Charmed by His Love (5 page)

Duncan tugged his collar away from his neck as he eyed the widow Thompson leading her gaggle of children back to their table, each trying to reach it without spilling their plates of food. He sighed, figuring he probably better apologize to her again, seeing how she owned the only working gravel pit in the area.

Just as soon as Mac had hired him to do the resort’s site work, Duncan had started calling around to find the closest gravel pit to Spellbound Falls. He would eventually dig his own pit farther up the mountain, but he needed immediate access to gravel to start building the road. Duncan had been relieved to discover that the Thompson pit was just a mile from where the resort road would start, and that it had a horseback of good bank run gravel. Only he’d also learned Bill Thompson had been killed in a construction accident three years ago.

Which is why a feather could have knocked him over this morning as he’d stood beside his truck in the parking lot changing his shirt, when he’d finally put two and two together and realized he’d just pissed off the person he wanted to buy gravel from. Assuming she’d even sell to him now. And then
even if she did, he’d likely be paying an arm and a leg for every last rock and grain of sand.

“Which branch of the military were you in?” Trace asked.

Duncan looked down at himself in surprise. “Funny; I could have sworn I left my uniform in Iraq.”

Trace chuckled. “You forgot to leave that guarded look with it.” He shrugged. “It’s common knowledge that every MacKeage and MacBain serves a stint in the military.” He suddenly frowned. “Only I’ve never heard it said that any of the women in your families have served.”

“And they won’t as long as Greylen MacKeage and Michael MacBain are still lairds of our clans,” Duncan said with a grin. “It’ll take a few more generations before we let our women deliberately put themselves in harm’s way.”

Trace shook his head. “You really are all throwbacks. You must have a hell of a time finding wives. Or is that why some of you resort to kidnapping?”

Duncan decided he liked Trace Huntsman. “There’s no ‘resorting’ to it; we’re merely continuing a family tradition that actually seems to work more often than it backfires. And besides, it beats the hell out of wasting time dating a woman for two or three years once we’ve found the right one.”

“You don’t think the woman might like to make sure
you’re
the right one before she finds herself walking down the aisle, wondering how she got there?”

Duncan shifted his weight off his knee with a shrug. “Not according to my father. Dad claims time is the enemy when it comes to courting; that if a man takes too long wooing a woman, then he might as well hand her his manhood on a platter.”

Trace eyed him suspiciously. “Are you serious?”

“Tell me, Huntsman; how’s courting Fiona been working for you?”

“We’re not talking about me,” he growled. “We’re talking about you MacKeages and your habit of scaring women into marrying you.”

“I did notice you managed to get an engagement ring on her finger,” Duncan pressed on. “So when’s the wedding?”

Trace relaxed back on his hips and folded his arms over his
chest with a heavy sigh. “You don’t happen to have an available cabin in Pine Creek, do you?”

Duncan slapped Trace on the back and started them toward the refreshment table. “Considering Fiona is Matt Gregor’s baby sister, I think you might want to look for a cabin a little farther away. Hell, everyone within twenty miles of Pine Creek heard Matt’s roar when he learned she was openly living with you without benefit of marriage.”

Trace stopped in front of the large bowl of dark ale and glared at Duncan. “A fact that has brought us full circle back to women being warriors. The only reason I’m still alive is because Fiona puts the fear of God into her brothers if they so much as frown at me.” He looked at Peg Thompson, then back at Duncan—specifically at the scratch on his cheek. “Trust me; the strong-arm approach won’t work on any woman who can handle children. Not if a man values his hide.”

Duncan refilled his tankard. “Which is exactly why I’m still a bachelor,” he said, just before gulping down his third kick-in-the-ass like a true highlander.

Peg stared out the windshield of her van at Inglenook’s main lodge, so disheartened that she couldn’t quit sobbing. She had finally found a job that paid enough that she’d finally be able to put a roof that didn’t leak over her children’s head, yet here she was trying to pull herself together long enough to quit. She couldn’t even give a two-week notice, since the reason she was quitting was that she couldn’t find affordable daycare for the twins. After Jacob’s traumatizing incident Friday and her shameful behavior Saturday, Peg had spent two sleepless nights and all day Sunday wrestling with her decision to give her notice first thing Monday morning.

And now it was Monday. And after a third sleepless night, she still couldn’t see any way around it, since Olivia had hired her when Inglenook had been a family camp that offered programs to keep her children occupied all day. Only a little over a week ago that camp had closed when Olivia’s ex-in-laws had sold the property to Mac and that freaky earthquake had turned Bottomless Lake into the ninth wonder of the world.

She still had a job because a small army of scientists had replaced the campers, but now there weren’t any organized activities for her children. And that meant this was no longer a safe environment for the twins, and she couldn’t in good conscience
draw a salary when she’d have to spend her time watching out for them instead of working. And besides, she really wasn’t needed anymore, since several of Inglenook’s original staff from town were looking after the scientists renting the cabins.

Dammit to hell, she needed this job!

What she didn’t need was to look out her kitchen window every morning at her flooded gravel pit, especially now that she actually had a chance to make money off it. Duncan MacKeage had come to see her yesterday, but not finding her home, he’d left his card tucked in her door with a note on the back saying he wanted to speak to her about buying gravel for Mac and Olivia’s resort road. Except most of the pit was underwater thanks to that stupid fiord, and the Land Use Regulatory Commission was pretty strict about disturbing ground near a lake.

Peg wiped her eyes for the hundredth time since she’d left Peter and Jacob with Billy’s mom, and tried to take a deep, steadying breath. Only she wasn’t surprised when she failed yet again, considering she hadn’t taken a full breath since Billy had died. Damn, she was tired of holding it all together all by herself. She’d been fresh out of high school when she’d signed on for happily-ever-after, never dreaming she’d end up sleeping in an empty bed every night and raising four children all by herself.

Not that she’d give one of them up, not even for all the money in the world. Because what good was having gobs of money if she didn’t have kids to take to the Drunken Moose for Vanetta’s infamous cinnamon buns? Or to dress in beautiful clothes that didn’t come from the thrift shop? And what good was being able to stop driving all the way to Millinocket to spend her food stamps so no one in town would know how desperate she was, if she didn’t have children to worry about being—

Peg gave a startled yelp when the passenger door opened and Olivia slid into the opposite seat.

“Sorry,” her friend murmured, folding her hands on her lap and staring out the windshield. “I just wanted to see what you found so fascinating that you’ve been sitting out here for over ten minutes staring at the lodge.”

Peg buried her face in her hands and burst into tears.

“Hey!” Olivia cried, turning Peg to face her. “Have you been out here crying all this time? Peggy!” she growled, giving her a shake. “What’s wrong?”

“I … I have to quit my job.”

Olivia reared back in surprise. “Why?” She gasped. “Is this about that little incident on Saturday? Because really, you had every right to go after Duncan MacKeage like you did.”

“It wasn’t a
little
incident; it was a violent and utterly embarrassing attack.” Peg held up her hand to stop Olivia from responding. “It was also a rude awakening. I can’t work here now that Inglenook doesn’t have programs for Peter and Jacob, or for Charlotte and Isabel once school gets out. I can’t keep asking the girls to watch the boys, because that’s not fair to any of them, and I can’t watch them and do my job at the same time.”

“Then we’ll come up with another plan.”

Peg shook her head. “I spent all weekend trying to figure something out, and the only solution I came up with is for me to quit.” She grasped Olivia’s hand. “And you don’t really need me anymore. You have enough staff to look after the scientists.”

Olivia reversed their grip, giving Peg’s hand a squeeze. “But you know I have to take Sophie to California so she can donate bone marrow to little Riley, and I was counting on
you
to look after Inglenook for me.” She blew out a sigh. “Because Mac’s decided we’re making a road trip out of it instead of flying. He wants Henry and Sophie to start feeling like the four of us are a real family.”

“That’s wonderful,” Peg said more brightly than she was feeling.

Olivia pointed to the right of the lodge. “Do you see the nose of that … that
bus
sticking out past the side of the garage? That’s my wedding present from Mac, and for the next two months it’s going to be my home.” She leaned closer. “I swear it cost more than a house. Hell, half the walls slide out on either side, making it twice as wide when we’re parked for the night. And it has granite countertops and marble floors, two bathrooms, a washer and dryer, and three televisions. Three! Why would anyone need three televisions—all hooked up to satellite, I might add—in an RV?”

“Oh, Olivia, that’s wonderful. You’re going to see America.”

“I can’t live in a bus for two months! I’ll go nuts.”

“But it’s every mother’s dream to take her children on a road trip across America. Think of all Henry and Sophie will experience.” Peg gave what she hoped was a cheeky smile. “And I can’t imagine a better way to stay up close and personal with your sexy new husband.”

“Are you insane?” Olivia whispered, looking horrified. “If I don’t kill Mac before we reach the Mississippi River, I’ll probably shove him into the Grand Canyon.” She sighed again, shaking her head. “I know it’s going to be an exciting adventure, but I really don’t want to leave Inglenook that long.” She leaned back against her door, waving at the windshield. “I just finally got this place all to myself; why in hell would I want to leave it for two whole months?”

“Maybe because the farthest you’ve been from Spellbound Falls in over eleven years is Bangor?” Peg pointed at her friend, shooting Olivia her I-mean-business scowl. “The day after school gets out you are leaving in that RV if I have to tie you to the roof.”

“Actually, we’re leaving this Saturday. I’m pulling Sophie out of school early because Riley’s transplant is scheduled for three weeks from now—which is why you can’t quit. I need you here to hold down the fort so I actually have a home to return to.” She went very still. “Wait, I know; we can hire someone to watch your kids. There are plenty of women around who’d love a job, and with your being right here you won’t have to worry about what your little tribe of heathens might be up to.”

Peg was shaking her head before Olivia even finished. “Too much of my salary would have to go toward a babysitter to make it worthwhile.”

“I’ll pay her salary.”

Peg glared at her. “Nothing’s changed from two weeks ago when I stormed up here to tell you that I’m not a charity case. I’m not drawing a full salary and getting free daycare just because
you
can afford it.” Feeling her face flush with … with … dammit, she wasn’t a charity case! Peg reached down and started the engine. “I’ve done what I came here to do, so please get out of my van.”

“Peg,” Olivia whispered.

Peg pulled her seat belt across her lap and snapped it shut. “You can put my paycheck in the mail.”

Silence filled the van but for the uneven rattle of its engine, until Olivia quietly got out and softly closed the door. Peg slowly pulled onto Inglenook’s main lane then pressed down on the accelerator, pretending not to see Duncan MacKeage waving at her as he left Mac in the parking lot and started running to intercept the van—only to have to jump out of the way when she sped past him in a blur of blinding tears.

Duncan stood with his feet planted and his hands on his hips, scowling at Peg Thompson fleeing from him. “What in hell is up with that woman?” he growled when Mac walked over. He pointed at the cloud of dust trailing in her wake. “If that’s your idea of a good friend, Oceanus, I’d hate to meet your enemies.”

Instead of answering, Mac arched a brow at Olivia as she walked toward them. “Mind telling me what that was all about?”

“Peg quit her job,” Olivia told him, though she was glaring at Duncan.

“Because of me?” Duncan asked in surprise.

Olivia turned her glare on Mac. “Fix this,” she said, gesturing toward the knoll. “She needs this job even more than I need her.”

“Then why did she quit?” Mac asked.