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Denny grinned as she realized she hadn’t experienced abdominal pain or thought about her discomfort all day. Dwelling on her problem hadn’t improved her health, but something had. For a moment she considered staying on the Isle of Skye. But her bookstore wouldn’t survive without her. And what fun would staying be without Alec here? She was growing more and more fond of him. No, make that she had the hots for him big time. But could she trust any man? What was his relationship with Molly all about? She decided to find Molly and speak to her woman to woman. Before she could move, she saw Maureen striding toward her.
“I have a giant surprise for you.” Maureen reminded Denny of a cat who’d swallowed the canary. As pleased as punch.
“Now what?”
“My James won your puppy for you. Rosie is now yours.”
“No way.” Denny wouldn’t get her hopes up.
“Yes, way. I’m serious, little sister.”
Denny wasn’t buying into her story. She stood looking into Maureen’s elated face. Was this a cruel hoax? Typical of James.
“Come on,” Maureen said. “Show a little gratitude already.”
“Okay, I’ll play along with your story. James had a complete personality reversal.” But Denny wouldn’t believe it. She’d been hurt too often.
“Yeah, I hear you. I was surprised too.” Maureen moved closer. “My dearest, darling husband won Rosie in a card game with Gordon. James gave up owning this valuable hotel for you. For me really. Because I asked him to.”
“I’ll have to see it to believe it.”
“And I’m pregnant.”
“No way.” Denny assessed Maureen’s curvaceous figure. Her older sister’s tummy was rounded but Denny assumed she’d eaten too much. “At your age? Are you sure?”
“Yes, my daughter brought a home pregnancy test along in her suitcase.”
“Why on earth?” Denny hadn’t even gone out on a date at Amanda’s age.
“I don’t know what she was thinking would happen on this trip. That she’d age ten years and meet Prince Charming?” Maureen shook her head once. “More evidence that I need to spend more time at home with Amanda.”
“Have you told James?” Denny had heard of midlife babies. Maybe Maureen was having a midlife crisis.
“Yes, and he’s over-the-moon ecstatic about it. As am I.”
“I’m happy for you.” Denny would have another niece or nephew.
“James wants me and Amanda to come home with him tomorrow morning,” Maureen said. “He’s heard the snow is going to turn into rain as the temperature goes up. And we’ll take Lydia with us too. And of course, you, my little sister.”
“So soon?” Denny was caught off guard. She wasn’t ready to leave, but she could see no way out of her dilemma of possibly never seeing Alec again. Did she even have time to say goodbye to him?
“Think of it—in a private jet all to ourselves.” Maureen’s mouth curved into a smile. “I’ve got to run. James is waiting for me.” She flew up the stairs.
Denny quaked as she watched Maureen’s departing form and envisioned her sister slipping into bed with James.
“Whatever,” Denny said, feeling empathy and gratitude for Maureen.
Maureen turned for a moment and said, “You’ll come with us, won’t you?”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Did Denny have any choice?
As if waiting in the wings, Molly cruised over to Denny. “I hear we’ll be delivering your puppy.” Molly’s eyes flashed.
“We?”
“Yes, Alec and I.”
“Please tell me the truth.” Denny tried to mask the whimper in her voice. “Are you two an item? Meaning a couple.”
“Heavens, no.” Molly sputtered a laugh. “Not that I don’t love Alec like a brother.”
“Humph.” Denny had seen how easily the two interacted. Envy filled her, which was dumb. Yet her attraction to him was like a magnet to steel. And she hoped he felt the same way about her.
“I promise you it’s true.” Molly took Denny’s hand. “Why would I lie to you? And I come bearing good news for which I am genuinely happy.” She dropped Denny’s hand. “I have a question for you.”
Denny’s curiosity was tweaked, but she kept her face from revealing it. “What?”
“Your pain. Have you considered your diet? I got online and saw in your doctor’s notes that you might have irritable bowel syndrome. I read an article only last week about how it can be managed by a change of diet.” She grinned exposing pearly white teeth. “I’ll prepare your meals for you as long as you’re staying at the hotel.”
“Why would you do that?”
“I’m hoping you’ll let me stay with you in New Jersey,” Molly said. “Until I move into the dorms—I’m on a waiting list—or until I find a place of my own.”
“Why would you want to live there?” Denny had a spare bedroom and plenty of closet space. But what a weird request from a woman she barely knew.
“There’s a nursing school at Rutgers University in New Jersey,” Molly said. “I’ve already been accepted there with a partial scholarship. And I’ve been saving up my money.”
“Let me give it some thought.” Denny already knew her answer would be no, even if it meant she’d spend more time with Alec. He’d promised to deliver Rosie in person, but would that fairytale come to fruition? Highly unlikely. A thud of disappointment hit the pit of her stomach. She knew failure awaited her.
“I’ll do the cooking,” Molly said. “A rotation diet, only food that will sooth your painful condition away. And I’ll do the laundry while you’re at work. And clean up your apartment until it sparkles. And help with the puppy if need be.”
Molly’s declaration was hard to ignore. Denny had been in such a hurry when she’d left for this trip her apartment was in disarray. Dirty dishes soaking in soapy water waited in the sink, soiled clothes lay in heaps by the washing machine and in her bedroom. And hadn’t there been nights when she longed for company?
“Molly, if you’re being straight with me, the answer then is yes.”
“Thank you. I look forward to making my first patient pain free.”
Molly cleared her throat as Alec approached. “Alec, would you please tell Denny that we’re just friends? She’s got this crazy notion.”
Denny held her breath and waited.
“How can we convince you?” Alec’s gaze locked onto Denny’s. “We’re cousins, childhood best friends. Nothing more.”
“Cousins?”
“Aye, first cousins. I thought you knew. Mrs. Ross told me she’d explained it to you.”
“No, she never said a thing.” Denny felt glimmers of hope and trust. She acted as if his words meant nothing to her when in truth she was ready to jump up and down, clap her hands, and yell, “Yay!”
“I just heard the good news from Gordon himself.” Alec looked into Denny’s face with intensity. “I’m not sure how it all came about, but he said he’s giving you Rosie and has entrusted me to bring her to the States when she’s two months old.”
Denny felt weak in the knees. Were her dreams coming true? She was used to having the rug pulled out from under her.
She wanted to yell “Shut up!” to the negative voices nattering in her ears as if demons were perched on her shoulders. But if she did, Alec would think she was a kook. Maybe she was to think she’d find happiness here on the Isle of Skye.
She glanced out a window and saw descending drops of water. She stepped closer to watch the rain drizzling down. The snow on the ground was melting, leaving behind slush and puddles.
“This is our typical Scottish weather,” Alec said. “We never know from day to day. However, snow down at this level of the island is rare. We normally get rain.” He rolled his r’s.
“We get lots of snow in New Jersey,” Denny said, not wanting to talk about the weather. “Did you know that Molly asked to stay with me until she gets a place of her own, and I said okay. She’ll do the cooking. Some kind of rotation diet until we figure out what’s wrong with me.”
“That’s very kind of you.” He stood so close Denny was tempted to kiss him. “But it leaves me out in the cold,” he said. “Where will I stay?”
“I have a couch that pulls out into a bed you could sleep on.” Denny surprised herself with her own audacity. “It’s not comfortable. And we’ll be a little tight in my apartment.”
“That seems like a terrible imposition.”
Denny wondered if she was being played for a fool, but she wanted to explore their relationship further. “I warn you, I’ll put you to work in my bookstore,” she said. “Can you build bookshelves?”
“Yes. I can build fine bookshelves. And I’ll sand and stain them.”
“And help me in my shop, moving and rearranging books? Dust and spruce up the place.”
“Anything you wish. It will be like a second chance for me to better myself.” Alec’s face filled with elation.
Denny wanted to ask his intentions with her but felt too shy.