Highlands Homecoming (A Highlands Christmas Romance #3)

Chapter 6

E ven in the crowded shop, there was no escape. No place to hide.

Melissa locked eyes with Dave, catching his astonished double-take as he shifted his gaze from her to Colin and the conspicuous box of pastries.

“Melissa. You’re certainly getting around now that you’re back in the States,” said Dave.

“Have you lost weight?” asked Samantha in a syrupy, condescending voice as she glanced from Melissa to the pastry box.

Melissa was so flustered she stood frozen. So Dave kept pecking away at her.

“Lemme guess. You couldn’t decide, so you got a dozen. Two of each of your favorites?” said Dave.

“Gonna eat those all by your lonesome, tonight?” asked Samantha.

Dave locked eyes with Colin. “No. It seems she’s going to share them with my divorce lawyer. Samantha, meet Colin MacGregor, attorney at law. It would appear he likes to get up close and personal with his work.”

“Good evening,” said Colin as he tried to brush past. Dave blocked him just as he had Melissa.

Dave was shorter and heavier, but Colin was lean and strong.

“Why don’t you just sod off!” said Melissa, grasping for words and realizing too late that she couldn’t pull off the Scottish colloquialism.

“Sod off? Really?” said Dave, a twisted smirk on his face. “By George, that chap’s already got you turning British, innit ?” His horrible mockery of the accent made Melissa’s sound like that of a proper Scottish lass.

“You’ve got your divorce. I’ve signed all the paperwork. The house is yours. What more can you want?” she said, trying to mask her trembling voice with as much force as she could.

Dave's eyes darted back and forth between Colin, who clenched his fists, and Melissa, who avoided eye contact. His face contorted into an angry scowl.

"What else do I want?" he pondered aloud. "In negotiations, they say if the other side hasn't said no, you haven't asked for enough."

Melissa’s stomach twisted into a giant knot. Was she going to be sick, right here, on Dave?

“I think I know what I want. That is, if my lawyer’s still working for me and not the enemy,” said Dave.

“Oh, is this billable time?” said Colin. “I thought it was the weekend, but if you want me on the clock, I’ll be sure to?—”

“Not so fast, MacGregor,” Dave said, inching closer to Colin and appraising the situation. “I smell wine on your breath. I see you sharing a box of pastries with my ex, at nine o’clock in what is arguably the most romantic neighborhood of Boston. And you call yourself a licensed lawyer?”

“It’s the weekend,” repeated Colin.

“How long have you been dating Melissa?” asked Dave. “Can’t find yourself a normal girlfriend? Gotta go look in the recycling bin?”

“Did ye, aye?” said Colin, and Melissa was shocked to see Colin puffing up like a bloke about to brawl in a pub over a football match. “Like Melissa said, sod off. I’ll be happy to discuss this on Monday.”

“I’ll be looking into the rules and regulations about lawyers dating their client’s exes,” said Dave, his chest puffed up and his face red.

“And I’ll be happy to find you’ve signed the last of the documents so I can move on to a new case,” said Colin.

“Fine,” said Dave. “But this isn’t over.”

“But it is, Dave. I’ve signed the documents,” said Melissa.

“We’ll see about that.”

The look on Samantha’s face made Melissa bite her cheek to keep from giggling. As they brushed past them and out into the chilly night air, Melissa held her breath until they were around the corner. Then she burst into laughter with a mix of tears.

“You okay?” asked Colin.

“You were brilliant!” said Melissa, pulling her coat around her as they hurried down the crowded street.

“Was I, though? He knows we’re dating. Could be a serious problem,” said Colin.

“I know what a cheapskate he is. This is not something he wants to draw out,” said Melissa.

“Even if he thinks he can get his hands on the house in Scotland?” asked Colin, his forehead wrinkling in worry.

“Cheapskate to the core. He’ll drop it so you don’t bill him for that … that … whatever that was.”

“Let’s hope so.”

When Colin dropped Melissa off at Caitlin’s house, there was an awkward air of longing and regret.

“Thank you for taking me on our first date.”

“Sorry it ended with a confrontation with … my client.” Colin grimaced as he spoke.

“I’m sorry our first date ended with a confrontation with my ex.”

“Stop apologizing, Melissa,” said Colin softly as he stood next to Melissa on the steps, their breath visible in the cold air.

“Did you want to come in and have a cup of tea?” Melissa asked, uncertain where this was leading, but certain she didn't want to be away from Colin just yet.

“I would love to,” He looked at her longingly. She leaned in and kissed him.

As he held her close and kissed her back, Melissa was filled with hope and optimism for the future. Whatever happened, this feeling between them was real. She hadn’t felt like this in ages. Now, it was here, and she didn’t think the warm glow inside her was going to go away.

Then Colin’s phone buzzed. Colin ignored it, but a moment later, it buzzed again. And again. Reluctantly, he reached into his pocket and looked at it while Melissa studied his face, which soon grew serious.

“It’s Dave. He …” Colin's eyes met Melissa's, his expression filled with a mix of regret and hesitation. “There’s an attorney-client privilege.”

“Oh.”

“And I can’t …” his voice trailed off as he thought. “But if I get to work right now, I can finalize everything before I need to check my email Monday morning. Then I won’t have to take action on what he, um …”

“Right,” said Melissa. As Colin put the phone back in his pocket, it dawned on Melissa. “He wants to stall so he can get the Scotland house,” she said.

“Attorney-client privilege. But suffice it to say, I’ve got to get to work. Trust me?”

“Absolutely,” said Melissa.

Colin kissed her again, gently but longingly.

“Caitlin’s taking me to the airport tomorrow,” Melissa said, her voice tinged with regret.

“He may well have orchestrated this to keep us apart,” said Colin, gently running a hand down her cheek.

“I’m not sure he’s that clever,” said Melissa.

Colin laughed as he took her hands.

“This isn’t goodbye,” said Melissa.

“Of course not.”

“I think I want to stay.”

“I want you to stay. But believe me, you’d be much better off to have me get to work and not stop until those papers are finalized. That’s all I can say.”

“Goodnight, then,” Melissa said.

“See you soon,” said Colin, pressing one last kiss onto her lips.

“Absolutely. Goodnight.”

Melissa stood on the porch and waved as Colin drove away. As she turned to go inside, she was struck by the fact that Dave had won either way. Either he’d get what he wanted or disrupt their happiness. Or both.