Page 22 of Highland Stars
But she certainly didny help matters by talking about exposing her bits and blushing like a rose. I’ve seen a lot of bodies in my years of being a doctor, but the thought of hers was not very clinical.
“Aghh.” I peel the banana a little too aggressively and half of it falls to the floor. “Get yourself together, man.”
A few minutes later Makenna takes the turn from the staircase, a proud grin on her face. My heart studders at the sight.
“I walked down the stairs like I normally would. Aren’t you so proud?”
“I knew I learned the arts of healing magic for a good reason.”
Makenna rolled her eyes at my bad joke and smiled. “Way to go, wizard.”
“I preferDoctorWizard.”
This catches her off guard and she laughs. “I’m afraid you’ve just given yourself a fantastic nickname.”
“Ach. Can’t be worse than what my sisters sometimes call me.”
She raises her eyebrows, highly interested. “And that is?”
“’Fraid I can’t tell you that. Maybe one day.”
“One day? I won’t be here forever, Malcolm. You’ll just have to go ahead and tell me.”
She won’t be here forever. That was the reminder I needed. “Still, I think I’ll hold on to it.” There’s no chance I’ll tell her they still call me Brother Pee Breeks on occasion. That’s more something you share after a fifth anniversary.
“Alright.” She looks at me with exaggerated disappointment, then drops it and smiles. “Ready to go outside?”
I nod, pull a jacket from a peg by the door, and hand it to her.
“It’s July.”
“It’s chilly out there in the shade. Or I imagine it might feel chilly to you.”
She slides on the jacket, taking my word for it. “I much prefer being cold to being hot. Summer in Georgia is the worst. I mean, obviously not the literal worst … I just try to avoid being outside. At all costs.”
“Did you never do an outdoor summer wedding?”
“Nope. I always had plenty of work and would pass on those. My boss would usually handle them. Maybe that’s why I got fired. She was tired of doing sweaty weddings as people’s second choice.” She puts her hand over her mouth as she steps out the back door. “I’m sorry that makes me sound so conceited.”
“Nah. It didny. You can’t help it if you were better at your job than your boss.” I close the door behind us and join Makenna on the same path we’d walked yesterday. I offer her my arm, just like yesterday, and she takes it. Her eyes in the sunshine remind me of the ocean sparkling on a bright summer day. I’ve got to quit noticing these things.
She’s just so noticeable.
“I saw a chess set folded up on your bookshelf. Could we play after we walk? I’m assuming you play, since you have a set.”
“Oh, aye. My dad taught us all, though Fiona and I are theonly ones who still enjoy playing. We practice every time she comes and visits, just so we can beat Da.”
She grins over at me, and I’m glad she’s tall. I don’t have to strain my neck to see her when she’s close.
“Do you ever beat him?”
“Not even once.”
She bursts out laughing. “I thought doctors were supposed to be smart.”
“Not me. That’s why I have to use magic.” I smile my biggest smile and feel her laughing against me. She’s intoxicating, and it makes me feel close to throwing caution to the wind.
“Couldn’t you just use your magic to beat your dad at chess?”
