Free Sparks in Scotland by A. Destiny and Rhonda Helms Page B

he hadn’t come right out and told me he liked me. That hesitation, and the fear of repeating my past mistakes, kept me from telling Corinne about him.
    Instead I wrote a little bit describing what I’d seen so far in Scotland, and I promised to send her more pictures once I found an Internet connection.
    AvaBee: OK, now I have to go. Dad’s breathing down my neck, lol. XOXO
    I signed off, logged out, and thanked him.
    We gathered our things and left the room. I snapped one last picture of it before Dad closed the door, and we headed to the lobby to wait for Steaphan to pick us up. Mom had said Mollie would be too busy working to come with us on the Highlands tour, so it would be just Steaphan and Graham.
    Apparently, there were two other families joining us, one from Germany and one from Sweden. A small group, so the bus wouldn’t be filled. Hopefully they were nice people.
    Dad walked over to the counter to check us out, then rejoined us a couple of minutes later. “We’re good to go, and I confirmed our room reservation for our last day in Scotland,” he told Mom. He patted his pocket, which had paper sticking out of it.
    Right after that, a short, dark-green bus pulled up in front of the lobby, and Mom clapped in glee. “Yay, he’s here!”
    We grabbed our luggage and stepped outside. My heart thrummed so wildly I was afraid it would beat its way out of my rib cage. The door on the side of the bus opened, and Steaphan shot us a beaming smile.
    â€œGood mornin’!” he declared as he stepped out and shook Dad’s hand, then Mom’s. “So excited to have ya onboard. Ready for the trip?”
    I nodded, and my gaze drifted toward the bus door when I saw Graham standing there. He hopped out and grabbed our suitcases, while his dad opened the sides of the bus to pop them in.
    When he was done, he turned to me, and the breath caught in my throat. His eyes were rich, sparkling this morning, and his slim-fit black T-shirt flattered his lean figure. “Mornin’, Ava,” he said in a low tone that rumbled across my skin.
    Oh man, the look in his gaze held a promise of fun to come. I swallowed my nervousness down and shot him a wobbly grin. That hesitation I’d seen in his eyes before was totally gone right now.
    â€œMorning, Graham,” I said, not surprised that my voice conveyed my breathlessness. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and followed him onto the bus.
    The interior was cozy, with gray fabric covering the plush seats. In the second row were a family of thin, dark blonds—a man, a woman, and a teenage girl with stunning bright green eyes. She nodded as I entered.
    Right behind them was another row of people, two adults with two younger boys who looked around six or so. From­listening to the way the mom talked to the boys, it sounded like they were the Germans.
    Graham took a seat in the front row, and I made my way to the back, my parents right behind me.
    â€œWe all on?” Steaphan asked as he stepped in and eyed us. “Looks it?”
    Everyone nodded.
    â€œAye, great!” He beamed. “It’s time to get started on our seven-day trip through the bonny Scottish Highlands. Today we’re headin’ to Oban, where we’ll stay for a coupla days as we take side trips to Glencoe and Iona. As we drive, we’ll stop for a wee break to stretch yer legs and take some photographs. Any questions?”
    No one said anything. The two boys whispered furiously to each other, and both bounced in their seats. I chuckled.
    â€œExcellent,” Steaphan said. “And off we go!” He plunked himself down in the driver’s seat, closed the doors, and rolled the bus away from the curb.
    For the first half hour of our trip, I watched scenic Edinburgh fade away to the more rugged, rustic grounds of middle Scotland. I couldn’t seem to get enough of the ancient beauty, the craggy green hills that seemed to pierce the