Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
“Are you all right?” Dottie asked, hurrying toward us.
“Aye, are you?” Ian asked, still cradling me in his arms.
“I’m good. My fault for not watching what I was doing,” I said to Dottie, then whispered to Ian. “You can put me down now.”
He lowered me to my feet with reluctance and Mo was suddenly at my side, looking up at me with worry. “No worries, Mo, I’m good.”
He sat leaning his big body against my leg which meant he didn’t intend to leave my side anytime soon.
I spotted the MacMillan book on the floor and smiled at Dottie who still looked worried and pointed. “I’d like to get that book, and I wouldn’t mind a cup of tea.”
Dottie smiled and snatched up the book. “Earl Grey for the both of you?”
Ian and I nodded.
“Take a rest in the cushioned chairs outside and I’ll bring the tea and your purchases to you,” Dottie said. “And thanks again for the impromptu signing, Ian. The women so enjoyed it.”
Several people called out as we left the store telling me to rest, take it easy, stay off my phone, and I sent them a smile in return. When I finally sank into a cushioned chair, it hit me, and I looked at Ian. “This is going to be all over social media.”
Both our phones started dinging, and I groaned.
CHAPTER 17
“Ignore the texts and tell me what happened,” Ian urged.
His words were romance to my ears, and after I detailed what had precipitated my fall, I asked, “By chance, did you notice two men hightailing it out of the bookstore?”
He shook his head. “I wish I had, but I was too busy signing books, and the store was exceptionally busy today. You didn’t recognize either voice?”
“Whispering made it difficult, though the one guy had a gravelly tone to his whisper. They could have been speaking about anyone but since they ran as soon as Vera called out my name, I figured it was somehow connected to the vanishing guy situation.”
“If he’d only wake up,” Ian said.
Our phones wouldn’t stop dinging, so while we enjoyed our tea, Ian and I decided to respond to the many texts. My phone rang before I got the chance to start.
“Amy,” I said, looking at Ian, her name having popped up on the screen. I knew what the first words out of her mouth would be.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I am. Nothing more than a few bruises to add to my raccoon eyes and a ton of embarrassment.”
“Embarrassed? How could you be with those wonderfully romantic photos of you in Ian’s arms? Social media is exploding with them and Ian is being hailed as Sir Galahad. His gorgeous eyes oozed love and concern. Gotta go, I figured you were all right when I saw the photos but I wanted to make sure. Beau and I are going to the garden center. Time to get some plants. Talk later.”
As soon as I hung up with Amy, my phone rang again. “I’m good, Dad, a foolish tumble that’s all, but I do have something interesting to share with you.”
My news had him relieved that he kept an officer on the vanishing guy and after assuring him again that I was fine thanks to Ian’s quick reaction, he hung up without lecturing me.
My phone rang again, and I scrunched my brow. Slyvia Rubin, my agent. She couldn’t have seen the photos that fast, or had she?
“Those photos are gold, Pepper. My phone is blowing up with texts from endless industry people who want to talk, your editor being one of them. She wants to talk first thing Monday morning. Ian and you make a gorgeous couple, and everyone loves seeing a gorgeous couple.”
I hurried to get a few words in since it’s usually impossible to do with Slyvia. “I’m a prepper, remember?”
“So, is there something wrong with being a gorgeous prepper with an equally gorgeous boyfriend? Strike while the iron is hot, Pepper. We’ll talk on Monday. Oh, cut back on the massacre. You looked like you were wearing a raccoon mask.”
I stared at the phone, Slyvia having hung up.
“What’s wrong?” Ian asked.
“Slyvia Rubin,” I said.
“Oh.”
Her name was enough to have him understand my befuddled look.
I responded to a few more texts before my stomach let me know that tea wasn’t enough to quench my hunger. Ian felt the same. We stopped at B.O.B, Bundles of Burgers in Barnsville, Mo’s favorite place to eat since the owner, Gus, loved Mo and always served him a double burger.
Ian caught me off guard when he said, “I’m planning a trip home to Scotland just before Christmas and I want you to join me.”
My burger never reached my mouth and neither did a response. This was serious stuff which was why it left me speechless.
“I want you to see my home, where I grew up, get to know my family and meet my friends. I thought Beau and Amy might like to join us. Beau has a slew of friends there, mates from his time at Oxford, that I know he’d love Amy to meet. Also, I need to do some Highland photo shoots.” He leaned across the table and tapped my nose with his finger. “Fill that open mouth of yours with a bite of your burger then you can tell me what you think.”