Devil's Bargain

“You make a lot of assumptions about girls, little man,” I tell him as we walk into town.

I’m looking into every shop window we pass and listening to the language I should understand but struggle to with the accent.

Declan and James seem to know everyone we pass, and I’m introduced to curious eyes, made more curious when they hear Hawk’s back in town.

“This Hawk’s woman?” an old man asks, openly looking me over. It’s not in a leering way though, and at the end, he gives an approving nod. “She needs more meat on her bones but otherwise, she’ll do.”

“He realizes I’m standing right here, right?” I ask Declan when the man walks away.

Declan laughs and we enter the eyeglass shop where James goes directly to the doctor. I follow with Declan as the doctor brings out a box. Inside is a small pair of round red glasses.

James’ face lights up when he sees them, and he looks at himself in the mirror as the doctor positions them. He gives himself a nod of approval before turning to his father.

Declan crouches down and James steps toward him, peering into Declan’s face.

James touches the scruff on Declan’s jaw, seems to search his face as if it’s the first time he’s seeing it. “Is this how you see, dad?”

“What do you mean?”

“Not so blurry.”

Declan laughs again and hugs James. I see how his eyes glisten. “I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to figure out you need glasses,” he says.

“It’s not your fault. I didn’t know either,” James says like a little man. He turns to look up at me, gives me a nod like the old man did. “You’re even prettier now, Melissa.”

“Well, thank you,” I say with a blush.

We head out to a clothing store where I try on a jacket similar to the one I’m wearing but a woman’s model.

“I’m not sure how long I’ll be here,” I say to Declan. The jacket is quite expensive, and it may not be worth my buying it if we leave in a few days.

“You’ll be here a little while, Melissa. There’s much for my brother to do.” He turns to the sales lady. “She needs a smaller size, I think.”

The woman looks at the inventory on her computer, but they don’t have my size at the shop. She arranges to have one sent directly to the house from a shop in Inverness that afternoon, though.

I end up with that and three sweaters. I also choose a pair of boots that Declan suggests but when we get to the counter, he takes out his wallet to pay.

“I can pay for my clothes,” I say.

“You’re our guest, Melissa,” he says.

“Declan, it’s expensive—”

He looks down at me. “Put your wallet away.”

I try again, but he nudges me aside and the woman runs his card through. I thank him, making a mental note of the amount to send him a check.

“Let’s get cake!” James yells once we’re outside.

The sun is just peeking through a break in the clouds and it’s bright on the wet streets and rooftops.

“The sun is amazing here,” I say.

“When it deigns to shine on us,” Declan says, squinting up into it.

I look at him with his wide smile, my bag in one hand, James’ hand in the other and again, I find myself wondering about James’ mother.

“Cake,” James urges, tugging a little.

“You have a sweet tooth,” Declan says, and gestures to the tea shop across the street. It’s the one I’d noticed as we drove through town yesterday.

We walk inside and the waitress, an older woman, immediately smiles brightly at James who hugs her tightly.

“Don’t you look handsome,” she says to James. She shifts her gaze up to Declan, then me, looking me over from head to toe.

“Well, well,” she starts. “The girls around here will be sorry to hear you weren’t alone.”

“You shouldn’t be gossiping with the girls around here, Mary,” Declan says, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “This is Melissa. She’s my brother’s girlfriend.”

The word girlfriend catches me off guard and I have to remind myself that’s not what I am. Not at all.

The woman looks shocked. “Hawk’s back? Well of course he is with your father’s passing. Of course, he is.”

I notice she doesn’t mention Declan’s mother’s passing and a glance at Declan makes me think he’s noted it too.

James tugs on Declan’s sleeve. “Better get this boy some chocolate cake, Mary.”

“Come with me, little man, and you can slice your own,” Mary says, and I’m left alone with Declan.

Declan places a hand at my lower back, and we walk to a table. I hear Hawk’s warning of last night. That I don’t know what his brother is capable of. But when I look at Declan, it’s not danger I sense. Actually, it’s a similar sadness to what I see in Hawk.