Read Online Must Love Scotland by Grace Burrowes - Free Book Online
Authors: Grace Burrowes
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Cromarty. You just met her, she
is
leaving soon, and you’re an idiot.
Julie tossed her phone back in her bag. Though she wore chinos and a polo shirt, her posture was tense, her hair swept back from her face to reveal a fierce set to her jaw, a hard light in her eyes.
That damned phone call had called forth her armor, in all its hard, shiny, impenetrable glory.
“Trouble?” Niall asked, drawing a finger across the baby’s nape. Such soft, soft skin.
“Not trouble. Just somebody who can’t take ‘I’m in Scotland, leave me alone’ for an answer.”
Tension went out of Niall, tension associated with the worry that he might have to let Julie go before they’d become lovers, before they’d taken their friendship—amazing, unusual word—down whatever fairways the next two weeks allowed them.
Abruptly, a bunker loomed. “Does a woman tell her steady boyfriend, ‘I’m in Scotland, leave me alone’?”
Julie’s shoulders dropped—golfers noticed posture—the tension left her, and her smile was soft and impish.
“I haven’t had a steady boyfriend since law school. My ex occasionally tries to pick a fight about the separation agreement, but it’s signed in triplicate, and a very simple deal. The divorce is final, and the appeals period ended last week.”
“He’s run out of holes,” Niall said. This apparently pleased the man’s former wife.
Pleased Niall too.
“He’s run out of holes,” Julie agreed, “and his father has run out of patience with him, and Derek has never before been in a situation where charm or dear old dad couldn’t get him what he wanted.”
While Julie was enough of a lady not to gloat over that—much.
“Let’s put Henry down for his nap,” Niall said, “and we can watch some of my favorite lessons.”
Julie lifted Henry’s warmth and weight from Niall’s chest. “I have a better idea. Let’s do a little tidying up here, so Jeannie won’t have to deal with housework when she gets home.”
Jeannie had never been house proud, but Henry’s arrival seemed to have tipped the balance from relaxed housekeeping closer to messy. Toys in primary colors were strewn about the floor, the kitchen sink was half-full of dirty dishes, flat surfaces were cluttered with a combination of magazines, bills, and baby-gear.
“The golf will wait,” Niall said. Though it couldn’t wait indefinitely.
Julie put Henry in his crib while Niall started on the dishes. Forty-five minutes later, the sheets had been changed on Jeannie’s bed, the rugs vacuumed, the clutter organized into tidy stacks, the toys restored to their toy box, and a casserole was thawing on the counter.
“Is this how you practice law?” Niall asked, as Julie rearranged throw pillows on the couch. The result was prettier than their previous order, more settled. “As if you have only twenty minutes to do forty minutes of work?”
“I like to be productive,” Julie said, snatching a baby blanket from the arm of the rocker. “That’s why I earned a master’s degree while in law school. You can get a lot done if you stay focused and get enough sleep.”
She folded the blanket over the back of the rocker, creating softness and order where clutter had been.
“You never answered my question,” Niall said, stepping closer and slipping his arms around her. He’d been wanting to do this all morning, but Henry had stolen that march. “Do you want children, Julie?”
She smelled of baby powder and oregano, a domestic combination that went well with a hug.
“If I want children, I’d better get busy. Derek and I didn’t discuss having a family when we were courting.”
“For all three weeks of your courtship?”
Julie’s hair was a marvel of ruthless order. How did she do that, and would she kill Niall if he undid the chastity belt around her bun?
“We dated for four months,” she said, biting Niall’s earlobe gently. “I suspect Derek changed the subject when children might have come up. He would
is
leaving soon, and you’re an idiot.
Julie tossed her phone back in her bag. Though she wore chinos and a polo shirt, her posture was tense, her hair swept back from her face to reveal a fierce set to her jaw, a hard light in her eyes.
That damned phone call had called forth her armor, in all its hard, shiny, impenetrable glory.
“Trouble?” Niall asked, drawing a finger across the baby’s nape. Such soft, soft skin.
“Not trouble. Just somebody who can’t take ‘I’m in Scotland, leave me alone’ for an answer.”
Tension went out of Niall, tension associated with the worry that he might have to let Julie go before they’d become lovers, before they’d taken their friendship—amazing, unusual word—down whatever fairways the next two weeks allowed them.
Abruptly, a bunker loomed. “Does a woman tell her steady boyfriend, ‘I’m in Scotland, leave me alone’?”
Julie’s shoulders dropped—golfers noticed posture—the tension left her, and her smile was soft and impish.
“I haven’t had a steady boyfriend since law school. My ex occasionally tries to pick a fight about the separation agreement, but it’s signed in triplicate, and a very simple deal. The divorce is final, and the appeals period ended last week.”
“He’s run out of holes,” Niall said. This apparently pleased the man’s former wife.
Pleased Niall too.
“He’s run out of holes,” Julie agreed, “and his father has run out of patience with him, and Derek has never before been in a situation where charm or dear old dad couldn’t get him what he wanted.”
While Julie was enough of a lady not to gloat over that—much.
“Let’s put Henry down for his nap,” Niall said, “and we can watch some of my favorite lessons.”
Julie lifted Henry’s warmth and weight from Niall’s chest. “I have a better idea. Let’s do a little tidying up here, so Jeannie won’t have to deal with housework when she gets home.”
Jeannie had never been house proud, but Henry’s arrival seemed to have tipped the balance from relaxed housekeeping closer to messy. Toys in primary colors were strewn about the floor, the kitchen sink was half-full of dirty dishes, flat surfaces were cluttered with a combination of magazines, bills, and baby-gear.
“The golf will wait,” Niall said. Though it couldn’t wait indefinitely.
Julie put Henry in his crib while Niall started on the dishes. Forty-five minutes later, the sheets had been changed on Jeannie’s bed, the rugs vacuumed, the clutter organized into tidy stacks, the toys restored to their toy box, and a casserole was thawing on the counter.
“Is this how you practice law?” Niall asked, as Julie rearranged throw pillows on the couch. The result was prettier than their previous order, more settled. “As if you have only twenty minutes to do forty minutes of work?”
“I like to be productive,” Julie said, snatching a baby blanket from the arm of the rocker. “That’s why I earned a master’s degree while in law school. You can get a lot done if you stay focused and get enough sleep.”
She folded the blanket over the back of the rocker, creating softness and order where clutter had been.
“You never answered my question,” Niall said, stepping closer and slipping his arms around her. He’d been wanting to do this all morning, but Henry had stolen that march. “Do you want children, Julie?”
She smelled of baby powder and oregano, a domestic combination that went well with a hug.
“If I want children, I’d better get busy. Derek and I didn’t discuss having a family when we were courting.”
“For all three weeks of your courtship?”
Julie’s hair was a marvel of ruthless order. How did she do that, and would she kill Niall if he undid the chastity belt around her bun?
“We dated for four months,” she said, biting Niall’s earlobe gently. “I suspect Derek changed the subject when children might have come up. He would
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