Echoes of Scotland Street (On Dublin Street 5)

It was? Bizarre . . . since it wasn’t to me! “Um . . .”

“It’s the way you look at him.”

“The way I look at him?”

Cam chuckled at my anxious tone and started walking past me. Before he did he reached out and gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “It’s not the end of the world, Shannon. Trust me.”

Trust him?

I really wish people would stop asking me to do that.

CHAPTER 19

T here was nothing quite like waking up to find that the sky was clear and it was hot outside—wearing shorts and a T-shirt and buying ice lollies kind of hot. Those days were a rarity even in summer, and I loved them because it was like being on holiday for a little while. Brisk, bright spring days were good too, when the sun was out but the winter was still clinging to the morning air. Those days always energized me.

Moving to Edinburgh had been like a cold, sunny spring day—here I was, awake for the first time in forever and ready to start over.

Falling for Cole was a hot summer day—like being on holiday and hoping the rain would stay away forever.

Three months ago I’d escaped Glasgow. Almost two months ago I’d started seeing Cole. And it was good. Better than good. It was a hot, hot summer—the best, most heated, and intense distraction from my past I could have asked for.

“You’ve done a great job,” Stu praised me, slapping his hand down on my shoulder so hard I almost winced.

He was covering for Cole, who’d taken a day off because he, Cam, and Nate had tickets to some big judo tournament in Berlin. For the first time in a few weeks, I’d be spending the night alone.

Stu had just finished looking over my completed digitization of his filing system.

“Thanks.” I smiled up at him.

“I’m surprised you got it done this fast. Cole can’t be distracting you too much from your work,” he teased.

Two months ago I would have been worried about what Stu thought of me dating his manager, but Cole had explained everything to Stu and I wasn’t surprised to discover that our boss was happy for us.

“I called it as soon as you walked in the door.” Stu looked smug. “I said to myself, ‘Cole will like this wee fairy, no doubt about that.’”

I snorted. “How could you have known that?”

“Gut instinct. It’s never steered me wrong. And then I saw you two together when I came in with Steely and I knew I was right. You can’t fake that kind of chemistry. I know. My wife, Rocky, and I have been together for over thirty years. Moment I met her I just knew.”

I smiled. “That is some gut instinct.”

Stu winked at me before striding off toward the back hallway. “If you need me I’ll be in my office.”

“Your next appointment is in an hour,” I reminded him.

He gave me a wave in acknowledgment and disappeared from sight.

For the next forty minutes or so I sat behind the reception, rereading one of my favorite paranormal books. I’d been interrupted only once by one of Simon’s customers. Eating some of the chocolate I kept in the fridge, drinking coffee, and reading my book, I was feeling quite content. How many people had such a cushy job?

But something had to ruin my day.

And that something stepped into the studio in the form of a leggy, attractive brunette.

I jerked up straight in my seat as Tamara sashayed toward me wearing an annoying little smirk on her pretty mouth.

“You’re still here,” she said with condescension in her voice.

“I am.” I put my book down, irritated that her appearance had sent my mood plummeting. “How can I help you?”

“You can help by getting Cole for me.”

The heady heat of possessiveness gripped me and I had to give myself a couple of seconds to get a hold on it. “He’s not in today.”

Disappointment clouded Tamara’s large dark brown eyes. “Oh. Is he back in tomorrow?”

“It’s his day off tomorrow.”

She smiled at that. “Great. I’ll just drop by his flat, then.”

“He’s out of the country,” I hurried to say, the thought of her anywhere near Cole’s flat giving me palpitations. “He won’t be back until Friday.”

“Well, luckily I’m here until Saturday.”

The urge to mark my territory was unfortunately too great to ignore. “Cole and I are dating,” I blurted out.

Tamara’s eyes raked down over what she could see of me before she muttered, “There’s a surprise.” She gave me a pitying look. “Don’t get comfortable, sweetie. I’ve known Cole since he was eighteen and he’s a bit of a serial monogamist. He’ll get bored of you soon enough.”

Uneasiness stirred inside me and I momentarily wondered if she was right. Pushing that uncertainty aside, I shrugged on a confidence I wasn’t sure I felt. “You don’t know him very well, then.”

She curled her lip in annoyance. “I’ve known him for a lot longer than you. I know when he’s done tasting every flavor of woman I’ll be the one he ends up with.”

I hid my trembling hands beneath the counter. “I thought you two were just friends.”

“He’s saving the best until last.” She guffawed. “Do you really think a guy like Cole will end up with a short, scrawny, talentless redhead whose sole ambition in life is to be a great receptionist? No, sweetie. You’re nothing. He’ll fuck you until he’s had his fill and then he’ll dump you.”

You’re nothing.

Just like that my uncertainty faded away. I laughed. This woman was deluded. She clearly didn’t know Cole at all.