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"You don't think I'm slightly insane? Or at least very immature?"
He leans against the doorjamb with one hip cocked and one hand stuffed into his pants pocket. "Everyone thinks my bum's oot the windae. That means I'm off my rocker. So no, I would never criticize your behavior."
"You really are an unusual man. But I like that."
He lifts one brow. "You've known me for a day and a half. Best wait until you've gotten to know me better before you decide to like me."
Sometimes he says the strangest things. And since I've developed an insatiable curiosity about him, I can't stop myself. I clear my throat and lift my chin. "It's time to interrogate you."
"It's lunchtime. We should eat first."
"But then you will answer my questions. Right?"
He pushes away from the jamb and steps out into the hall. "Hurry, lass, or we'll be enjoying the leftovers from lunch instead of an actual meal."
I know he's delaying on purpose, and for now, I'll allow him to do that. Maybe after a week or so he'll feel more comfortable talking to me about his secrets, whatever those might be.
Fiona joins us for lunch, and Thane sits beside her while I'm alone on the other side of the table. He mostly sits there silently eating while we ladies have a chat. When she brings up the subject of dating, and the fact that neither Thane nor I have a significant other, he's clearly uncomfortable with the topic. I manage to steer the conversation away from dating, thankfully. But Thane still doesn't say much. He eats and avoids looking at me. That's pretty much it.
As we're leaving the cafeteria, Fiona catches Thane by the arm and pulls him aside, far enough away that I can't hear what they're saying. Based on her facial expressions, it looks like she's teasing him about something. He clearly does not appreciate whatever she said.
Thane marches down the hall and out of sight.
Fiona walks with me back to my office.
"Lunch was fun," I tell her. "We should do that every day."
"Aye, we should." She eyes me with curiosity. "Are you eating alone every night in your apartment?"
Not sure if that's a proper work-related question, but I won't complain. I like Fiona, and I'm sure she's just being friendly. "Yes, I am dining solo."
"That must be lonely. Tonight, you must come to dinner at my house. Domhnall would love to meet you."
Well, since I haven't met that many people since I moved to Scotland, I can't deny her invitation appeals to me. "I would love to have dinner with you guys. What time should I be there?"
"Domhnall will pick us up in the car park after work."
"But I'll need my car to get home."
"Tosh." She waves a hand dismissively. "I will give you a ride back to your apartment."
"Um, I still won't have any way to get to the distillery in the morning."
Her smile turns mischievous. "Dinnae worry about that."
I should probably worry about what that cryptic statement means, but I like Fiona and trust her. Why not go with her mysterious plans? I'd wanted to shake up my life, so I might as well take that vow as far as possible.
Fiona heads back to her office or wherever it is she goes all day. After spending the whole morning in my office, I need to get some fresh air. Luckily, my job gives me a great excuse to do that, since I need to tour the facilities again to really get the lay of the land. I meant that literally. The land is a key component of what makes the distillery special. Yesterday, Thane had shown me all the buildings. But now, I need to get to know the land and the river too, almost as well as the Scots do.
I suppose I could get that information faster if I invited Thane to be my guide. That sounds like a dangerous proposition, though. The only other time we went to the river together, we wound up having sex. Of course, yesterday was an unusually warm day, with temperatures in the low fifties. A front rolled through last evening, and it's a bit chilly out this afternoon. So, I won't be tempted to get it on with my boss outdoors. The weather isn't conducive to that.
Still, the safest bet is to explore on my own. I shouldn't have even considered bringing Thane with me. He's a busy man, tinkering with new variations of whisky.
I'm pathetic, aren't I? Yeah, definitely. I can't stop thinking about him.
At least I dressed appropriately today. No designer skirt suit. No designer skyscraper heels. I chose wool slacks, a sweater, and a sturdy-but-stylish pair of waterproof boots. I feel much more at ease today, like I've settled into my job.
I catch Fiona in the hallway and tell her I'll be outside getting the lay of the land. She agrees that's a good idea, and she would love to come with me. But she has other business to take care of. When I tell her I can get all the information I need on my own, she offers a suggestion.
