Page 28 of Refuge for Ailsa

By the time they were all gone and he was climbing into Conor’s truck, he was exhausted. He sent a text, hoping she’d answer.

Hey, babe, the police just took her away. Please talk to me. Please? I haven’t done anything wrong, and now my life has gone to shit because of a crazy woman. I’ll be there in a little while. I’m so, so sorry she ruined the evening. See you soon.

He waited, but she didn’t reply. As the truck rolled toward the lake, he sat there and forced himself to maintain his composure. But if she wouldn’t talk to him, he didn’t know what he’d do.

Tavish loved Ailsa. He didn’t want to tell her that in a text. He needed to say it in person. But he wasn’t sure she’d even give him a chance. There was only one Hail Mary left, and he dialed the number, praying she’d answer.

* * *

Crying and pacing.Pacing and crying. She listened to his voicemail, then read the text.I don’t need this shit in my life, she told herself, and yet her heart was breaking. Tavish was all she wanted. He was all she’d thought about since the day he’d stepped into the marina store. And now it was over before it began.

There were tissues everywhere from blowing her nose. Her phone rang and she looked at it. The number was unfamiliar, but it was obviously local. What was the worst that could happen? The girlfriend called to say Tavish was with her? Would she be that cruel? Yeah, probably. Hell hath no fury… “Hello?”

“Ailsa? Ailsa, it’s Maureen. Don’t hang up. Please.”

She sighed. “He asked you to call me, didn’t he?”

“Yeah, he did. Please hear me out, Ailsa. He hasn’t dated that woman. I swear to god, he hasn’t. He went out with her twice. The first time, he asked her out. The second time, she kept pounding on him until he agreed to another date. The very next week, I think it was, he got a call from a wedding planner.”

She thought she’d heard wrong. “A… A what? A wedding planner?”

“Yeah. She’s crazy, Ailsa. I’m talking totally nuts. He’s asked her to leave him alone. He’s told her to leave him alone. He’s begged her. He’s threatened her. And now this. I’m sorry this happened. He said it was your first date. Boy oh boy, you’ll never forget this one, that’s for sure.”

“Yeah. No shit.” Ailsa dropped onto the sofa and blew her nose again, then picked the phone back up. “I mean, what the hell? She was shrieking all over the restaurant. Embarrassed the hell out of me.”

“Yeah. She’s like that. I went to school with her our junior and senior year. I think her parents moved to our district because her crazy ass got kicked out of her old district. Anyway, just know that Tavish hasn’t deceived you. He hasn’t lied to you. He hasn’t dated her, and he won’t. I think he’s…” And she stopped.

“You think he’s what?” Ailsa asked.

“I think he’s in love with you. Matter of fact, I’m almost positive he is.”

“Oh god.”

“Please tell me you feelsomethingfor him. Please?”

“I’m in love with him too, Maureen. I can’t believe this is happening. Oh, shit. I should’ve answered his call and answered his text. I should probably…” From somewhere outside, there was the sound of a vehicle, a shout, and the sound of feet pounding on the walkway. “I’ve gotta go. I think he’s here.”

“Please don’t hurt him, Ailsa. Please?”

“We’ll talk later.” She hit END on the phone’s screen just as the door flew open.

Tavish stood there, heaving in lungfuls of air and shaking. That did it?Ailsa started to sob again. “Oh, god, no, baby. Please, no. Please don’t… I don’t ever want to be the reason you cry. Please, Ailsa, please don’t cry. Please?” He dropped to his knees in front of her and wrapped his arms around her as she cried, holding her tightly and stroking her hair. “I don’t care anything about that woman. I never dated her, and I’m not interested in dating her. I don’t love any woman but you, Ailsa, only you.”

That made Ailsa snap upright, and she stared into Tavish’s face. “You love me?”

“I do. I love you. I swear, I do. I don’t care if you don’t love me, I love you and?”

“But Idolove you! Why the hell do you think I’m so upset? If you didn’t mean anything to me, I wouldn’t say a word, just cut you out of my life, but I can’t. It’ll break my heart if I lose you.”

“You’re not going to lose me. I’m not going anywhere. There’s nobody else I’m dating and nobody else I’m interested in dating. Just you, babe. You’re the only one. Please tell me you believe me. Please?” When she looked into his eyes, she realized it was taking everything he had to keep from breaking down, so she did the only thing she knew to do that would fix it all.

Ailsa took his face in her hands and kissed him. It was a beautiful kiss, one of those movie kisses where the hero and heroine kiss forever and they turn into a silhouette against the background, and a heart shape appears around them. A kiss like that, a wonderful, sweet kiss that can’t be faked. When she broke the kiss, she stared into his eyes. “I do believe you, Tavish. I do. It’s okay. We’re fine. I mean, if you’re fine, I’m fine.”

“Oh, I’m fine. I’m fine, baby. As long as you’re fine, I’m fine.” He dropped a quick little peck on her lips. “I’ve got to go to Lexington tomorrow morning. The judge is going to read the charges against Bridget, and the arresting officers told me it would be best if I was there.”

“Arresting officers? You had herarrested?” Ailsa couldn’t believe it.

“Hell yeah, I did. She ruined our evening, she called you a name?”

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