Page 64 of Of Heather and Thistle
She shot him a dry look, but couldn’t bite back a smile. “Fine. I’ll do my best to avoid any more near-death—or near-naked—experiences.”
“Good. Wouldn’t want the cows thinking you’re easy prey,” Flynn teased, his grin pure mischief.
Heather shook her head, biting back a laugh. “Alright, alright. But I’m not making any promises.”
She crossed her arms, tilting her head. “So? When do we start?”
Flynn raised an eyebrow, mischief glinting in his blue eyes. “Eager, are we?” He leaned back in his chair, arms crossing over his chest. “Well, first things first—I need to see Glenoran up close. If we’re going to make that place livable, we’ll need a plan.”
Heather nodded, excitement buzzing beneath her nerves. “Sounds like a plan. Lead the way, Mr. Duncan.”
He beamed, “Flynn,” he corrected smoothly. “Let’s stick with Flynn.” His voice dipped just enough to feel personal, like he wasn’t just talking about names.
Heather grinned. “Alright,Flynn.Lead the way.”
He stood, pushing his chair back effortlessly, his gaze lingering on her for half a second longer than necessary before he turned toward the door. “Right this way, then.”
They stepped out of the office, the Inverness air still crisp from the morning chill. Heather inhaled deeply, already feeling the weight of what lay ahead. But beneath it, something else stirred—excitement. A new chapter. A fresh start. And maybe, just maybe, a little help from a very attractive contractor.
Flynn fell into step beside her, his stride easy, effortless. “So, tell me about Glenoran. You said it’s been in your family for generations—what’s your vision for it? Restoration? Modernization?”
Heather hesitated, rolling his question over in her mind. She hadn’t thought much past survival—patching leaks, fixing the most urgent repairs, keeping the roof from caving in.
“A bit of both, I guess,” she admitted. “I don’t want to strip away the character, but it needs a lot of work. The roof leaks, the windows groan, and don’t even get me started on thefloors.”
Flynn let out a low chuckle. “Sounds like a dream.”
Heather huffed. “Sounds like a headache.” She hesitated, then added, “I haven’t decided if I’m keeping it. At first, I thought I’d fix it up and leave. But now…” She exhaled, shaking her head. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s not worth the effort.”
Flynn nodded thoughtfully. “It’s a lot to take on, especially when you’re still figuring things out. But from what I’ve seen, the house has potential. Sometimes, it just takes someone to see that vision.”
He glanced at her. “I’m guessing you want to keep some of the charm—modern amenities without sacrificing history. Not an easy balance, but it can be done.”
Heather studied him, surprised. “Exactly. You’re good.”
Flynn smirked. “Well, I do know my way around a restoration project or two.”
They reached her car, and Heather hesitated for a beat, fingers grazing the door handle. Anticipation hummed beneath her nerves. This was it—the real start of something new. Maybe even an adventure.
Flynn leaned against his truck, arms crossed, watching her with a knowing glint in his eye. “I’ll follow you to the house.”
“Great,” Heather said, flashing him a quick grin as she slid into the driver’s seat. Her fingers tightened around the wheel, nerves humming beneath the surface.
She wasn’t sure what she expected when she came here—maybe some answers, maybe just a chance to close a door she never meant to open. But instead, she found herself at the start of something that felt bigger than her.
The engine rumbled to life, and as she pulled onto theroad, Flynn’s truck stayed close behind. This was happening. Glenoran, the renovations, all of it. She let out a slow breath. Sink or swim, she was in it now. Glenoran. Flynn. All of it.
And she had enough to deal with without getting distracted by a smug Scottish contractor and his stupidly charming smirk.
Chapter 17
Heather kept her eyes on the road, hands tight on the wheel, but her thoughts drifted—to Flynn, to Glenoran, to the whirlwind of the past few days. Everything was happening so fast, and she wasn’t sure how she felt aboutanyof it.
Flynn’s presence had been an unexpected constant, a quiet camaraderie settling between them. She hadn’t expected that—any of this.
As she turned onto the long gravel drive, the sight of Glenoran sent a ripple of nerves through her chest. Anticipation. Uncertainty. The weight of a decision not yet made.
It was hers—technically. But could she really handle it? Or was she walking into something far bigger than she was ready for?
