Free Finding Fraser by kc dyer

American
visitors,” he said.
    I tried to look away from his forearms and
clinked his glass with my own.
    “So, what is it ye do in Chicago, Miss
Yankee?”
    “I—uh …” I began, stalling a little,
when suddenly the dark-haired girl’s streaked face appeared over the shoulder
of my new tablemate.
    “Hhayymissshhhhh,” she said, draping herself
across his back and wrapping her arms around his neck. “We’re lonely, man.
Who’s your new friend?”
    He shot an irritated look at her and pushed
her arms off his shoulders. “Eilidh, behave yerself. We’ve an American guest
here—first day, aye?”
    I nodded. Eilidh looked unhappy at being
pushed aside. “Ach, another tourist, no doubt.”
    She leaned on the table and waved a finger
in the direction of my face. “I deal with the likes of you all shummer,” she
said, a trifle blearily. “I do the ghosht tour out of the Cathedral on the
Mile. Twishe a day—three times on Shundays. All day every day, Americans,
Japanese and the damned Germans. Always the damned Germans.”
    The very cute Scottish guy scowled at her
again, and toyed with one of the beer coasters. He had a working man’s hands,
red and rough, but his nails were clean. His finger traced the logo on the
coaster.
    “Eilidh …” he repeated, warningly, but she
ignored him, shaking her head sorrowfully.
    I held my breath to see if she would cry
again, but her mood shifted abruptly and she brightened.
    “It’sh only once a week, now though. Off
sheason.” She pointed the finger at me again. “Are ye comin’ out to join us
this week, then? We could use the coin.”
    Both sets of eyes turned to me, but the
coherence that had returned with the beer dousing had begun to fade. “I—I’m
not sure …” I began.
    “Jeremy’s here, Hamish.”
    It was the blonde girl. Laoghaire. Laurie.
My head was spinning with beer and tiredness.
    “Just texted, he’s stopped out front. We’ve
got to be off.”
    The cute guy’s face fell. “Ach thought we
were stayin’ for the karaoke,” he said, patting his pocket. “Ah’ve got mah set
list all ready—Mellencamp, The Boss, Marvin Gaye.”
    He leaned against my arm. “No one can beat
my version of ‘Sexual Healing,” he said, waggling his eyebrows.
    My internal organs rearranged themselves
spontaneously.
    “I’d—I’d like to hear that,” I
managed.
    Laurie tucked her arm under one of Eilidh’s
and gazed impassively at me.
    The cute guy—Hamish—shot me a
crinkled, perfect and slightly regretful grin as he stood up. “Lovely talkin’
to yeh,” he said. “But I need to hop this pink Cadillac. I’d stop longer, but
it’s my only hope of a ride north, sadly.”
    My brain and body began to work in concert
at last. “You’re not leaving?” I began, but he didn’t hear me.
    He took Eilidh’s free arm and circled around
to lead her toward the door.
    “ Hitchin’
a ride ,” she sang into his face, and giggled.
    “Nice to meet you,” I called out, a little
desperately. I tried to get to my own feet, but my stool was jammed in behind
the no-longer-wobbly table.
    The blonde shot me a look over her shoulder
at the sound of my voice. “Another American, eh, Hamish?”
    She and Eilidh roared with laughter as they
stepped out onto the street.
    And that’s how I met—and lost—my
Jamie Fraser on the very first day in Scotland.

 

 
    Fumbling Fraser…
    9:00 am, Feb 27
    Somewhere in the wilds of Scotland,
North of Edinburgh

 
    As you can see from the header, I’ve not
quite made it to Inverness yet. As it turned out, the cheapest bus ticket to
Inverness is what you might call a milk run. We stop at sixteen hamlets along
the way. Choosing to look at the bright side, however, this allows me the
opportunity to use the Wi-Fi provided on the CityLink bus and post to my blog.
    I’ve also got the freedom to gaze out the
window in search of red-heided warriors, and try not to think too hard about
the one I met so briefly in Edinburgh.
    It