“If you hadn’t been in such an all-fired hurry to leave my office, you’d have discovered I was traveling here myself.”
“Oh, that’s perfect! Go ahead and blame me for everything,” she shrieked. “As I recall, you were furious at my being anywhere near your precious office.”
“All right, I’ll admit I might have handled the situation poorly,” Zach said, and the muscles in his jaw hardened. “But as you’ll also recall, I did apologize.”
“Sure you did,” she said, “after you’d trampled all over my ego. I’ve never felt like more of a fool in my life.”
“You?” Zach shouted. “It may surprise you to know that I don’t make a habit of hiding women in my office.”
“Do you think I enjoyed being stuffed in that…closet like a bag of dirty laundry?”
“What was I supposed to do? Hide you under my desk?”
“It might’ve been better than a pitch-black closet.”
“If you’re so keen on casting blame, let me remind you I wasn’t the one who left my purse in full view of your grandfather,” Zach said. “I did everything but perform card tricks to draw his attention away from it.”
“You make it sound like I’m at fault,” Janine snapped.
“I’m not the one who popped in unexpectedly. If you had a job like everyone else—”
“If I had a job,” she broke in, outraged. “You mean all the volunteer work I do doesn’t count? Apparently the thirty hours a week I put in mean nothing. Sure, I’ve got a degree. Sure, I could probably have my pick of a dozen different jobs, but why take employment away from someone who really needs it when so many worthwhile organizations are hurting for volunteers?” She was breathless by the time she finished, and so angry she could feel the heat radiating from her face.
She refused to tolerate Zach’s offensive insinuations any longer. From the moment they’d met, Zach had clearly viewed her as spoiled and frivolous, without a brain in her head. And it seemed that nothing had altered his opinion.
“Listen, I didn’t mean—”
“It’s obvious to me,” she said bluntly, “that you and I are never going to agree on anything.” She was so furious she couldn’t keep her anger in check. “The best thing for us to do is completely ignore each other. It’s obvious that you don’t want anything to do with me and, frankly, I feel the same way about you. So, good day, Mr. Thomas.” With that she walked away, her head high and her pride intact.
For the very first time with this man, she’d been able to make a grand exit. It should have felt good. But it didn’t.
An hour later, after Janine had taken the tourist bus into Edinburgh, she was still brooding over her latest encounter with Zachary Thomas. If there was any humor at all in this situation, it had to be the fact that her usually sage grandfather could possibly believe she and Zach were in any way suited.
Determined to put the man out of her mind, Janine wandered down Princes Street, which was packed with shoppers, troupes of actors giving impromptu performances and strolling musicians. Her mood couldn’t help but be influenced by the festive flavor, and she soon found herself smiling despite the unpleasant confrontation with her grandfather’s business partner.
Several of the men who passed her in the street were dressed in kilts, and Janine felt as if she’d stepped into another time, another world. The air swirled with bagpipe music. The city itself seemed gray and gloomy, a dull background for the colorful sights and sounds, the excitement of ages past.
It was as Janine walked out of a dress shop that she bumped into Zach a second time. He stopped, his eyes registering surprise and what looked to Janine like a hint of regret—as though confronting her twice in the same day was enough to try anyone’s patience.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he said, pinning her with his dark intense gaze.
“And I’m equally confident that you don’t.” She held her packages close and edged against the shop window to avoid hindering other pedestrians on the crowded sidewalk.
“I came here to do some shopping,” Zach said gruffly. “I wasn’t following you.”
“You can rest assured I wasn’t following you.”
“Fine,” he said.
“Fine,” she repeated.
But neither of them moved for several nerve-racking seconds. Janine assumed Zach was going to say something else. Perhaps she secretly hoped he would. If they couldn’t be friends, Janine would’ve preferred they remain allies. They should be uniting their forces instead of battling each other. Without a word, Zach gestured abruptly and wheeled around to join the stream of people hurrying down the sidewalk.
A half hour later, with more packages added to her collection, Janine strolled into a fabric store, wanting to purchase a sizable length of wool as a gift for Pam. She ran her fingertips along several thick bolts of material, marveling at the bold colors. The wool felt soft, but when she lifted a corner with her palm, she was surprised by how heavy it was.
“Each clan has its own tartan,” the white-haired lady in the shop explained. Janine enjoyed listening to her voice, with its enthusiastic warmth and distinct Scottish burr. “Some of the best-known tartans come in three patterns that are to be worn for different occasions—everyday, dress and battle.”
Intrigued, Janine watched as the congenial woman walked around the table to remove a blue-and-green plaid. Janine had already seen that pattern several times. The shop owner said that tourists were often interested in this particular tartan, called Black Watch, because it was assigned to no particular clan. In choosing Black Watch, they weren’t aligning themselves with any one clan, but showing total impartiality.
Pleased, Janine purchased several yards of the fabric.
Walking down the narrow street, she was shuffling her packages in her arms when she caught sight of Zach watching a troupe of musicians. She started to move away, then for no reason she could name, paused to study him. Her impression of him really hadn’t changed since that first afternoon. She still thought Zach Thomas opinionated, unreasonable and…fine, she was willing to admit it, attractive. Very attractive, in a sort of rough-hewn way. He lacked the polish, the superficial sophistication of a man like Brian, but he had a vigor that seemed thoroughly masculine. He also had the uncanny ability to set her teeth on edge with a single look. No other man could irritate her so quickly.
The musicians began a lively song and Zach laughed unselfconsciously. His rich husky tenor was smooth and relaxed as it drifted across the street toward her. Janine knew she should’ve left then, but she couldn’t. Despite everything, she was intrigued.
Zach must have felt her scrutiny because he suddenly turned and their eyes locked before Janine could look away. The color rose to her cheeks and for a long moment, neither moved. Neither smiled.
It was in Janine’s mind to cross the street, swallow her pride and put an end to this pointless antagonism. During the past several weeks her pride had become familiar fare; serving it up once more shouldn’t be all that difficult.
She was entertaining that thought when a bus drove past her belching a thick cloud of black smoke, momentarily blocking her view of Zach. When the bus had passed, Janine noticed that he’d returned his attention to the musicians.
Disheartened, she headed in the opposite direction. She hadn’t gone more than a block when she heard him call her name.
She stopped and waited for him to join her. With an inquiring lift of one eyebrow, he reached for some of her packages. She nodded, repressing a shiver of excitement as his hand brushed hers. Shifting his burden, he slowed his steps to match Janine’s. Then he spoke. “We need to talk.”
“I don’t see how we can. Every time you open your mouth you say something insulting and offensive.”
Only a few minutes earlier, Janine had been hoping to put an end to this foolish antagonism, yet here she was provoking an argument, acting just as unreasonable as she accused him of being. She stopped midstep, disgusted with herself. “I shouldn’t have said tha
t. I don’t know what it is about us, but we seem to have a hard time being civil to each other.”
“It might be the shock of finding each other here.”
“Which brings up another subject,” Janine added fervently. “If Gramps was going to arrange for us to meet, why send us halfway around the world to do it?”
“I used to think I knew your grandfather,” Zach murmured. “But lately, I’m beginning to wonder. I haven’t got a clue why he chose Scotland.”
“He came to me with the tickets, reminding me it’d been almost a year since I’d traveled anywhere,” Janine said. “He told me it was high time I took a vacation, that I needed to get away for a while. And I bought it hook, line and sinker.”
“You?” Zach cried, shaking his head, clearly troubled. “Your grandfather sent me here on a wild-goose chase. Yes, there were contacts to make, but this was a trip any of our junior executives could’ve handled. It wasn’t until I arrived at the inn and found you booked there that I realized what he was up to.”
“If we hadn’t been so distracted trying to figure out who was to blame for that fiasco at your office, we might’ve been able to prevent this. At least, we’d have guessed what Gramps was doing.”
“Exactly,” Zach said. “Forewarned is forearmed. Obviously, we have to put aside our differences and stay in communication. That’s the key. Communication.”
“Absolutely,” Janine agreed, with a nod of her head.
“But letting him throw us together like this is only going to lead to trouble.”
What kind of trouble, he didn’t say, but Janine could guess all too easily. “I agree with you.”
“The less time we spend together, the better.” He paused when he noticed that she was standing in front of the bus stop.
“If we allow Gramps to throw us together, it’ll just encourage him,” she said. “We’ve got to be very firm about this, before things get completely out of hand.”
“You’re right.” Without asking, he took the rest of the packages from her arms, adding them to the bags and parcels he already carried. “I rented a car. I don’t suppose you’d accept a ride back to the inn?”
“Please.” Janine was grateful for the offer. They’d started off badly, each blaming the other, but fortunately their relationship was beginning to improve. That relieved her. She’d much rather have Zachary for a friend than an enemy.
They spoke very little on the twenty-mile ride back to the Bonnie Inn. After an initial exchange of what sights they’d seen and what they’d purchased, there didn’t seem to be much to say. They remained awkward and a little uneasy with each other. And Janine was all too aware of how intimate the confines of the small rented car were. Her shoulder and her thigh were within scant inches of brushing against Zach, something she was determined to ignore.
The one time Janine chanced a look in his direction, she saw how intent his features were, as if he was driving a dangerous, twisting course instead of a straight, well-maintained road with light traffic. His mouth was compressed, bracketed by deep grooves, and his dark eyes had narrowed. He glanced away from the road long enough for their eyes to meet. Janine smiled and quickly looked down, embarrassed that he’d caught her studying him so closely. She wished she could sort out her feelings, analyze all her contradictory emotions in a logical manner. She was attracted to Zach, but not in the same way she’d been attracted to Brian. Although Zach infuriated her, she admired him. Respected him. But he didn’t send her senses whirling mindlessly, as Brian had. Then again, she didn’t think of him as a brother, either. Her only conclusion was that her feelings for Zach were more confusing than ever.
After thanking him for the ride and collecting her parcels, she left Zach in the lobby and tiredly climbed the stairs to her room. She soaked in a hot scented bath, then changed into a blue-and-gold plaid kilt she’d bought that afternoon. With it, she wore a thin white sweater under her navy-blue blazer. She tied a navy scarf at her neck, pleased with the effect. A little blush, a dab of eye shadow and she was finished, by now more than ready for something to eat.
Zach was waiting to be seated in the dining room when she came downstairs. He wore a thick hand-knit sweater over black dress slacks and made such a virile sight she found it difficult not to stare.
The hostess greeted them with a warm smile. “Dinner for two?”
Janine reacted first, flustered and a little embarrassed. “We’re not together,” she said. “This gentleman was here before me.” Anything else would negate the agreement they’d made earlier.
Zach frowned as he followed the hostess to a table set against the wall, close to the massive stone fireplace. The hostess returned and directed Janine to a table against the same wall, so close to Zach that she could practically read the menu over his shoulder. She was reading her own menu when Zach spoke. “Don’t you think we’re both being a little silly?”
“Yes,” she admitted. “But earlier today we agreed that being thrown together like this could lead to trouble.”
“I honestly don’t think it would hurt either of us to have dinner together, do you?”
“No…I don’t think it would.” They’d spend the entire meal talking across the tables to each other, anyway.
He stood up, grinning. “May I join you?”
“Please.” She couldn’t help responding with a smile.
He pulled out the other chair, his gaze appreciative. “Those colors look good on you.”
“Thanks.” She had to admit he looked good—darkly vibrant and masculine—himself. She was about to return his compliment when it dawned on her how senselessly they were challenging fate.
“It’s happening already,” she whispered, leaning toward him in order to avoid being overheard.
“What?” Zach glanced around as though he expected ghostly clansmen to emerge from behind the drapes.
“You’re telling me how good I look in blue and I was about to tell you how nice you look and we’re smiling at each other and forming a mutual admiration society. Next thing you know, we’ll be married.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“Sure, you say that now, but I can see a real problem here.”
“Does this mean you want me to go back to my table and eat alone?”
“Of course not. I just think it would be best if we limited the compliments. All right?”
“I’ll never say anything nice about you again.”
Janine smiled. “Thank you.”
“You might want to watch that, as well,” he warned with a roguish grin. “If we’re too formal and polite with each other, that could lead us straight to the jewelers. Before we know what’s happening, we’ll be choosing wedding bands.”
Janine’s lips quivered with a barely restrained smile. “I hadn’t thought about that.” They glanced at each other and before either could hold it in, they were laughing, attracting the attention of everyone in the dining room. As abruptly as they’d started, they stopped, burying their faces in the menus.
After they’d ordered, Janine shared her theory with Zach, a theory that had come to her on their drive back to the inn. “I think I know why Gramps arranged for us to meet in Scotland.”
“I’m dying to hear this.”
“Actually, I’m afraid I’m the one responsible.” She heaved a sigh of remorse. Every part of her seemed aware of Zach, which was exactly what she didn’t want. She sighed again. “When Gramps first mentioned the idea of an arranged marriage, I tried to make him understand that love wasn’t something one ordered like…like dinner from a menu. He genuinely didn’t seem to grasp what I was saying and asked me what a woman needed to fall in love.”
“And you told him a trip to Scotland?” Zach’s eyes sparkled with the question.
“Of course not. I told him a woman needed romance.”
Zach leaned forward. “I hate to appear dense, but I seem to have missed something.”
Pretending to be annoyed with him, Janine explained, “Well, Gramps asked me
to define romance…”
“I’d be interested in learning that myself.” Zach wiped the edges of his mouth with his napkin. Janine suspected he did it to cover a growing need to smile.
“It isn’t all that easy to explain, you know,” Janine said. “And remember this was off the top of my head. I told Gramps romance was forbidden trysts on Scottish moors.”
“With an enemy clan chieftain?”
“No, with the man I loved.”
“What else did you tell him?”
“I don’t remember exactly. I think I said something about a moonlight stroll on the beach, and…and desperate passion.”
“I wonder how he’ll arrange that?”
“I don’t think I want to find out,” Janine murmured. Considering how seriously Gramps had taken her impromptu definition, she almost dreaded the thought of what he might do next.
When they’d finished, their plates were removed by the attentive waiter and their coffee served. To complicate her feelings, she was actually a little sad their dinner was about to end.
They left the dining room, and Zach escorted her up the stairs. “Thank you for being willing to take a risk and share dinner with me,” he said, his voice deadpan. “I enjoyed it, despite the, uh, danger.”
“I did, too,” Janine said softly. More than she cared to admit. Against her better judgment, her mind spun with possible ways to delay their parting, but she decided against each one, not wanting to tempt fate any more than she already had.
Zach walked her to her room, pausing outside her door. Janine found herself searching for the right words. She longed to tell him she’d enjoyed spending the evening with him, talking and laughing together, but she didn’t know how to say it without sounding like a woman in love.
Zach appeared to be having the same problem. He raised one hand as though to touch her face, then apparently changed his mind, dropping his hand abruptly. She felt strangely disappointed.
“Good night,” he said curtly, stepping back.
“Good night,” she echoed, turning to walk into her room. She closed the door and leaned against it, feeling unsettled but at a loss to understand why.