“Aye, at a lovely place in the center of Edinburgh. I have directions, and I have something fitting for ye to wear. Why doona ye ask her? She’ll say yes, I know it. Be sure to tell her that she will have to drive, though. Tell her that ye canna due to yer injured shoulder. She willna mind.”
The witch could obviously read his mind for she presented him with the very opportunity he wished before he asked for it—a special evening alone with Grace.
With all his excitement, he forgot the other question he meant to ask as he walked away.
Chapter 11
Eoghanan’s invitation came as a surprise, albeit a lovely one. Or, perhaps it really wasn’t too much of a surprise when I thought back on all the subtle flirtation of the previous day. Still, it had been so long since I’d been asked out on any sort of date, I’d begun to believe that my last first date over six years ago would be my last date ever.
He asked in the most adorable way. Knocking on the door of my bedroom and speaking to Cooper first, saying something along the lines of, “I believe Morna needs yer assistance, young Cooper. Seems that she’s found a snail in an unfortunate place and doesna wish to pick it up herself.”
Cooper, eager to help and overly excited by anything remotely gross, leapt up from his place on the floor. “A snail? Well, I’ll get it for her.”
Cooper ran down the stairs quickly, leaving Eoghanan and I alone, where he shifted back and forth nervously in my doorway for a minute before speaking.
“Grace, do ye have a dress with ye here?”
I turned my head inquisitively, smiling internally at his question. It seemed an odd way to start the conversation. “Uh, yeah I do actually. It’s not all-together fancy, more of just a sundress. Why do you ask?”
“I hoped that ye might join for me dinner in Edinburgh. Would ye like to? I should tell ye that ye will have to steer the car. I doona think me shoulder will allow it.”
“Edinburgh?” I couldn’t help the surprise and hesitation in my voice. It wasn’t like Edinburgh was just down the road. “That’s over three hours away.”
“Ah.” He looked down at his feet a bit, embarrassed. “So, no then? ’Tis no the best idea.”
“No.” I moved toward him, shaking my head to stop him. “That’s not what I said. I’m only a bit surprised is all.”
“Aye.”
I smiled, hoping my initial reaction hadn’t disappointed him. A drive that far would get the both of us out of the inn for an entire day, which appealed to me greatly. I imagined he was in dire need of it as well. I doubted he’d traveled outside a ten-mile radius of the inn since arriving there. In addition, it might also be good for work, if I could stop and take some photos along the way. “I think that sounds great. I can be ready in half an hour.” I glanced over at the mirror on the wall across from me and looked sheepishly back at him. “Forty-five tops. What about Cooper?”
“If ’tis alright with ye, Morna said that she and Jerry might take him to explore Conall Castle. ’Tis just down the road a ways.”
Cooper would be thrilled at the idea. “He’ll love that. Meet you downstairs in a bit?”
He smiled, nodded once, and left me alone to get ready. I started stripping my clothes as soon as the door closed, resigning myself to the fact that, once again, I would get little work done today. It was becoming a very bad habit.
*
“Are ye certain I doona look a fool? Do men no wear kilts in Scotland anymore?” Eoghanan looked down at the khaki slacks and dark blue shirt Morna had dressed him in feeling utterly unsure about his new outfit. The linen pants and stretchy shorts were sensible garb for lounging around the inn, for they kept pressure off his scar, but to appear in front of other people without his kilt seemed very strange to him.
“Ye look nothing like a fool. Ye look like a man every lass in the Highlands will want to jump on sight. Best keep Grace on yer arm so they know ye are taken.”
“Taken?” It seemed a fast conclusion for the old lass to come to, though he liked the way it sounded very much. “I barely know the lass. Taken is no the right word.”
Eoghanan watched as Morna clucked her tongue at him, dismissively.
“If ye say so, though I doona know why ye would doubt a thing I say to ye. I have me way of knowing things that others do not.”
He knew that better than anyone, but said nothing as he heard Grace’s footsteps on the stairs, turning to take the sight of her in as she approached him. She was a beautiful lass by any standard. Even casually dressed as she’d been every time he’d seen her in the strange pants that women wore in this time with her long hair pulled up loosely off her neck and out of her eyes, he thought her breathtaking.