Page 55 of Wild Scottish Knight

“No, it’s not okay,” Hilda said, her voice dead serious, and I straightened, motioning to Graham to come over.

“What’s wrong?” I stilled.

Graham could be a pain in the arse at times, but when he heard my tone, he picked up our balls and hoisted his bag onto his shoulder, already moving toward the clubhouse. A friend didn’t need to be told when to leave behind an expensive round of golf. He could read it in my face.

“You have to come home now. I don’t know what you did this time, but Sophie’s gone, we can’t find Sir Buster, and the loch is all stirred up. I’m really worried, Lachlan.”

“I’m at least two hours away,” I said, breaking into a jog, my bag bouncing against my legs. “Did Sophie not say where she went? Try Agnes. She goes to her bookshop a lot.”

“She’s packed her bags, Lachlan. She’s gone.”

“What?” I exploded, picking up pace. How could Sophie up and leave without a word? Sheknewwhat that would mean to me. That my biggest fear was losing people. Particularly without a conversation. My brain scrambled, trying to remember my last words to her, and panic sliced through me.

“Just get home. Now. I’m not sure what is going on. We need you here, Lachlan.” Hilda ended the call but not before I heard the shriek of the Kelpies in the background. Ice-cold fear filled me, and I broke into a run, Graham keeping pace with me, as we made it back to his car.

“Forget our bags at the hotel, I’ll come back for them,” Graham said, tossing our clubs in the boot of his SUV.

“You sure?”

“Aye, let’s go.” Graham took the wheel as I scrambled into the passenger seat, my heart thumping against my chest as he peeled away from the clubhouse, startling several golfers on their way to the first tee.

“Tell me,” Graham ordered, his face tight, and I was reminded again why we were best friends, brothers really, as he skillfully navigated the roads, carelessly breaking the speed limit.

“Sophie’s packed and left. Sir Buster is missing. The loch is acting up. Kelpies screaming in the background.”

“Bloody hell,” Graham cursed.

“Aye.” I shook my head. There was nothing else I could say or do. Looking down at my phone, I scrolled through the contacts and brought up Sophie’s number, listening to it ring and ring before going to her voicemail.

“Sophie, it’s Lachlan. What’s happened, darling? Please call me back. I’m on my way home and I heard you’d left. Talk to me, Sophie. We’re all worried about you. Please, call me back. Um, it’s Lachlan.” I hung up, shaking my head at my awkwardness, and then typed out a text to her as well.

“Did you two have a fight or something?” Graham asked, picking up speed on the windy back country roads, comfortable in his driving skills.

“No, but…och, it’s nothing.”

“Out with it,” Graham said. “If I have to leave the best round of golf I’ve had in years to deal with your love life, you can at least give me the details.”

“It was just…after you’d said something about women controlling our lives, I guess it got in my head a wee bit.”

“For pity’s sake, man. It was a bit o’ banter. You know that.” Graham sighed.

“Aye, I know. But it stuck there anyway. And she wanted to have sex before I left and I just, well,cuddledher instead of…”

“You left for a couple of nights with the lads and didn’t give her a good shag before you went?” Graham gaped at me.

“I cuddled her,” I protested, feeling stupid.

“Och, man.” Graham shook his head. “Sure, and I’ve taught you better, haven’t I?”

“Taught me what? You don’t even do relationships and now you’re some expert?” I glared at him as he rounded a tight turn in the road. The skies had darkened, threatening rain, and I hoped we would make it home before the roads grew slick.

“I taught you to close the deal, didn’t I?” Graham countered.

“This isn’t some one-night stand! This is the woman I love,” I thundered, shocked to hear myself vocalize it.

“Even more reason to shag her,” Graham, like a bulldog with a stick, continued. Neither of us acknowledged the enormity of what I’d just admitted as well as what that might mean for when we returned to the castle.

“I can’t wait until you fall. I’m going to make your life hell,” I grumbled, worry seeping through me.

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