Page 35

Story: The Wolf of My Eye

Heather was taking a payment for some pies and waved at them, smiling broadly.

They quickly took their seats, and one of Heather’s brothers, Oran, came over to take their orders. Maisie got a Scotch pie and Robert ordered the steak pie, both dishes accompanied by baked beans and chips.

Then another of Heather’s brothers came out of the kitchen to help take some other orders. Maisie thought how uncomfortable Heather looked, like the babies would come any second.

When Heather came over to their table to check on them, Robert said, “Thanks for doing such a beautiful job of making this the perfect date.”

“You won’t believe it, but Callum was the one who set it up, though Ethan and Oran kept telling him how to do it right, as if they were the experts. Of course, part of the reason is that my brothers really want me to stay home on bed rest.”

Maisie chuckled. “I don’t blame them. They’re afraid they’re going to have to deliver the babies here.”

Heather smiled. “Absolutely.”

“How are you feeling?” Robert asked.

“Oh, I’m tired. I’m not sleeping all that great. Uncomfortable. Heartburn. I’ll be glad when the babies are born, but I know then I won’t get any sleep either.”

“But you’ll have a ton of nannies wanting to take care of the babies,” Maisie said.

“Aye, that’s true. And Enrick will be there for me and the little ones, so it’ll be good.”

A customer came in and went to the counter, and Heather excused herself to help her.

Oran delivered the pies to Robert and Maisie’s table. “Enjoy.” He was smiling.

“Oh, we will. Heather’s meals are terrific,” Maisie said.

“I totally agree,” Robert said.

Then another customer came in and glanced in her and Robert’s direction, grabbing Maisie’s attention.

“Oh, that’s Gus Anderson!” She was relieved she could give him his driver’s license. “I’m going to tell him his license is at the inn.” She hopped up from her chair and went straight across the shop to see him.

Gus was just paying for a pie, and he looked startled to see her approach.

“You dropped your driver’s license in the garden, and I found it,” Maisie said, smiling.

He stared at her, appearing as though he didn’t comprehend what she was saying. She guessed he hadn’t realized he’d even lost his driver’s license. She wondered why he hadn’t answered his phone messages Anne had left for him about it.

“At the MacTavish Inn.” She swore he didn’t remember who she was. Talk about being an unremarkable date! Though he had been terribly distracted when they went out. “We still have it there if you would like to pick it up.”

“Uh, yeah, sure. Thanks.” He got his order, glanced at Robert again, and headed out.

Maybe he was afraid of having a wolf-to-wolf confrontation with Robert.

When she returned to their table, Robert was watching Gus get into a pickup and drive off. Maybe Robert had been giving Gus the evil eye and that’s why he was in such a hurry to leave the pie shop. Or maybe Gus had another meeting with someone and was trying to eat before he met up with them. Who knew? Maisie often overthought situations when she just needed to let them go.

“At least now Gus knows where his driver’s license is. I swear I must have been the most unremarkable date he has ever gone out with, the way he acted like he didn’t even know me,” Maisie said to Robert.

Robert waved at their romantic table. “You went out with him a couple of nights ago and now he sees you with another wolf having lunch here with wine, roses, and candles. I’m sure he was worried I might want to punch him out if I learned he’d had dinner with you.”

She laughed and took another bite of her pie. “You don’t think it had anything to do with the way you were eyeing him with a warlike alpha-wolf stare, do you?”

Robert scoffed. “After the way he treated you on your date, I would say he deserves it.”

She smiled. Robert was so sweet. “Well, I agree.”

After they finished eating their pies, Maisie ordered Scottish macaroons and Robert asked for Scottish tea cookies because they were just too good to pass up. Then they thanked Callum and his brothers for the beautiful setup. He looked happy to have done it for them.