let go of this... of him, tomorrow? How could my life take a full 360 from travel writer with no
roots to Scotland-has-my-heart-and-future-forever? Well, not Scotland. Graeme.
And Lachlan.
And Mirren.
But my love for them all blended in with moody lochs and heather-cloaked hillsides and faery stories and rainy days. They
seemed to complete the jigsaw puzzle of my heart, and I just wasn’t sure if all the pieces would end up coming together in
the end.
Not when I had to leave so soon.
Graeme drew me into a waltz as a stringed quartet played from a balcony above the room. Mrs. Lennox had outdone herself. And
even with all her fumbles and mistakes, her Edwardian Experience deserved a raving review from this travel writer. In fact,
after taming her prejudice about working with the locals and hiring a few for the house, she’d even begun to endear herself
a little to the community.
“I’m sorry about Allison.” Graeme’s voice pulled my attention away from the room and to his familiar eyes. “I didnae ken she
was here.”
“Well, she’s an excellent designer.” I dipped my chin toward my dress, not sure how to turn the conversation. “I’ve never
worn anything as elegant as this before, and I refuse to drink anything for fear of spillage.”
“Katie.” The way he said my name held some sort of homing ability to eliminate words from my head. “You’re beautiful already,
all the way through.”
All the way through? No one had ever said that to me. Or looked at me the way he did. My breath hitched in my throat, and
I lowered my gaze, his tenderness too much. Too tempting to fall into without any certainty. And that’s what I wanted from
him. An assurance that he was as committed to figuring out how to make this relationship between us work as I was.
I was already reordering my future. And the realization shocked through me with a few amazing tingles in its wake.
I loved him.
I loved Graeme MacKerrow.
And it wasn’t just because of the kilt.
Though that helped a whole lot.
Or the shoulders.
Which were incredibly easy on the eyes, with or without the shirt.
But my heart knew. With him was where my heart belonged.
“Are... are you okay?” My brain had been reeling with plans since last night. “With her... and you?”
Excellent command of the English language there, Katie.
“She came to seek closure, I believe.” He searched my eyes. “And I needed it too, because it’s sometimes difficult to move
forward when you have loose strings from the past.”
“Move forward?” That sounded good.
“Aye.” His grin crooked, and my heart stumbled even more thoroughly than my feet.
“Miss Campbell.” Mrs. Lennox stepped up beside us, pausing our dance. “May I steal you away for a little while for an interview?
Your boss informed me this afternoon that you were the winner of the Vision Award, and a few reporters are here for the ball
and would like to interview you.”
I looked over at Graeme, who only nodded.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
But “as soon as I can” turned out to be much longer than I’d hoped. Graeme and I got in another dance, then a conversation
at one of the nearby tables, before we were pulled away to help teach some of the English guests how to perform the Gay Gordons.
And then an American reporter wanted to interview him about his regalia.
When we finally found time alone again together, the night had waned into early morning, and I knew my time was running short.
We started another waltz in the hope that dancing would deter anyone else from interrupting us.
“It has to be one of the last dances of the night,” Graeme said, lowering his mouth close to my ear. “And I’m happy to spend
it with you for as long as I can.”
The idea of forever teased my happy heart.
“That sounds lovely to me.” Because tomorrow was already here. And words needed to be spoken.
“Graeme—”
“Katie.”
We both chuckled at our twinned responses, and he nodded for me to continue.
I held his gaze and squeezed his hand holding mine in an attempt to break the news. “I... I have to leave earlier than
planned.”
The V in his brow made an appearance, so I explained the change only to have the V deepen. “How early?”
I cringed. “In a few hours.”
“ That early.” His shoulders dropped with his sigh. “I’d hoped for more time to talk.”
“Me too.”
He nodded. “But we could phone each other?”
I smiled at the suggestion. A definite start in the right direction. “That sounds great. I’ll be in constant work mode for
the next three days, but after that, I’m back at the farm for a while. And I’d love to... talk.”
“Aye.” His gaze roamed over my face, saying things I wanted to interpret in the most forever of ways.
“My schedule isn’t ideal, I know, but I’ll make it work out.”
His expression suddenly shifted. He firmed his jaw as if preparing for battle. “I want you to know that we can take this between
us... slow, easy-like.” He released a long breath. “With no strings attached.”
The sweet warmth of all those happily-ever-afters sudden came to a screeching halt. No strings attached? I’d been living with
no strings for so long, it was the last thing I wanted. I wanted declarations. Promises. Strings so tight that they tied me
to him for as long as we both shall live.
But I swallowed down my disappointment. My job wasn’t an easy pill to swallow for someone whose heart and life was grounded in one place. No wonder he wanted to take things slowly. “Well, I definitely plan to make another trip to Mull really soon.”
“That’s good to hear.” His palm tightened on my waist, and he looked away. “We’ll take the time we can find with each other
and see how it works out. Nothin’ serious. Free to follow... our... dreams.”
He grimaced as if he didn’t like the taste of those words.
Well, I didn’t like the sound of them. Nothing serious? I’d never wanted anything to be more serious in my life. For the first
time in a long time, I was ready to stop running away and run toward exactly what I wanted.
Him.
But I needed to readjust my expectations because, clearly, he wasn’t as sure.
He faltered.
Was it doubts inspired by his meeting with Allison? Or him second-guessing my ability to survive another year? Or maybe he
really wasn’t sure about the fact that my life consisted of social media videos, strange conversations with a phone screen,
and multiple flights away from home.
It all made sense. Every hesitation.
His heart was tethered to this land. Lachlan needed something stable.
And... maybe what I had to offer wasn’t enough for him.
Maybe I wasn’t worth the risk.
Because me, my life, and my brokenness were a lot to take on.
So I sighed out the dream and willed, unsuccessfully, my heart to stay in one piece.
“Okay,” I whispered. “We can see how it will work out.”
***
Graeme
“You said what?” Mum’s voice took on the sort of edge that usually sent me running to my room as a lad.
Calum buried his face in his hands.
Dad grimaced and looked away.
I’d fallen into trouble and I didn’t even know how or why. “What pushed Allison away two years ago was me holding on too tight.
Not giving the freedom to grow and not supporting her dreams, so I told Katie those things. The things she needed to hear.
Nothing serious. Free to pursue her dreams. No strings.”
“You have a good heart, lad.” This from Dad, who recovered the fastest. “But you’re fair dafty sometimes when it comes to
women.”
“You’re not alone, brother.” Calum sighed as if he understood from experience. “All men are when it comes to women, especially
the right one.”
I raised my arms in defeat and slid down in the nearest kitchen table chair. “What else was I supposed to say? I didnae want
to suffocate her or scare her away. And I didnae want her to think she had to change everything for me to care about her.”
Mum stared at me as she poured a cup of tea, her expression doubting any intelligence behind my eyes.
“What do you want, lad?” This from Dad, who relaxed back in the chair and crossed his arms. “Do you want a serious relationship
with Katie or no?”
I scanned the faces at the table in front of me as if they were the ones who’d lost their minds. “Of course I do. If I had
my way, I’d have asked her to stay forever. I dinnae love by halves, ye ken. It’s all or nothing. I nearly choked on the words
as I said them to her anyway.”
“Och, Graeme.” Mum took a large drink of her tea.
“She’s not Allison.” Calum leaned forward, hands folded on the table, his attention intent on me. “Not even close.”
“I know that.” I wasn’t that much of a numpty. “She’s better. Worlds better.” Why did romance have to be so tricky? “For me anyway. For Lachlan too.”
“Exactly.” Mum placed her cup on the table with a clink. “But think about her past, Graeme. It’s been filled with people who
treated her as if love wasn’t serious. The strings she needed to tie her to a place were cut. She’s spent years looking for
somewhere or someone to keep her. A place to belong. And I believe she saw that in you.”
Mum’s words barbed through my chest.
“Strings dinnae have to mean tangles or knots.” She shook her head. “They can be the threads to help her find her way home.”
The implication, the realization, knocked the air from me. In my attempt to make things right, I’d gotten it all wrong. Blundered
like the clumsiest man on the face of the earth.
I groaned and planted my face in my hands. How did I not see it clearly? What had happened to my head? Katie may stumble on
her feet, but I’d caused her heart to stumble. And that was a thousand times worse.
“Does being in love make every man an eejit?” I mumbled, looking back at my family.
“Aye,” Dad answered, putting his hand on my shoulder in solidarity. “But we improve with age.” He shrugged. “Most of the time.”
“In love, is it?” Mum’s grin lit her eyes as she raised her tea in salute. “Now I see your brains starting to move in the
right direction. What do you plan to do with all the sudden brilliance?” Mum folded her arms, a challenging tilt to her chin.
“Because I know you’re smarter than what I’ve seen today.”
“I think I need you to keep an eye on Lachlan for a few days.” I stood from the table.
“Is that so?” Her grin grew. “And why is that?”
I met her stare for stare and raised my chin. “Because I need to go catch me a very particular lass.”
***
Katie
I’d barely been back for one day, but my progress showed in each room of the farmhouse. Of course working from before daybreak
probably helped.
My addled brain refused the respite of sleep.
And counting sheep never helped.
So I put my plans into motion, a little giddy at the design and the headway I’d already made.
A chair gone here. A set of dishes there. Granny’s china removed. My favorite pieces of furniture carefully curated and removed.
My favorite things. Only my very favorite. All carefully packed and stored in the two-bedroom apartment over the garage I’d
stayed in when I came to visit for summers in college.
That place was all I needed anyway. For just me.
The farmhouse deserved a family.
I dusted my hands off on my jeans and gave the living room another look, my smile spreading into a chuckle. I should have
done this years ago.
A car door slammed from outside, and I walked to the porch as Levi and Chrissy pummeled into my stomach for double hugs.
“Hey, guys.” I laughed and looked up as Brett and Jessica approached, little Ryan on Jessica’s hip. “I’m so glad you were
able to come up for a few days. Thanks for making the trip.”
“It’s good to be here.” Brett’s gaze roamed over the house, nothing hiding his admiration for this place. The memories here
held the same sweetness for him as for me.
I barely kept my grin from tipping into the ridiculous category. This gift was long overdue.
“Hey, kids.” Brett turned to Levi and Chrissy. “Run on inside and choose your bedrooms.”
It was a game they always played because the farmhouse had six bedrooms, and each held its own special charm and uniqueness.
The kids screamed out their excitement and dashed inside as I turned my attention back to their parents’ sober faces.
All giddiness shifted into cool warning. “What is it? Is something wrong?”
Jess and Brett paused on the porch and exchanged a look. “We have more than a few days to stay, if you don’t mind, that is.” Jess shook her head, leaning in for a side hug, at which time Ryan took a handful
of my hair. “Brett’s job laid him off last week.”
“What?” My gaze swung to my brother. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He ran a hand over his face. “I didn’t want to cast a shadow over your trip.”
“But we could have brainstormed some ideas together. Made some plans for your family.” I stepped forward.
“I’ve looked into a part-time remote job that I can work around my schedule with the kids,” Jess added, shifting Ryan to her
other hip before sending Brett a gentle smile. “We’ll find a way to make it work.”
Somehow, her confidence transferred over to Brett so much that his posture even straightened a little. The tenderness of their
willingness to fight for and encourage each other was definitely relationship-goal worthy.
And adding my own special surprise to their lives at this particular juncture only made it ten times better! A little twist
in their story—a good twist.
“I’ve already had a few businesses near here show interest,” Brett added, his smile much more hopeful than it had been a moment
before. “So I think I can at least find something to keep us from increasing our debt.”
They followed me inside as my grin fought for release, the anticipation nearly exploding inside of me. We walked down the hallway and turned into the living room.
Three... two... one...
“Wait.” Brett’s response came first. “What’s going on in here?”
“Are you moving?” Jess asked, her gaze taking in the much less cluttered space. “Did you have a garage sale? I thought you
just arrived last night.”
I turned toward them, bringing my palms together like the delighted genius I was. Okay, overdue genius, but didn’t that still
count as genius? “I just moved my personal things into the garage apartment, since that’s the only space I really need when
I come back to the farm.”
“Oh!” Brett nodded, resting his palms on his hips and surveying the room. “You gonna use this place as an Airbnb, then? Smart
way to get extra money.”
“Well”—I pulled the house keys from my pocket—“that’s something the two of you will have to decide.” I tossed the keys to
him, and he stumbled back as he caught them.
“What?”
I laughed. “I’m giving it to you.”
“You’re giving what to us?” Brett looked down at the keys in his hand, completely confused.
“What do you mean?” Jess shot a look from me to Brett and back, eyes widening. “The house? Katie, you can’t. This is your
inheritance.”
“This is our inheritance. Grandpa and Gran only wanted it to stay with a family member who would love and appreciate it. You both do that.”
I waved toward the room. “And I don’t need it. I’m keeping the garage apartment and some acres connected to it, but I’m deeding
the rest of the farm over to you.” I shrugged. “If you want it.”
Brett’s jaw dropped. Jess caught her laugh with her hands, her eyes shimmering with fresh tears.
Yes. This was right. Perfectly right.
“Katie?” Brett ran a hand through his rust-colored hair. “Are you crazy?”
“We know I am.” I raised my palms in helpless acceptance. “But are you interested?”
“Why would you do this?” Jess shook her head, tears brimming until one spilled over. “This is your home.”
“No, it isn’t.” I stepped close to her, taking her hand. “Maybe it was once upon a time when Grandpa and Gran lived here,
but it’s only been a big holding spot for me for years now. It deserves better. It needs a family to fill it with love, and
I can’t think of a better one to do that.”
Jess looked over at Brett, whose own eyes were a little red-rimmed.
He stepped closer, searching my face. “Are you sure?”
“Without a doubt.” I laughed. “A hundred percent.”
“We won’t have a mortgage, Brett.” Jess placed a palm on his arm. “And you can practice all those handyman skills you love
so much.”
“And the cottage on the back acres would make a great Airbnb for extra money,” I added, unable to stop my grin as the joyful
reality of it began to dawn more and more on their faces.
With a sob from Jess and a laugh from Brett, they both took me into their arms, leaving baby Ryan to double-fist my hair with
great zeal and me to join in a little crying myself.
Without a doubt, this story was going to be one of my favorites. “I’m going to take that as a yes and will drive into town to get the paperwork
started tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Katie.” Brett took hold of my shoulders, his gray eyes watery and sparkling all at once. “This... this has
always been a dream of mine.”
“I know.” My vision blurred. “And I’m so glad to make this dream come true for you. I’m just sorry it took me so long.”
Jess spoke through a sob, still shaking her head in disbelief. “What caused you to make this decision?”
Or who.
“Well, Scotland.” I wiped a hand over my eyes and squinted as I confessed. “And a certain guy who I hope will become more
than just a memory, if I have any influence at all.”
“Ah, I thought I heard something special in your voice when you talked about him,” Brett said, taking Ryan from Jess’s arms.
“You mean the guy who rescued you from the loch?” Jess’s eyes widened.
“And the cow,” Brett added.
“The hot Scot?” Jess finished, eyes wide, with Brett sending her a curious grin.
“The same.” I drew in a deep breath. “I’m heading back as soon as I can because I need to let him know how I feel.”
“Katie, that’s fantastic.” Jess pulled me into another hug. “And if he’s smart, he’d never let you go.”
A crash sounded from upstairs, followed by a scream, and Brett shot Jess a look before both of them dashed off in the direction
of the noise. With all the curious nooks and crannies of this turn-of-the-century home—and over fifty acres to explore—this
was the perfect place to raise an energetic family who had a whole lot of love in them.
I chuckled again and started toward the kitchen when the sound of another car door detoured my steps to the front door.
I froze.
My breath caught.
Standing in my front yard near a little red Toyota was Graeme MacKerrow, looking a little lost and a whole lot of gorgeous.
I gave my head a little shake. Graeme? Here? I pushed open the screen door and stepped out on the porch, still unsure whether
I should believe my eyes or not. After all, I’d not slept very well for a few days, so daydreams were possible.
And daydreaming about him was unavoidable.
His gaze held mine, as if measuring my response to him being here, but my pulse seemed to know the rhythm of this meeting.
He wore jeans and a blue button-down, which did his shoulders and chest all sorts of favors. Not that they needed any help.
As a matter of fact, fatigue hadn’t hurt my X-ray vision one bit. I took a few slow steps forward, making it to the bottom
of the porch.
He neared, hands in his pockets, before stopping a few feet from touching distance. “This... this place is fair impossible
to find.”
I loved his voice. “It can be,” I rasped, afraid to blink.
We stood in silence. I just kept staring because I wasn’t quite sure if what I was seeing was real. Graeme MacKerrow in little
old Waynesville, North Carolina?
And then the implications of his traveling across the world to this tiny part of the Blue Ridge Mountains registered in my
mind. It could mean only one thing.
He’d come for me.
Me.
The man who didn’t leave home. The man whose heart had a triple-lock hold on the Highlands. The man who offered a no-strings-attached
relationship?
“It’s a lovely place.” He gestured toward the house with his chin. “And the mountains remind me of home.”
I smiled then. “Yeah, they do.” I shifted a little closer, stuffing my own hands in my pockets. “It’s been in the family for
over a hundred years.”
He nodded, looking away and back. “Family land is good to have.”
“Yeah, gives a sense of roots, I’ve heard.”
His lips quirked up on one side, and he studied the landscape with renewed interest... avoiding my face. Was he nervous?
My heart swelled with so much emotion my chest ached.
I loved him.
“But it’s not going to be mine for much longer.”
His gaze fastened on mine. “It’s not?”
“I... I’m signing it over to my brother Brett and his wife, Jessica, because”—I drew in a breath, taking the risk—“I realized
that this place isn’t really home for me anymore.”
“No?” He edged a step closer, the wariness in those eyes shifting into something much more confident. Knee-weakeningly confident.
I shook my head. “I’ve fallen in love with a different place.” My voice shook as he closed the distance with another step
forward. “Different people.”
“Have you now?” The dip in his octave stole my breath a little.
“Aye.” My word shivered a little. “With... with Scotland.”
He paused only a second before taking another step. “Scotland?”
I shrugged. “And Lachlan.”
“Aye.” His grin tipped. “He’s one to love, and that’s a fact.”
“And I adore your parents.” I pressed my fist into my chest as tears blurred Graeme’s face in my vision. “Especially your
mom.”
His next step brought him within touching distance, those mesmerizing eyes of his searching mine. “I’m pretty sure they like
you better than me right now.”
A quiet laugh shook from me, along with a few stray tears. I braced myself and took the maiden’s leap across the impossible
space between reality and hope. “I’ve been wandering a long time, trying to find out where I belonged, but I’ve never felt
so much at home as when I’m with you.”
Without another hesitation, Graeme pulled me into his arms, wrapping me in the warmth of his body and scent. “I’m sorry I
fumbled through what I wanted to say to you during the ball, Katie.” He whispered the words near my ear. “I was an eejit.”
I drew back, looking up at him. “Do you want to try again?”
“Aye.” He ran a thumb over my cheek, catching a tear, his gaze never leaving mine. “I want you to belong with me. To rely
on me to catch you.”
He caught my sob with his lips, cradling my face in his large, tenderly rough hands. And I kissed him back between laughs and sobs. Held him close. Breathed in his familiar nearness. The taste of his lips on mine, the strength and security in those arms only pinned my heart more tightly to him.
When he pulled back, he brushed my hair from my face, his look intent. Filled with love. “I want you to travel the world,
Katie. Gather your stories. But let me be the home you always find your way back to.”
Have mercy, what a beautiful collection of words spoken directly to my heart. My palms slid from his neck down to rest on
his chest, emotions strangling my voice into a whisper. “Strings attached then?”
“Double knotted.” He raised a brow, one corner of his delicious lips teasing northward. “And tied with a bow.”
I tugged him into another kiss, my heart filled to overflowing. Even in my wildest dreams, I’d never imagined the story of
my own life could look this good—my X-ray vision kicked in—okay, this great.
Or that a man like Graeme MacKerrow waited on the other side of the globe to lead me to the place I belonged.
Home? Oh yes.
“Why don’t you bring the man inside before the neighbors start talking.”
I looked back toward the house to see my brother and his entire family standing on the front porch watching our little rom-com
scene. Graeme looked from me to the porch and then took in the surrounding forest where nary another house could be seen.
“I think we’ll take our time, Brett.” I waved away my brother, and he chuckled as he walked back into the house.
Arm in arm, we eased our steps toward the porch, stopping to indulge in a few more kisses along the way. “When do you have
to go back home?”
One teasing brow tipped upward. “I expected having to spend a week finding you in the middle of this massive country, so I have a little time.”
“You planned a whole week to find me.” I sighed. “Your chivalry knows no bounds.”
He sent me a mock frown, and I kissed him.
The frown softened considerably, so I kissed him again while we stood on the front porch of a farmhouse I loved with a man
I loved even more.
Despite all my fumblings and mistakes, my adventures... and misadventures had led me home. And as Graeme kissed all my
worries away, I welcomed the sweet beginnings of a new story for me. Aye, there was no place like home.