Page 62 of A Flower for Angus

“Nay, but I could stop one long enough for ye to get away.”

He watched her shiver as the thought hit home that she really could be in danger. He meant what he said. If he had to protect her with his life, he would.

He had a bad feeling about this meeting request at night, and in a building where all the staff would have already gone home.

While Poppy was freshening up, he mentioned it to Vince and he didn’t like it either. Vince promised to call him and Poppy if he found out anything they might need to know before the meeting.

Chapter 15

Poppy hugged her daughterwith joy, little Maddie and Josh both clamoring for Gramma’s attention. Andrea had been on the patio of her brick ranch home in a suburb of Naperville before Poppy and Angus had even made it to the door. The patio sported half barrels of colorful Dahlias, Marigolds, and other summer flowers beginning to blossom in abundance. Children’s outdoor tricycles and other toys dotted the patio.

It was a madhouse for a moment, then Poppy pulled Angus forward. “Andrea, Morgan, this is Angus Sangster, my very good friend from Scotland. Without him, I don’t know if I would have had the courage to come home.”

“She’d have found it without me, she’s a brave lass,” Angus inserted easily, taking Morgan’s hand as he held it out to him.

Then he was surprised when Andrea suddenly pulled him into an energetic hug. “Thank you so much for getting her back to us, Angus,” she enthused. “Any friend of Mom’s is always welcome.”

“Mister...hey, mister.”

Poppy watched with interest as Angus hunkered down to talk to her granddaughter who was tugging on his pantleg.

“What can I do for ye, wee lass?” he asked with humor and patience.

Now that four-year-old Maddie had the full attention of the man in front of her, she didn’t seem so sure of what she wanted to say. Her long brown curls were parted neatly on the side but were trying to escape their designated path. She was a pretty little thing in her princess pink dress and slippers. Her wide hazel eyes stared in wonder. “You talk funny.”

“Do I now?” Angus chuckled.

Six-year-old Josh wasn’t about to be undone. He puffed out his little chest in the striped t-shirt and pushed his unruly mop of hair out of his eyes, the same color as his sisters. “I like the way he talks, Maddie. Mom told us he was coming and would talk funny, didn’t you, Mom? But I like it.”

“I like it too,” protested Maddie, her lip pouting as if it were a contest.

“Ye know what?” Angus asked, taking each of their hands. “I like both of ye wee ones more than ye can like me, I’ll bet. Which one of ye can show me where dinner is? I’m starved.”

And just like that, Angus fit in because the children wanted all of his attention from then on, each one sure they could like him more than the other, or more than he could like them. Poppy shook her head. She’d never seem him with any kids except Delilah and Corey, and to them, Angus was just another family member they loved and hugged on.

Dinner was quite the affair with Andrea’s eyes widening the first time Angus put his arm over the back of Poppy’s shoulder and hugged her. And with Angus teasing the children every chance he got. They loved the attention of course.

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