“Aye.”
“You’re nothing if not predictable.”
“And you’re nothing if not startlingly beautiful.”
“If you’re not careful, you’re going to make her fall in love with you,” Scarlett said.
My stomach clenched at the thought. Would it be so bad to fall in love with Taylor Savage? I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, Taylor was everything I’d ever thought I wanted. On the other, he was the thing that was the most dangerous to me. I didn’t know how to reconcile myself with both.
He led me to his car, held open the door, and I slipped in beside him, loving the scent of leather and... him that permeated the small space. “You looked really good out there. I see why you love it so much.”
“I can’t tell you what it means to me to know you were there watching. Cheering for me.”
“I have to ask you something.” I swallowed past a lump in my throat, knowing we were going to broach a subject he had deliberately kept from me.
“Anything. Go ahead, I’m yours.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about your grandfather?”
The way his knuckles turned white on the steering wheel said everything I needed to know.
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“Cut the crap. I know he’s dying.”
“He’s been dying for years.” He leaned his head back, heaving a sigh. “I’m sure you’ve gathered that my dad and I don’t get on.”
“Yes. I put that together.”
“My granddad and I, that’s a different story. He’s the best man I ever knew.”
“So why wouldn’t you want to talk about it?”
“Not everyone wants to sit around and rehash all the crap things in their life. Especially when they’re going to absolute shit.”
“So you think it’s better to just not talk about it at all? That’s not gonna help with anything.”
“It’ll help me if I pretend it’s not happening.”
“Taylor, don’t play with me.”
He scoffed. “You lassies always want to talk about things. You really want to sit here and listen to me moan about my life?”
“Yes, Taylor. We can discuss it. You and I can talk about it because I’m here for you.”
Taylor took a deep breath and stared into my eyes, swallowing hard before he spoke. “He got sick five years ago, and we thought he’d turned a corner, but Mum sent me an email updating me a week ago. He’s only got a few months. She wanted me to come for a visit soon. I haven’t decided what to do.”
“I think you should. I didn’t get to see my parents before they died, and I wish I would have been able to tell them what they meant to me.”
“I’m going to go. I need to.”
“Alone?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“I know.” Then I took his hand. “You don’t have to do everything on your own.”
“What, are you gonna cash in on a free trip to Scotland?”