Free Glasgow Grace by Marion Ueckermann Page B

the back, Tavish retrieved her Christmas gifts from the floor behind her seat. He handed Skye the two from Callum and one from him and his parents.
    “Kin yi manage?”
    “I’ll be just fine. Thank you for the ride home.”
    Clutching the gifts, Skye hurried inside and up to her room. She needed a long hot bath and her warm bed. And medicine. Her throat hurt almost as much as her heart.
    Cocooned in the slipper bath, Skye sank further under the hot water until it covered her ears, shutting out the world. Silence. Peace. In the quiet, she made new plans for Christmas day, now that she’d no longer be spending it with Callum. She refused to stay inside her hotel room. After breakfast, she’d hire a car and drive to the Isle of Skye. She wanted to be near her dad, and to clear her head. Alone.
    ~*~
    “You let Skye go off with Tavish? Why didn’t you keep her here until I got back?” How could he blame any of this on his parents, on Christmas day?
    They stared wide-eyed at Callum. Redness rose from his mother’s neck and spread across her cheeks. Callum knew what that meant—he’d overstepped the line and was in for his second full name blasting in as many days.
    “Callum Robert McGuire. Whit wur we supposed tae dae? Chain hur tae a table?” She wagged her finger at him. “Ah tried tae warn yi.”
    “I’m sorry, Ma. Da. I shouldn’t have taken this out on you. You’re not to blame.” He wrapped his arms first around his father, and then his mother, giving them each a hard hug. “Thank you for a perfect evening. I’m sorry it got spoiled at the end. That was my fault entirely.”
    “Aye.” Ma became tenacious when she felt she was right.
    That one small word said she blamed him totally. He’d done nothing wrong. His only fault: being too soft with Katie since their breakup. If he’d been firmer, she might have gotten the message long ago.
    Callum released his grasp and hurried to the door. “I’d better see if I can do some damage control.” Wishing he had his BMW with its skid control and ABS brakes, Callum drove the Beetle with caution down the icy roads.
    Skye would be curious about the car his brother drove her home in. Heaven only knew what yarns Tavish had spun. Would he have explained about Katie to Skye? Or would he have taken advantage of the situation for himself?
    It seemed to take forever to get to the fourteenth floor and Skye’s door. Callum knocked, softly at first then a little harder, calling her name several times. No response. Either she didn’t want to talk to him, or she wasn’t there. Was she still with Tavish? A sick feeling gnawed in his stomach. What was his star-struck little brother getting up to with Skye?
    He could report the BMW stolen. The cops would find Tavish a lot faster than he could. Even as he thought it, Callum knew that wasn’t fair. And he’d have to answer to their questioning, plus risk having his brother arrested. Skye could be with his sibling or she could be stubbornly hiding behind her hotel room’s door. It was impossible that she’d be asleep yet.
    Getting no response, Callum had to desist. But he’d be back in the morning, with a reminder in hand of what they’d had, and could have, together.

7
    Skye woke to a dark Christmas morn that promised a lonely day ahead. She released a lengthy sigh. She’d made the right decision to get away. She needed time to think.
    In a flurry, she packed a small bag, enough to tide her over for a few days. She had no idea how long she’d stay on the Isle. It all depended on where she could get accommodation, how much she missed Callum, and whether she was ready to hear his story. If he even wanted to tell her his side. He hadn’t tried to contact her last night after the disastrous end to dinner. For all she knew, he was with his Katie, snuggled up beside a roaring fire, enjoying Christmas with her.
    She shut her eyes against the image, remembering the last thing he’d said. Wait for me. Please. If he didn’t