Page 84 of Scotch & Dreams

Violet took a large gulp of the wine and then topped up her glass before accepting the plate of food Fiona handed her, and the two sat at the tiny bistro table near the back door. Violet fiddled with some beige ball-looking thing with her fork.

"Eat. It's good. And then I want ye to start from the beginning, tell me everything.

Violet didn't feel like eating. But Fiona could be a mother hen, so Violet did as she was told. The food was better than she thought it would be. When she finally set her fork down, Fiona was looking at her expectantly, cradling her glass of wine. Violet knew she needed to get it off her chest. Violet hesitated, though, knowing that Fiona also worked for Lachlan. Even now, she didn't want this to bite Lachlan in the ass. Even if he did deserve it.Ugh.

"You have to keep this between us, though, okay? No telling Andy or Drew." Violet still suspected that the Drew Fiona met the night of the gala was Lachlan's brother, and she certainly didn't want to cause more family drama with any of this getting back to Lachlan.

"I willnae say anything. Ye huv my word on it.”

Violet took another good gulp of wine and opened up about what had happened the night of the gala.

Fiona stared in disbelief. “Right there in the barrel room? Where they were doing the tours?” Her eyebrows nearly rose to her hairline.

Violet nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed by the confession.

“Blimey!”

Violet told her about Lachlan staying the night with her when she was sick and how he took care of her, bringing her smut books and drugs and making her grapefruit juice and broth—which was so delicious, considering it was just clear broth.

“Och, he’s got it bad for ye, Violet.”

“No, that’s just it. I don’t think he actually does.”

“What? Of course, he does. No man does all this for a little piece of action.”

“There’s more.” Violet laid her elbow on the table and held her forehead in her hand.

Violet continued to tell Fiona how he’d gone MIA right after.

"Och, right. Come to think of it, I didnae see him at the sanctuary either. Maybe he had to go on another business trip?" she offered.

Violet had wondered that herself, but it didn't explain why he hadn't called her or messaged her at least. "Right, but why didn't he message me?”

Fiona shook her head. "Maybe he was doing that three-day rule thing guys do, ye ken?”

Violet didn't buy it. Especially not when she'd messaged him. He could have at least messaged something back. She was annoyed all over again that she hadn't gotten around to getting any answers last night.

“What on God’s green earth? How did ye not talk about it then? That’s why ye were there!” Fiona snapped when Violet had explained she'd gone to his house for answers but ended up leaving without any.

Violet looked up at Fiona sheepishly and could pinpoint the moment when Fiona understood.

“Nooo! Ye mean to tell me ye had sex but didnae talk?”

“Ugh, I know! I don’t know how it happened.” Violet got up from the little table and flopped down on the couch, tucking her legs beneath her.

Fiona joined her. “How long were ye there fer?” she hedged.

Violet put a hand over her eyes, unable to believe her own weakness when it came to this man. “All night.”

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! And in a whole night, ye didn’t come up fer air then?”

“Not really. And then he had to go.”

“Well, what did he say when he left?”

“He said he wanted to take me to dinner tonight.” Violet blew out a breath, realizing that dinner was definitely not happening tonight, but it was more than that. This was Lachlan ghosting her. Again.

Fiona looked at the clock. “And ye havnae heard from him?”

---