Page 9 of Forty, Flirty & Framed

“Then who did?”he presses, voice softening just enough to make it worse.“You’re the only one with access.”

“I’ll find out.I need this job, Callum—Mr.Abernathy.I have...responsibilities.”

Something flickers in his expression, but before he can speak, Alana reappears with another delivery.

“What now?”he sighs.

“A gift basket from HottieTottie,” she says, as a courier wheels in a monstrosity of whisky, luxury skincare, and—are those engraved cufflinks?

“HottieTottie?The dating app?”I ask.

“They’d like Mr.Abernathy to be their next spokesperson,” the courier says, handing me a contract.“Their ‘Highland Heartthrob.’”

Callum emits a strangled noise.

“I’ll just...put this over here,” I mumble, signing again.

The minute the door closes, Callum stands.“This ends now.”

“The deliveries?”

“All of it.The posts.The gifts.The bagpipe with my face.I’ve got a $2.4 billion acquisition to close in sixty days.I can’t afford to look like a bloody punchline.”

“I’m trying,” I say.“I’ve sent takedown notices, flagged content, drafted statements?—”

“It’s not enough.We need something...decisive.”

That word makes my spine stiffen.“What kind of decisive?”

He stares out at the skyline.“We change the narrative.”

“To what?”

“Anything that doesn’t involve my thighs or what I wear under my kilt.Jesus, not to mention all the investors that will be at Connor’s engagement party.The damn thing is in only forty-five days.Fuck.If the investors think I’m a meme, the MacTavish deal tanks.”

“Wait—Connor Reeves?The cloud computing guy?”

“One of my best friends.And his party isn’t just a social event—it’s a battleground.”

Another knock interrupts.This time, it’s the head of MacTavish Global.

Duncan MacTavish himself.

The security firm he’s built is super impressive, but nothing is as impressive as the man in the flesh.

Eighty-six, legendary, and dressed like a whisky ad—silver hair, sleek suit with a tartan pocket square…and a beard you could set a watch by.

“Abernathy,” he says, voice like granite.“Interesting marketing campaign you’ve got going.”

Callum’s jaw tightens.“Duncan.Didn’t know we had a meeting.”

“We didn’t.”His gaze drifts to the bagpipes.“But word travels.Thought I’d check if our deal needed...revisiting.In light of your newfound fame.”

The air shifts—thick and sharp.

“The terms remain unchanged,” Callum replies smoothly.

“Do they?”Duncan’s smile is polite and lethal.“Public image impacts valuation, son.Might be time for a reassessment.”