Can't Tie Me Down! (Sinclair Sisters 1)

“Good hair, great taste in t-shirts, likes listening to McFly, can sing like Danny Jones, has a dog, plays in a band, buys her chocolate, smart but not a show-off, wants to see the world, is kind and funny and...” She gave Mairi a panicked look.

“Spit it out,” Agnes snapped.

“And doesn’t pick his nose in public,” Donna said in a rush.

“I was thirteen,” Mairi said. “There was a boy in my art class who was always picking his nose. It was gross.”

Keir grinned at her. “I don’t sing like Danny, but I can get a dog, and I never, ever pick my nose in public.”

Mairi narrowed her eyes at him, her head still rested on the table. “Why are you still here? Really. I want to know.”

“I’m here to protect you from the hordes of McFly fans who’re going to rush the building in the hope of convincing you that they’ll never pick their noses in public.”

“I hate you.”

“You’ll get over it.”

“Okay,” Agnes said loudly. “Did you tell the reporter that Mairi wrote the list when she was thirteen?”

“No.” Donna’s shoulders slumped.

“Did you tell them anything else?” Agnes said.

“No. That was all they asked me.” Donna looked up at her sisters. “Should I go downstairs and tell them that was when she was thirteen?”

“No!” three people shouted at once.

The karaoke speaker hissed outside in the street, then squealed loudly, makin

g everyone wince. “Mairi, I want you to know that I never pick my nose. It’s unhygienic. You never have to worry about this with me. In the meantime, this one is for you.” Then the speaker burst into a bad rendition of McFly’s “5 Colours in Her Hair.”

“Bet I’m looking pretty damn good round about now,” Keir said to Mairi, who closed her eyes and put her arms over her head.

“Make it stop,” Mairi shouted.

Agnes stormed to the window, threw it wide and shouted, “Enough!”

There was instant silence. Agnes was about to close the window when a small drone flew through it and headed straight for Mairi. There was a red ribbon attached to the drone, and a small box hung from the ribbon. It floated across the room and hovered over the table where Mairi was still lying with her head under her arms.

“Uh, Rusty, you need to deal with that,” Keir said.

She looked up, saw the drone and, with a groan, reached for the box. To no one’s surprise, it contained an engagement ring.

“Is that a real diamond?” Agnes said in awe.

“I think so.” Mairi looked at her sister. “I get to keep it, right? I mean, even if I say no, I still get to keep it. That’s the rule for this proposal thing, isn’t it?”

“No.” Agnes glared at her. “You don’t get to keep it.”

Mairi pouted and pulled a note from the box. Keir leaned over to read it.

Marry me. I won’t annoy you. John.

“Straight to the point,” Keir said. “I like it. He’s a keeper.”

Chapter 17

Of course, being the twenty-first century, the story of Arness’ very own bachelorette broke on the internet long before the evening news. Which meant the spectators started to arrive. Mairi looked out of her living room window to find the street in front of the building filled with people—and TV vans. Now there weren’t just representatives from Scotland’s news, but the breakfast shows had sent staff up from England as well. Edna’s shop was doing a roaring trade, and Mairi bet the evil old dragon would try to prolong the siege just to make more cash.