Page 68 of Scotch & Dreams

“You'll never guess who just showed up at your front door?”

Violet was looking at the flowers in Fiona's hand.

“Our boss!” Fiona blurted it out before she could respond.

Violet’s heart slammed in her chest, and she went to the little window by the front door to look out. "He's gone?”

“Aye, but he brought you this. He said it’s from the auction.” Fiona raised her eyebrows suspiciously as she held out the brown paper bag and bouquet to Violet.

“Oh, wow,” Violet breathed. She smelled the beautiful bouquet. She'd once received carnations from a sweet albeit not really her type guy she'd gone on a date with, but never had she received flowers like these. It was, hands down, the most beautiful bouquet she'd ever seen. It was the Scottish thistle mixed in with the delicate, beautiful flowers that made it so stunning. Something about that rugged twist of wild just made the combination so perfect together.

She laid it down on the coffee table so she could look inside the bag. Violet gently lifted out the beautiful rich tartan blanket. “Ohhh,” she crooned, holding it to her face to feel its softness. “I wanted this so much!”

She was thrilled, but she couldn’t possibly have had the highest bid. Could she? The thought occurred to her that maybe he’d seen she’d wanted it and got it for her. She didn’t dare hope that was the case, but, oh, if it was, her heart warmed at the very thought. Violet looked up and saw Fiona eyeing her suspiciously.

“He just dropped this off and left?” Violet asked.

“Aye.” Fiona continued to look at Violet with scrutinizing eyes. “What’s that man doing coming ’round here bringing you gifts on a Sunday morning? Like it’s the morning after the night before.” She waggled her eyebrows.

Violet couldn't help but laugh. If only she knew the half of it, but Violet didn't feel ready to divulge. She still didn’t know where she and Lachlan stood.

“It’s not agift. It’s from the auction.” Violet asserted.

“And you’re telling me that you outbid the rich bastards at that party? Also, I dinnae recall a bouquet likethatat the auction.” Fiona raised an arched brow.

“God, it is incredible.” Violet picked the bouquet back up to examine it. “I-I don’t really know,” she stuttered, not sure what to say or why he had brought it to her.

“Is it the morning after, then?” Fiona asked, clearing her throat.

“Oh, Fiona, don’t be ridiculous.” Violet tried to shake her friend off. She wasn’t prepared to talk about what had happened between her and Lachlan last night. In fact, now that a new day was here, it was hard to believe it actually happened at all. It felt like some kind of erotic dream.

“Hmm, well, I did wonder if it was like maybe a door prize or something, like the chance for us normal folk to have a chance to win,” she teased. “Maybe the flowers were an extra ‘congrats that ye won and ye’re not even rich!’"

Violet chuckled. “Who knows?”

“Interesting that he would come and personally deliver it to you. The flowers seem a definite extra. If ye ask me, I still think he’s got a thing for ye.” She picked up her coat off the hook at the front door and slipped it on.

“I’m sure he would’ve stuck around if that were true. The sanctuary is down the road. He was probably just in the neighbourhood. And maybe they had extra flowers from the gala. I’m sure it was just a nice gesture. You know he’s thoughtful that way.”

“Whatever you say, Vi. Well, I’m going to love ye and leave ye. I’ve got things to do.”

“And people to see?” Violet finished for her, teasing her about maybe seeing that Drew guy again.

“I never say never.” She grinned slyly.

Violet waved goodbye from the front door and strode back into her little cottage. Her gaze immediately landed on the stunning tartan that lay on her couch. She smiled and then sighed.Ugh, why was it that the man she was crazy about was finally showing her that he might be interested in her, and she couldn’t just enjoy it?

Nope, it just made her worry because she still didn’t know his intentions with her. She was only guessing. And when it came to Lachlan, she knew two things. He wasn't a sure thing—far from it, and if she admitted she was falling for him, she didn't think she'd recover if he didn't fall back.

She sat down on her couch, picked up her phone, and sighed. She looked up at the flowers and tartan again, biting her lip. She opened her phone to message Lachlan and thank him but hesitated, her fingers hovering over the screen.Thanks for the flowers, tartan, and incredible sex?Ugh. Gawd. She threw the phone down on the couch cushion.

It was so hard to get over him the first time, but had she really gotten over him? She never expected she'd be working for him, and she definitely never would have imagined that she'd be working with him so closely day in and day out. She rubbed her temples, the ache settling back over them.

This was more complicated than just her feelings for Lachlan. She also loved the work she was doing. Working at the sanctuary around the horses lifted her spirits, but working on the ins and outs of the business with Lachlan fueled her like nothing else ever had in her life.

Could she do the same kind of work somewhere else? It was something she needed to consider. After all, she couldn't sleep with the boss and hope it wouldn't have repercussions. God, what had she done? The thought of not working at the Highland Haven broke her heart. The thought of not seeing Lachlan again… Oh God, that broke her very soul.

"Shit." A tear slid down her cheek, and she wiped it away. "No," she whispered, refusing to accept what her heart and soul knew.

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