Page 17 of Katie's Highlander (Highland Protector 3)
“I see.” Ramsay sat taller in his chair, visibly brightened, and gave her quite the charming smile. “Research, ye said?”
“Archeologist stuff. When I’m not digging around in a pit or a cave, I teach a few classes at Princeton University.”
Katie mentally braced herself. Incredibly nice guy or not, now came the moment of truth. Most men she’d met shied away as soon as they discovered her accomplishments. She was one of the youngest tenured professors at Princeton University, had published several highly lauded papers in her field, and received several awards. She was a successful, independent nerd, plain and simple. That fact coupled with her less than impressive chest, above-average height, and lack of giving a shit whether a guy approved of her or not—was the reason she had pretty much come to the conclusion that she was destined to be single the rest of her life.
And she was okay with that. Maybe there wasn’t a special someone for everybody in this world. Maybe she was supposed to go it alone. While a little disappointing and fairy tale busting, she was cool with that too because she liked her life. She had several friends and interesting colleagues. The career she’d always wanted. And thankfully, she’d been blessed with a father who’d instilled a deep sense of self-worth into her psyche at an early age.
Papa had always said, “You should only seek the approval of two entities in your entire lifetime, Katie. God and yourself. Trying to please everyone else will just cause you grief and make you crazy.” And then he’d always wink and add, “Even your Papa will make you crazy if you try to live by what I want for you rather than what you know in your heart is right for you.”
Ramsay cleared his throat, snapping her out of power-up mode against the usual geek-a-phobia rejection. “Research,” he repeated. “And diggin’ in a pit, ye say?”
“To find artifacts—like your spear. I search for history’s lost treasures and the tales they tell us about everything in the past.” Katie popped a bite of meatloaf in her mouth and followed it with a sip of coffee.
Ramsay’s eyes flared a bit wider and he visibly swallowed hard. “I see,” he finally said.
What an odd reaction.The strangest things seemed to trigger an uncomfortable sense of wariness in Ramsay. Apparently, she was going to have to keep a mental list: no talk of Celtic goddesses, no talk about the spear. He was such a great guy. A sense of disappointment and the feeling of an opportunity lost killed what little appetite the enticing aroma of the meal in front of her had stirred. Pity she wasn’t going to be in Brady long enough to really get to know him. Speaking of getting to know him…“By the way, you still owe me an answer. You never said what you did.”
With a huge bite of meatloaf halted midway to his mouth, Ramsay’s expression shifted to a look of bafflement. “Aye. I did. I said I was a MacDara.”
“That’s your name. Not your profession.” Katie waved her fork like a laser pointer. “Or did I miss something?”
“When yer a Scot, yer name is yer profession.” His strained tone coupled with the odd look he gave her made her want to hug him. Ramsay kind of reminded her of a mistreated dog that had been dumped on the side of the road to starve and was now leery of any sort of kindness. Even when he allowed himself to laugh, there was just something about him that made her feel like he was afraid of allowing himself to be happy.
Wonder what he’d do if I gave him a big hug right now and told him everything would be okay?The thought was quite appealing.Poor guy would probably think me nuts for sure and head for the hills.But from the way the day had gone so far, seems like they could both use a hug.
Ramsay’s tensed body language clearly transmitted that if she wanted anymore information out of him, she was going to have to pry it loose with a crowbar.
“Okay.” Katie paused, stirring her empty fork through a puddle of mashed potatoes and gravy. “So…since you’re a MacDara and your mother and sister told me the MacDaras not only operate Highland Life and Legends but also own it, what is your particular role in the business? I assume it takes all the family members to run such a large operation. Yes?”
“Aye. Highland Life and Legends takes quite a bit a tendin’.” He shoved his empty plate away and leaned back in his chair, gifting her with one of his trademark smiles that didn’t reach his eyes. “All the animals are my responsibility. Horses, sheep, cattle, herd dogs, and whatever else bears fur, fins, or feathers in the park. I oversee their tendin’ and trainin’.” He seemed thoughtful for a moment, staring off into space, looking at nothing but seeming to see things he didn’t want to see. Gradually, his lopsided grin transformed into a narrow-eyed, bitter expression. “Tourists baffle the hell out of me. People in general do. I kent a long time ago that the so-called simple creatures of this world are much easier to understand. Animals dinna chase after money nor sacrifice all that’s truly important in this world. All that’s precious and holy. They dinna lie, cheat, nor sell another’s soul to gain the things that in a few days’ time, they’ll toss aside because it’s no longer the social style or good enough t’be the envy of their neighbors.”
Wow. Did I hit a nerve?Apparently, she wasn’t the only one in a shitty mood today. “Money’s definitely not everything.” She gave him a grin and, in an attempt to lighten the conversation, added, “Of course, the people who usually say that, are the ones who have all the money—right?”
Ramsey locked eyes with her, a wide range of emotions flashing in the blue-gray depths of his gaze. He leaned forward, almost baring his teeth as he spoke. “MacDaras have money. Aye. ’Tis true. But ye’ll find we ne’er let anyone in the town of Brady go to sleep at night without a shelter o’er their heads or food in their bellies.”
Katie sat back and raised both hands to fend away his words.Damn, did I hit a nerve. “Hold on now, that wasn’t a shot at you or any other MacDara. All of you have been nothing but kind and you particularly, are my permanent hero for pulling me out of that car. Damn, Ramsay—you’re even buying me lunch after I acted like an unreasonable bitch this morning. I promise it was just a general statement—definitely not directed at you or your family. Okay?”
Holy crap, this guy is hard to talk to without triggering a shitstorm of angst today.Trouble was—he seemed kind of worth it. She could spot a jerk a mile away and always followed her instincts about people. Her gut had never steered her wrong. Her detectors, as she fondly called them, had spotted Ramsay’s kind soul early on and she was drawn to him. She liked him. Shame they didn’t have more time to…Never mind. She shut down her rambling thoughts and held her tongue until Ramsay visibly relaxed.
On impulse, she rose from her seat, dragged her chair around the table and snugged it as close as she could get it to Ramsay. Before he could react, she plopped back down in the chair and leaned toward him until her shoulder brushed his. “You’re a great guy, Ramsay—from what I’ve seen so far, you’re downright awesome. If you can overlook all my crap, I can overlook yours, and we can be friends. Everybody’s got crap—right?” She nudged his shoulder again, coyly rested her head on it, then playfully batted her eyes up at him as she smiled. “Friends?” She extended her hand and waited. “Come on, shake on it—trust me—yes?” Snuggly puppy mode worked with all her friends, surely it would work with Ramsay. She playfully batted her eyes again. “Come on,” she wheedled as she thumped a knuckle against his chest, then held out her hand again. “Friends—yes?”
One dark brow ratcheted nearly to his hairline and an unreadable look—no, a smoldering look that just might be readable if she was brave enough—settled across his features. Ramsay studied her for a brief moment then firmly took hold of her hand. His soul-stripping stare locked with hers, he gently turned her hand, and brought her knuckles to within a hairsbreadth of his mouth.
“I dinna shake hands wi’ ladies,” he informed her in a dangerously quiet tone that made her shiver and swallow hard.
Damn…breathe.Suddenly, snuggly puppy mode had morphed into something a lot more…a lot moresomething.
He pressed a gentle kiss across each of her knuckles and then another on the back of her hand. “And aye, lass. I will e’er be yer friend…and hopefully, with time, much more.”
D-damn.Swallowing hard against the rise of an increased heartrate pounding up into her throat, Katie melted beneath his gaze and struggled to form a coherent sentence.
“More?” she finally whispered.
“Aye,” he said soft and low. “Much more.”
“Ramsay! Ye must come now—hurry!” Ross’s voice boomed through the café, obliterating the heart-stopping moment and replacing it with a sense of dire urgency.
Esme’s panicked shout echoed close behind. “Brother, it’s Da. He’s…unmanageable—I swear it!”
