Unravel Me (23 page)

I plopped on the couch next to her. “I still can’t believe you’re leaving on Friday. Are you excited?”

“Nervous. I’ve been in touch with Cassie all day. She sent me some mock-ups of the print campaign. It looks amazing. I just hope I don’t mess it up.”

“Stop fretting, lass,” Darren smiled. “You’re very talented and they know it. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have hired you.”

“Yeah, yeah I know.” She turned to me. “So what do you know about this Brent Garrison guy? He emailed me this morning and wants to have lunch next week. Is he cool? A douche? What?”

Leaning into the cushions, I sighed and rubbed my eyes. “Um, he’s alright, I guess. Didn’t you meet him last month at the garden party?”

“Sort of. He seemed to remember me from that cocktail party we went to in Glasgow but I couldn’t place him for the life of me. He knows you though.”

Yep, he sure does
.

“He’s okay. I mean, I don’t know him on a professional level. I don’t really even know him on a personal level.” I shrugged. “I’m sure you’ll get along.”

“He’s handsome,” she grinned.

“Anyway,” I rolled my eyes, “do you guys want to go out to dinner tomorrow night? It might help if you get out of this bare bones place for a little while.”

“I’m game,” Stephanie answered, turning to Darren. “How about you?”

“I will never pass up dinner with pretty girls.”

“Great, I’ll make reservations somewhere downtown.” She poked me in the side. “Enough with the small talk. What happened this weekend?”

“Uh oh, girl talk.” Darren lifted an eyebrow. “Are you going to spill everything, Lia? Even the saucy bits?”

“I wasn’t planning to,” I said dryly.

“Oh good. I have to listen to the so-called ‘ladies’ in the office talk about how fit he is and what they’d do to him in the supply closet if given the chance.”

My jaw must have dropped to the floor. Darren stopped talking and smiled.

“Sorry. They’re very vocal about stuff like that.”

“I’ll put an end to that bullshit next week,” Stephanie grumbled. “That’s my best friend’s guy they’re being so crass about.”

Darren and I laughed at her sour expression.

“So,” she continued, eyeing me with glee. “What happened in New York?”

I launched into a semi-detailed description of my weekend. I made sure to tell them all the G-rated parts; how gorgeous the penthouse was, the nice dinner - minus the encounter with the Garrisons - and the aquarium. Stephanie looked like she was about to burst wide open. She couldn’t stand it when I danced around the really good parts of a story.

“That’s all fine and dandy but
what happened
?” she exclaimed.

I widened my eyes and crossed my arms. “You mean, apart from him giving me the keys to the penthouse to use as I please or him asking me to move to Glasgow?”

Stephanie’s glass shattering squeal was only topped by the suffocating hug she locked me in. I thought she was going to simultaneously smother and shake me to death.

“
I knew it. I knew it
,” she yelled, bouncing up and down. “When are you coming? Are you flying out with us this week? Oh my, God. I love this.”

I caught Darren staring slack jawed at Stephanie and giggled. “You okay over there, MacCourty?”

Stephanie stopped her aggressive hug-fest and squished her cheek against mine. “Do you have any idea how f-ing ecstatic I am for this girl?”

“I can guess,” he said. “Just try not to kill her or break a rib in the process.” He smiled at me. “I’m happy for you, Lia. Alastair is a good guy. We’ll all have to go out and celebrate once you get there. Have you decided when?”

“Not yet. I still have to give my notice at work and find a mover,” I paused, “and tell my parents.”

“They loved him,” Stephanie said, loosening her grip on me. “They’ll be thrilled. Don’t worry about them. You can use the movers that packed all my stuff.” Her face brightened. “Have you told Dayna? She’ll be so excited.”

“I haven’t told anyone. I just got back this morning and, you know, worked and stuff.” I frowned. “There’s some drama going down at the station.”

“Anything bad?”

“Rumors about layoffs. It was so unpleasant to be there today. Everybody was walking around like they were on death row.”

“No worries about that, lassy,” Darren grinned. “You’ll be long gone before anyone’s made redundant.”

“Oh!” Stephanie exclaimed. “Does Alastair have a job lined up for you? He does own a majority of the broadcast media there, you know.”

“Does he?” I shot her a look, grinning. “He mentioned there’s a news magazine program that’s hiring. No, he doesn’t own it, so stop with all that. I’d feel weird working for him anyway. It would look…odd.”

“Whatever. This is too exciting. Now I’m not as sad to leave you.”

She hugged me again, only this time like a normal person.

“I want in on all the hugging.” Darren jumped on the couch and wrapped his arms around both of us. “You two are going to be a handful for us Scottish lads. Not sure if we’re ready for the American storm coming our way.”

* * *

I walked into my apartment a little after ten, feeling happier than I’d been in a long time. Everything was finally clicking in my life. I had a bright future, an amazing boyfriend and the best friends on the planet. Grabbing the laptop from my dresser, I plopped on the bed and sent Dayna a quick email, telling her about my big move. I also warned her not to tell our parents until I had a chance to talk to them.

10:22pm Still awake, love?

10:23pm Yep. Just got home from Steph’s

The phone rang in my hand a millisecond after I hit send.

“Eager boy,” I answered, grinning.

“What can I say? I wanted to hear your voice before you fell asleep.”

“You caught me just in time then. I’m exhausted.”

Alastair’s low chuckle rustled a few sparks in my stomach. “My timing is impeccable as usual.”

“How were all your meetings? Thrilling?”

I heard a tapping sound, like he was rapping a pen against a desk. “I don’t want to bore you with work, Amelia. There’s something else I need to talk to you about.”

The sobering edge to his tone sent me into a slight panic.
He changed his mind and doesn’t want me to live with him
. I squeezed the phone, scolding myself for having such ridiculous thoughts.

“It sounds serious,” I said.

“I need you to promise me something.”

I swallowed hard. “What?”

“If Nathan tries to get in touch with you or asks you to see him before I arrive, you are to tell me immediately. Do you understand?”

All the blood in my veins chilled. “I guess.”

A heavy sigh cascaded through the phone. I could almost see him running a hand through his hair. “Have you heard from him already?”

My hesitation to answer gave me away.

“I’ll take your silence as a yes,” he grumbled. “I don’t want you speaking with him or seeing him.”

“He called me at work. I didn’t really think anything of it.”

“Just do as I say.”

I sat up straighter on the bed, confused and annoyed by what he was telling me. “Enough with the bossy crap.”

“Trust me on this,” he groused. “He’s up to something and I’m too goddam far away to protect you. If I didn’t have these bloody board meetings tomorrow I’d be there with you now.”

“You’re scaring me, Alastair. Stop it.”

“I’m sorry, love,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to do that. Scott is back from London to keep an eye on you. He should have arrived tonight. Check outside and let me know if you see the SUV. I’ll feel much better once I know you’re completely safe.”

I went into the living room and looked out the window. Nobody was parked near my unit except for residents. “I don’t see it.”

“Shit,” he muttered. “I’ll call you back in a minute, okay?”

“Sure.” I could barely speak. Overcome by an impending sense of doom, I kept a watchful eye on the parking lot for several minutes. What could Nathan possibly be up to now? A spear of light sliced through the darkness, spiking my heart rate. The loud ringing of my cell phone scared the crap out of me.
For Christ’s sake, relax
.

“I see a car,” I answered.

“That’s Scott. I just spoke to him. He’ll be there all night if you need anything. I’m having Paxton fly down first thing in the morning.”

“Don’t you need him?”

“No. I’m canceling my plans to attend the client dinner so I can fly back tomorrow night.”

“Don’t do that, Alastair. You put me ahead of your responsibilities far too often. If Paxton and Scott are both here, I’ll be okay. I promise.”

Now I knew he was scrubbing his face with a hand. I could hear him becoming more exasperated. “You are my number one priority, Lia. Nothing else.”

I tapped my nails on the windowsill, watching the silhouetted movements inside the SUV. I didn’t like feeling as though I was a caged animal again, even though I knew his intentions were pure of heart. “And you’re
my
number one priority, chief. I worry that you spend too much time fretting about my safety and well-being. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. You need to focus on your responsibilities outside the sphere of our relationship. Nothing earth -shattering is going to happen in the next thirty-six hours. Go to your client dinner. Take care of your work. I know how to reach you if I need something.”

Blood pounded in my ears as I waited for his response. I couldn’t even hear him breathing anymore.

“Fair point,” he finally said. “As usual.”

I smiled, hearing the tension in his voice slide away. “So, in summation, Mr. Holden, you will stay in Manhattan and do your job. I’ll putz around Orlando with two shadows until you get here. Agreed?”

“Ever considered a career in negotiations?”

“No,” I giggled. “But I’m always stroking somebody’s ego at the station so maybe that’s why I’ve become so good at being persuasive.”

“Their egos better be the only thing you’re stroking.”

My. God
. I clutched onto the windowsill and took a second to compose myself.
Lethal
.

“Speechless again, Meyers?”

“You need a warning label. That’s all I have to say.”

His deep, throaty laugh filled me with warmth. I loved how it sounded, especially after hearing him so tense and worried.

“I miss you, chief.”

“Ditto, love. This place feels so empty without you here. I can’t wait until we’re under the same roof permanently. You’ll be ready to fly back with me this coming weekend, yes?”

The immediacy of his request made me nervous. Of course I was ready to be with him, I just needed more than four days to tie up all my loose ends.

“Well, I have to give my notice at work and see if the leasing office will let me sublet my apartment so I’m not charged for breaking the lease. I’ll need at least a week to take care of all that, plus pack all my stuff and—”

“I’ll take care of your flat. You won’t have to give it up or pack anything.”

“What?”

“I want to keep it. We’ll need a place to stay when we visit Florida.”

“Isn’t that what a hotel is for?”

He laughed. “I like your flat. It’s become a second home for me. I’ll hire a cleaning staff to make sure it doesn’t get dusty or stale smelling while we’re in Glasgow. Don’t you want to have a home base in the States?”

Feeling slightly dizzy, I made my back to the bedroom. “I thought the…the penthouse was going to be home base or whatever. I don’t need to keep this apartment. Unless you think living together isn’t going to work out.”

“Lia,” he growled. “Stop overthinking. I don’t care where we live as long as we’re together. Keeping your place in Orlando isn’t an underlying exit plan. I want you to have it.”

I flopped onto the bed, sighing into the mattress. My mind flew through a zillion thoughts before I sat up straight. “If you keep it, Nathan will always know where to find me.”

“Fuck all,” he hissed. “That bastard won’t come within a hundred miles of you. I’ll make sure of it.”

His anger and vitriol resonated throughout my bedroom even though he was a thousand miles away. Instead of freaking me out, it made me want to know exactly what was going on. My curiosity could be quite persistent if it wanted.

“What is it that he’s done, Alastair? Tell me.”

“No.”

“Jesus,” I muttered. “You know, keeping shit from me only pisses me off.”

“Don’t start,” he warned. “Let me handle it. He’s done enough manipulating and coercing for a lifetime.”

“You can’t control everything.”

“I can.”

I bit back a salty remark, mentally and physically drained from this whole day. His stubborn streak was as impenetrable as his protective shield. Banging my head against it will get me nowhere fast.

“You win. I’m going to bed.”

“Lia,” he said softly, “you know I’m doing this because I love you. I want you safe. Please don’t go to sleep angry with me.”

Ugh, I’m too easily swayed by his soft side
.

“I’m not mad. I promise. I’m just exhausted and scattered and—”

“Missing me?”

I sighed heavily, picturing his smile. “That damn charm thing.”

“Stay on the phone with me until you fall asleep.”

“That’s a tempting thought.”

“Is it?”

Grinning, I settled into the pillows. “Will you whisper sweet nothings into my ear?”

“Hmm,” he hummed, sending a ripple of pleasure through me. “That would lead me to believe you think I’m romantic. I thought we’d established I was cheesy.”

“Quiet,” I snickered. “Just say something hot in your accent.”

“Something. Hot.”

“Okay, yeah, now you’re cheesy
and
corny. You have a voice like velvet and a killer accent. Use them to your advantage.”

His low, sexy laugh curled my toes. “I wish I were lying next to you, kitten, holding you close. Breathing in your scent. Touching you.”

I pulled the pillow that still smelled like him closer to me and moaned quietly, picturing his arms securely wrapped around me. Sleep easily clouded my thoughts and took over my body. Alastair kept talking but I had no clue what he was saying. I only had a vague awareness of a stunning accent trickling through my subconscious. For a second, I thought he really was next to me.