Page 37 of Scotch & Dreams

"Right, how can I not? We went through a pretty dramatic experience together. Of course, there would be some feelings there. But that's it now. She's fine and going off to live her life, and I'm living mine." He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince more, Orlagh or himself.

She let out a disgruntled, "Hmm."

Lachlan wiped his mouth with the napkin and put it on his empty plate before reaching for his wallet in his blazer that hung on the back of the chair. He pulled out a credit card, and their server was at their table in record time with the portable card reader. He wanted to get to the office so he could bury himself in work and think about something other than Violet Munro.

The server walked away almost as quickly as he'd arrived, and Lachlan stood, sliding on his blazer.

"Wait, what about Alex?”

"What about him?" Lachlan asked, straightening the lapels.

"Well, did ye talk to him? About Violet I mean?”

"Why would I?”

"Because ye and him huv that twin thing. He's the only person in this world that probably ken's ye better than me."

"Alex is busy fighting the bad guys. I'm no' gonna bother him to tell him about a lass I'll likely never see again."

Their parents weren't happy when Alex chose a career in policing. They'd assumed Lachlan and Alex would run the distillery together and take over the family business. It made sense to Lachlan, though. Alex loved whisky like the rest of them, but he’d lived for danger since they were kids. His poor mam attributed her early graying to Alex and his knack for finding himself in dangerous situations. And if it wasn't Alex causing her grief, it was Drew.Drew.Shite, that was another conundrum. It surprised him that his keen sister didn't know that Drew was back.

He leaned over and gave his sister a quick peck on the cheek.

“I have to go. I’ll see ye next week, okay?”

She nodded silently as if accepting defeat—for now.

Orlagh shook her head as she watched her big brother walk away. Needing to ground herself, she pulled a peppermint oil roller from her bag and applied a swipe to her temples and the back of her neck, the tingling effect immediately rejuvenating her.

She struggled to understand why he wanted to stay with a woman like Anna, especially when she could see the spark in him after meeting this Violet lassie.

Couldn't he see it? Maybe she was grasping at straws, but it was like Lachlan was just blindly bumbling through the motions with Anna. But why?

Anna MacDonald came from an influential family, and she ensured everyone knew it. Outwardly, she was very beautiful, and she was apparently intelligent, having earned a doctorate. But the second she opened her mouth, it was worse than listening to a twelve-year-old learning to play the violin. Lachlan invited her one time—thank God just the once—to their Sunday Sandwich date, and it was all Orlagh could do to not rip open her grilled cheese and throw the gooey bread slices over her ears to try and drown out the sound of Anna's incessant boasting. She didn't know how her brother could stand it. He had looked tuned out most of the time, and she couldn't blame him. As far as she knew, that was the only time Lachlan had brought Anna around any of the family, and as much as he made it sound otherwise, she was certain deep down he knew she just didn't fit in with the Mackenzie clan.

Orlagh was almost meditative in thought when someone sat in the chair across from her.

Chapter 23

The Reckoning

“HelloRolo.How’smywee sis?”

Orlagh's eyes shot up. A little older and rougher looking than the last she'd seen him, Drew sat before her.

Tears sprang to her eyes. She jumped up and wrapped her arms tightly around him. “Och, Drustan, where have ye been, love?” She held him tightly, afraid to let go, as she muttered about missing him and how it had been so long.

Finally, Orlagh pulled away. And the next moment, she gave him a punch to the chest. He deserved a good wallop for what he'd put them through. She furrowed her brow, concerned as she looked up into his bloodshot blue-green eyes, one sporting a swollen shiner.

“It’s okay, Rolo. I’m okay.” He answered her unasked question.

“We didn’t know what had happened to you. I ken ye were leaving, but ye just dropped off without a word. It was bad enough losing Helena.” Her voice broke off, the emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

“C’mon, let’s get out of here.”

She nodded and headed out the door with him. They walked across the street and down to the waterfront.

“I never meant to hurt ye,” Drew finally broke the silence.

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