Page 9 of The Highland Game

It had been busy in the pub, and at one point Da had gone missing for a suspiciously long time. I found him struggling with a keg in the cellar, his face red with exertion, his breathing laboured. “I’ve got it,” he insisted, even as his arms trembled under the weight.

“Da, let me⁠—”

“I said I’ve got it!” he snapped, then immediately looked contrite. “Sorry, Maisie. I just . . . I can manage.”

But he couldn’t, not really, and we both knew it. When I offered to take over, he bit my head off. I know it’s not me he’s angry with—it’s his own body betraying him. Doesn’t make it any easier to deal with, though.

At least there’s a silver lining. Da’s finally made a doctor’s appointment. Not because of my constant pestering, mind you. Oh no. Apparently, all it took was a wee word from Elspeth. I’m grateful, of course, but is it bad that I feel a bit put out? I’ve been on at him for ages and he’s ignored me. Then Elspeth makes a suggestion, and suddenly he’s all ears.

Anyway, throw in the whole Jamie-is-LochNLoad debacle and you’ve got yourself a recipe for utter exhaustion. Physical and emotional.

As if on cue, my phone pings.

LochNLoad

Gaelic Fire: consumed. Giants: quaking in their oversized boots. The only thing missing is my favourite mage. You ready to cause some mayhem, Sass?

I groan. Any other night, I’d be logging in to Highland Legacy faster than you can shout “loot drop!” After a day like today, there’s nothing I’d love more than to lose myself in a virtual world where my biggest worry is whether I’ve packed enough health potions.

But I can’t play tonight. Not now I know the brawny warrior I’ve been battling alongside for months is Jamie sodding McIntyre. I’ll need to come clean and tell him who I am, of course, but I don’t have the energy at the moment for that particular revelation. And I can hardly keep playing with him without telling him the truth, can I? That’d be . . . weird. Really weird.

With a sigh, I type out a reply.

SassyLassie

Sorry, not feeling great tonight. Think I’m gonna have to bail.

I brace myself for some quip from Lochie about how he’d been looking forward to whipping out his massive sword and having a bit of fun with it. Why? Because that’s exactly the kind of thing Jamie would say.

LochNLoad

Oh shit, you okay?

I blink at the screen. That’s . . . unexpectedly sweet.

Although . . . is it? Because it’s what I’d have expected LochNLoad to say—he knows when to joke about and when to be serious. It’s Jamie McIntyre who hasn’t figured that one out yet.

Except . . . LochNLoad is Jamie McIntyre. Ugh, this is doing my head in.

LochNLoad

Anything I can do? Want to talk about it?

SassyLassie

I’m all right, just tired. Nothing a good night’s sleep won’t fix.

LochNLoad

Fair enough. Take care of yourself, okay? I’ll be here if you need anything. Even if it’s just to listen.

Bloody hell. Where’s this version of Jamie whenever he and I are face to face? How can the same person who snatched that Gaelic Fire right out of my hand be so . . . nice?

SassyLassie

Thanks. Night, Lochie.

LochNLoad