Page 25 of Highlands Homecoming

“Colin MacGregor,” he answered.

“Colin?” It was his boss, Derek. “I hate to do this over the phone, but I wanted to talk to you right away,” he said.

Colin sat up and set down his tea. “How can I help?”

“There’s no good way to phrase this …”

Colin winced. He could guess what was coming.

“Are you dating a client?” Derek asked.

Ever the lawyer, Colin couldn’t help but notice the error in his boss’s phrasing.

“Um … no. But since you asked, I will disclose that I have been dating the soon-to-be-ex-wife of one of my clients.”

Silence on the phone.

“Colin, you’re the best lawyer I’ve ever worked with, and you’re honest to a fault.”

“Thank you?” responded Colin.

“You know why I phrased my question the way I did,” he continued.

“Yes, but I also knew what you were asking,” said Colin. “Did Dave call you?”

“He’s furious. He also really wants that house in Scotland,” said Derek.

“I know.”

There was an awkward silence.

“He wants me to let you go,” said Derek.

Colin nodded and sipped his tea. He flipped back to the tab with flights to Scotland and took a deep breath.

His boss continued, “I said he’d have to simply dissolve your contract and find another lawyer because you have several other cases you’re working on for me.”

“But I haven’t started them yet.”

“You’ve been in the office every day, early, reading through?—”

“It’s time, Derek. I think this is the wake-up call I needed.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I’m in love with Melissa, I miss my home, and my family needs me. It’s time for me to leave Boston.”

“If I were to lay you off, you could collect?—”

“It’s been a pleasure, Derek. Thank you for the opportunity.”

“Colin!”

Colin hung up the phone and took a deep breath.What’s done is done, he thought. He looked around his condo. He had a minimalist style, so there were just the basics: a couch, a large chair, bar stools in the kitchen, a simple bedspread. He could probably rent it out until he was fully ready to sell.

In fact … He snapped a few photos with his phone and sat down at his computer. He created an account on a rental website. Soon he had a listing.

He went back to the computer to continue searching for a plane ticket. Excitement flowed through him as he scrolled through the options. Fly to London first? Straight to Edinburgh? Train? Rent a car? What if he had Melissa meet him in Dublin, and then they could drive up to Northern Ireland, see the Giant’s Causeway, and then take a ferry?—