Page 73 of The Grump I Married
Isla squeezed my arm when she found me. “You okay?”
I nodded, laughing a little. “Clearly stress and haggis judging don’t mix.”
Jo rushed to my side, looping her arm around me as she stuffed a water bottle in my hands. “Drink.”
“Thank you.” I took tiny sips, flushing out my mouth and replacing the fluid I’d lost.
“You shouldn’t be running around after everything like this,” Jo said. “It’s too much.”
I didn’t want to say it was the haggis that had turned my stomach. “Oh, I’m fine. Just a little overheated and dehydrated.” I held the water bottle up. “This’ll help though. I’m already feeling much better.”
Jo eyed me with concern.
“I should get back out there.” I gestured down the street. “Make sure everything’s running to task.”
“Why don’t you just take a break,” she suggested. “Sit down in the shade. I’ll find Weston for you.”
“No need,” I insisted. “I’m fine, really.” And I was. The nausea had settled. The spell was over. And now I needed to get back to work. I gave Jo and Isla a wave and set off swiftly with my clipboard again. There were only twenty-five minutes before Weston and I were due on stage to give a speech and unveil the plaque we’d had made in honor of Pete’s contributions to Braeburn all these years. It would be hung in the community center going forward.
When I’d broached the idea with the committee, they’d been enthusiastic and encouraging, which made me realize just how much the community had cared about Pete in return. It was easy to see how that affection and appreciation now extended to Weston, and by proxy, me. I knew so many of the townspeople by name. I’d come to know their families and their interests, and even in the short time we’d been here, Braeburn was really starting to feel like a place I could call home.
I mean, Houston was home,technically. But that was because it was where my job was. If Weston had decided to move cities within the US, I would have gone with him. And sure, I wouldhave missed my beignets, but I would have quickly adapted to a new place.
But here, in Braeburn, things felt different. Here, it was almost as if?—
“Lena!”
I whirled around at the sound of my name and the familiar voice thatactuallyfelt like home. I let out a startled laugh. “Tess?”
What the hell was she doing here?
She raced through the crowd toward me. I opened my arms, catching her in a hug. “You’re in Scotland!” I said, pulling back, still stunned.
“I’m in Scotland,” she agreed, beaming.
“How? Why? When?” I couldn’t believe she’d managed to keep this a secret from me.
“Weston invited me for the festival to surprise you,” she said. “So…surprise! He thought you might enjoy having some company from back home to see all your hard work. But it’s such a mob scene here, it’s taken me half the afternoon to track you down.”
I hugged her even tighter as warmth seeped between my ribs. “He invited you?”
She nodded. “He said you were probably going to need someone to remind you to put your clipboard down.” She playfully tugged it out of my hands, scanning it. “Oh, yes, right here. Take a break with Tess.”
I couldn’t believe he’d done that for me. I thought Paris had been special, but this? Bringing my best friend out here just so I couldenjoy the festival with her? I immediately wanted to find him, to thank him. I grabbed Tess’s arm. “I need to introduce you two, properly.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “I need to thank him for all the caviar I ate on his fancy jet.”
I laughed, knowing she most definitely wasn’t kidding. Tess would have absolutely made the most of the experience. “Did you get into the champagne fridge?”
“Oh, you know it. But we’re not gonna talk about how much I drank. Because what happens in the air, stays in the air.”
22
WESTON
“You’re looking all Highland casual,” Locke said, catching me in the gut with his elbow. He plucked at my polo shirt. I’d gone with a nice burgundy to match the Kincaid tartan that adorned the edges of the plaque Lena had made up for the occasion. The one we were set to present soon, honoring Grandad and his lifelong dedication to Braeburn.
“I think they call this Highland chic,” Alistair joked half-heartedly. “Are you finally embracing your role as king of the castle?”
