Page 30 of Love’s a Witch (The Scottish Charms #1)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Sloane

We were on our way later that afternoon to meet Raven at the Rune it’s what you do.”

“I’m a knight, Mum. It’s kind of in the description, wouldn’t you say?”

“That’s to protect Briarhaven and our esteemed heritage. Not to save a MacGregor.”

My fingers dug into my palms at the way she said our last name, as though we were cockroaches that had infested her fine castle. And, sure, I’d probably be pissed if someone had lit my gorgeous curtains on fire too. But still.

Lyra sucked in a breath next to me.

“Bitch,” Lyra whispered.

“Sloane doesn’t need saving.” Lyra gripped my arm, eagerly nodding her head in approval at Knox’s words. “What she needs are friends who will help her work through her trouble.”

“You could do so much better,” Knox’s mother continued on, unperturbed by the note of warning in her son’s voice. “I can tell you’re infatuated. But, really, darling. A MacGregor? Do you really want to muddy our royal bloodline with the likes of them?”

My mouth dropped open.

“The good thing is you have two other sons who can carry on the bloodline just fine, don’t you?

I’ll remind you, Mother, that I’m an adult who makes my own decisions.

You’ve disappeared from Briarhaven, handing me all of the responsibility to take care of an entire town.

And I’ve been great at it, haven’t I? Briarhaven has thrived under my guidance.

I pride myself on making good, well-thought-out decisions.

Why would that change when it comes to who I choose for a partner? ”

Knox’s mother grumbled on the speaker.

I slammed a hand over my mouth to stop my audible gasp.

Lyra’s grip tightened on my arm.

Partner , Lyra mouthed to me, her eyes huge in her face.

“But… a MacGregor, Knox? Surely there is another—”

“I don’t have time for this. Either you trust me to make good decisions or you don’t. Which is it?”

“It’s not so simple—”

“Fine. If you don’t, then come home and run Briarhaven yourself. I’m sure I can find better things to do.” Knox clicked off on his mother speaking, and I could just see him run a hand over his face in the light shining from the pub.

“Hide,” I hissed, pulling Lyra around the back corner of the pub before Knox could get out of his car and see us. We huddled in the cold at the back door, waiting as the car door opened and slammed shut and then footsteps crunched.

“Did you catch all that?”

Lyra and I screamed as Knox’s head appeared around the corner and we clutched each other, trying not to slip in the snow. My heart hammered in my chest, my thoughts still tripping over the word “partner.”

Nobody had ever asked me to be their partner before.

I’d never let anyone in far enough to let them.

And now here was this impossibly beautiful man who had somehow skipped a few steps forward and was thinking of me in a light that I wasn’t sure I was ready for.

Or wanted.

And yet.

And yet …

The thought of him claiming me so freely to his mother made my heart go all ooey and gooey in my chest, and honestly, I wasn’t even sure what to do with that.

“Your mother sounds lovely ,” Lyra said, raising an eyebrow at Knox. I elbowed her in the ribs.

“She’s not.” But some of the tension left Knox’s face. “She’s stubborn to a fault, an absolute snob, and allergic to any concept of real work. How my father puts up with her, I do not know. Yet she loves me and I her, and she’s my cross to bear.”

“Well, family Christmas should be fun.” Lyra winked at me, and I felt embarrassment creep up my face, heating my cheeks.

“Not to worry there. They rarely come home. Most holidays I spend with Haggis and Oswald while Henry snores by the fire.”

“Right, then. I’ll just… see you two inside?” Lyra exited stage left, abandoning me, and I made a mental note to murder her later.

Knox stepped forward, leaning one arm against the wall over me, and I felt like every teenager in a rom-com where the handsome star football player leans over her after a game.

And damn it, but my heart went all fluttery at his nearness.

“Did that freak you out?” Knox asked, a corner of his mouth quirked up in a knowing smile.

“Me? Freaked out? Not at all?” I made to cross my arms and dropped my purse on my foot. “Oh, dang it.”

I bent over at the same time Knox did, slamming the top of his head with mine, and I stumbled. He caught me with his arm as I swore, bringing my arm up to pat at my head, narrowly escaping elbowing him in the nose.

“Easy there, killer.” Knox dodged my blow and held me against him as he dipped and picked up my handbag.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry. I didn’t realize I was so clumsy.

” I wasn’t usually, but nothing had gone to plan since I’d arrived back in Briarhaven.

Everything was off-kilter, and I wasn’t doing well with this level of upheaval in my life.

Not in the slightest. Add to that the town’s golden boy was now calling me his partner to his mother, and yeah, right, okay…

This witch needed a drink.

“Do I make you nervous, Sloane?”

I swear every time he said my name, my insides melted, and I wanted to cuddle into his arms.

“Um.” I really hated to admit that anything, or anyone, made me nervous. “Not really, no.”

“Is that right?” Knox grinned over my shoulder, and I turned, gasping at the back wall of the pub. The bright white brick was now covered in vibrant orange mushrooms.

“Are these poisonous? I’ll just put myself out of my misery.” I reached for one, but they disappeared before I could pick it off the wall.

“No need for dramatics, darling. You can admit you like kissing me.”

“Has anyone mentioned you’re a touch overbearing?” I looked up at his perfect jawline and exquisite eyes. Seriously, could anyone stay mad at this face? I wanted to, on principle, just because I really felt that Knox needed to learn that not everything went in his favor all the time.

My body, on the other hand, was putting up a strong argument against that particular decision. That betraying bitch wanted me to pull him into the back seat of his Land Rover and see if he wore boxers or briefs.

“Maybe. But I get things done.” Knox grinned, and I realized that I was fighting a losing battle here.

“Right, I’m late to meet Raven. Have a nice night.”

“We’re going to the same pub.” Knox threaded his arm through mine and helped me over a snowbank.

Several snow figures of all sorts now dominated the front lawn of the pub, ranging from the original snow couple, who seemed to have birthed a small army of snowpeople, snow dragons, and even a snow giraffe.

“We’re not walking in together.”

“Why not?”

“Because everyone will see us together and think things.”

“And?”

“I don’t want my love life gossiped about around town.” I whirled on him at the front door. Another devastating smile lit his face.

“So, it is love?”

“What? No. No. Knox. Go away.” I stomped inside, his chuckle following me, and beelined toward where Lyra sat next to Raven at the bar.

“I took the liberty of ordering you a drink,” Lyra said, just as a very handsome barman appeared with a purple drink. He put it in front of me with a flourish, and then held out a little machine that poured smoke into a bubble on top.

“A witch’s brew.”

“Sloane, this is Liam.” Something about the way Raven spoke, a softness to her words, had me giving a quick glance between the bartender and her.

His eyes lighted on Raven’s face, warming, and I realized my instinct was correct.

There was something here. “He runs the best pub in the Highlands, and we’re lucky to have him here. ”

“Stop, you’ll make me blush.” Liam grinned. He wore a waistcoat over a shirt rolled to its elbows, and tattoos of runes and Celtic designs covered his arms. This was not a man who blushed, but anyone who was sweet on Raven was a good man in my book.

“It’s true,” Raven insisted, turning to me. “He built this place up from scratch, with help from Knox when he redesigned the town, and we couldn’t be prouder of him. It’s become the hub for, well, everything really. And the drinks are truly magickal. Try it.”

I lightly popped the bubble on top of the glass, laughing as the smoke curled into the air, and then sipped the cocktail.

“Oh, wow.” I nodded approvingly at Liam, who bowed his head in acceptance of my compliment. “It’s incredibly refreshing.”

“Lavender and basil paired with sweet mint. It’s a gin-based cocktail, and a popular one with the tourists.

” Liam slid us a few menus and then disappeared to attend to other people standing at the bar, while I glanced around the pub, studiously ignoring where Knox was speaking with a group of men who had flagged him down.