I drove to Magnus's to pick him up. He was waiting downstairs again, knife at his hip, sword on his back. A little pink on his nose too, but his came across as rugged and handsome. He seemed happy to see me and I caught him checking out my legs, which was entirely the point of the dress. Nicely done, self.

I loved driving the Mustang. It was fast, with a purr, and when I was driving it made me feel sexy.

I looked over my arm at other drivers imagining them thinking, Who's that sexy girl? Because I looked amazing and beside me? Magnus. Handsome. Hair blowing in the warm breeze. And we were going out together. His shoulder near mine, my thoughts on him. His leg draped in his kilt, so close to my leg, mere inches. Farther away than today on the horse, but still...

“What did Chef Zach make you for dinner tonight?”

“A dish I believe he called fettochina alfredric. Verra delicious, but all Chef Zach's recipes are good. This evenin' he had me listenin' tae Grand Band. He and Emma danced on the deck. Twas a braw evening. I would hae like ye tae be there.”

I glanced over my driving arm trying to read his face. “I wish I had been. My dinner was frozen broccoli and rice with leftover chicken. The entertainment was my mom and dad telling me to get on with my life. I'll be moving in with Hayley this weekend.”

“You hae been punish'd, for what offense?”

“It's more like a threat of punishment to force me to get a job, but I don't like threats. I never have. So I went ahead and told them I would move. Away.” It dawned on me right then that this was a sad, sad story. Not a principled reaction, but a depressing turn, further downward, of my life to a very bleak rock bottom. “I guess after I lost my fiancé, my career, my apartment and money, losing my parents is the next glorious step in my epic, awesome life.”

He watched me from the corner of his eye. “I was sent from my home when I was but eleven years auld. I lived under the guardianship of my uncle, in London, verra far from my kinsmen and my Highland home. So I understand what ye are goin' through. Tis difficult when your life is a trial tae your parents.”

“But you're living with your mother now, protecting her. It's better, right?”

“Nae, tis nae better. I must do as she commands. But my plans are verra different from Lady Mairead's plans, soon enough our paths will diverge.”

I turned the car up Sadler Avenue toward the restaurant. Parking was easy, just down the street. We walked together past quaint little historic buildings, keeping an easy stride that matched well. When we walked into the small bar all eyes turned to us. I was decent height for a girl, but he was tall, and big shouldered, and still had that smoldering darkness. I could never reconcile it with his actual coloring, it seemed as though he was unlit.

It made me believe in auras actually, I never had before. Seeing his shadows were darker, his light dimmer, made me understand what people meant when they used that word.

But also, he wasn't frightening. I had dropped my guard days and days ago and trusted him completely. He seemed so competent and true. I pushed through the crowd toward Hayley, Michael, Quentin, and James in the back in the courtyard. Sarah was sitting beside Hayley and there was an empty chair beside James with a girl's pastel sweater thrown over the back.

For a testy second I thought, nice, jerk, date already?

But then Magnus pulled two chairs away from the table and he and I sat beside each other. And I forgot everything else but this.

He leaned in and yelled, “Tis verra loud.”

“It is.” I took a cocktail napkin, tore some strips, wadded them up, and gestured for him to lean forward. I pressed the paper into his ears, my hands resting on his jawline, his eyes closed, trusting. Then he opened his eyes and they lingered on mine.

I collected enough air to ask, “Better?”

“Verra much.”

Tom, the bartender, tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey man, you aren't allowed to have that weapon in here.”

Magnus joked, his smile wide. “Oh? But what would happen if the MacDonalds attack?”

“The McDonalds — what are you talking about? This is Fernandina Beach — there better not be any attacks.”

I said, “Weapons aren't usually allowed in bars. He has a point.”

Magnus laughed. “I hae a point as well. Where I hail from a man of any sense winna enter an establishment without his sharpest point in hand.”

“Well, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave or put it in your car.”

I asked, “Tom, could you keep it behind the bar for him?”

“I suppose, but there better not be any trouble.”

Magnus stood and removed the big sword and the smaller sword and passed them both to the bartender. He smiled sheepishly. “I feel rather bare to the world.”

Tom chuckled, “I think you'll survive.”

My group ordered another pitcher and everyone drank heartily and talked and laughed happily. Hayley raised her glass and slurred. “To Katie, my new roomie, we'll be the bestest sharers of rooms ever.”

I said, “Hear hear!” And then asked, “How long have you been drinking, Dearie?”

She said, “Since early. You can be my designated driver.”

“Sure, I can give you a ride home when I take Magnus home.”

Hayley acted like she just noticed him. “Magnus! You better be nice to our Katie.” She wobbled on her feet. “She is a sweet girl, and she doesn't deserve any more assholes.” She giggled, and pretend whispered, “Not like that last guy, James. He was a total loser.”

James said, “I'm sitting right here.”

I watched Magnus to see how he was taking it. He seemed jovial and not embarrassed at all. “Your Kaitlyn does deserve better, you are exactly right Mistress Hayley.”

James was in a conversation with his date and missed the comment.

She looked at me and energetically fanned herself. “Jeez did you hear him say my name? That is so hot.”

She wobbled to look over at Michael, sitting on a barstool, bleary-eyed and wobbly headed. “Did you hear how hot he was Michael?”

Michael chuckled. “Glad he's not my type. I mean your type.”

“Oh yeah, what's my type?”

I said, “Drunk guys you've been in love with since high school.”

She giggled. “Right! Just be nice to her, don't break her heart, don't leave her, and always tell her the truth.” As she said it she leaned so far over the table that she was very much in Magnus's space. And saying things to him that were way past our point-in-time reference. If he wasn't afraid of my baggage yet, she was probably filling him full of fear now. She raised up and said, “Let's dance!”

She grabbed me by the hand and pulled me to the crowded dance floor and we bopped around to the beat. I was trying to look sexy for Magnus, but James started a conversation with him. Then they were all laughing and talking and the song was almost over and he hadn't looked up at me once.

I was about to give up because what was the point of dancing with Hayley, who was stumbling drunk, to a song I didn't even like much, if not to get the attention of —

He turned.

He brought his gaze up and across the dance floor and watched me dance, focused and intent and interested. My breath caught in my throat. There was something in his eyes, a longing that I had never — had never been directed at me.

For a moment it was as if I owned him. With one gesture I could compel him toward me. I could lift my hair and he would come kiss my neck. I could smile and he would — but then he dropped his eyes and pulled himself away.

I kept the beat a moment longer with Hayley swinging her head back and forth not quite to the beat. “I'm going to sit down!”

We both went back to the table and joined the others. The boys were all talking about the video playing on the wall, a montage of surfing wipeouts. James was doing a comedic narration since there was no sound over the loud, loud music. And Magnus was laughing at James's dialogue.

His big booming laugh made me laugh until I snorted. Then Magnus laughed harder and James became funnier and funnier. James's date for the night was acting kind of bored, and yeah, that was cool too. Because me, I was the life of the party and kind of loving my vibe a lot.

At the end of the night, Michael picked Hayley up and slung her over his shoulder, because she really couldn't walk, and it was definitely time to go home. Somehow he deposited her into the back seat of Magnus's car and jumped in beside her. “Don't let her throw up, Michael, this is Magnus's new car.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Michael's head lolled as if he was about to spew too. So I drove them fast to Hayley's small townhouse, and Magnus and I helped Michael get Hayley to the front door. She called, “Don't do anything I wouldn't do,” as she was pushed up the steps.

Magnus laughed as we returned to his car. “I daena think that leaves much.”

“That's what I always say.”

I loved it that our thoughts jibed. And actually, now that the night had been so good, plus the day, what I was hoping was somehow it would lead to me spending the night. I mean, why not? He clearly favored me. I had to drive him home. I would get out of his car, and he could invite me upstairs. He lived with his mother, but not in the traditional way. It was more like she lived with him. She was very formal; she might disapprove, but then again, she seemed to like me.

My breathing was a little faster than usual, and our silences were deep and uncomfortable, like he was trying to figure out how to speak, what to say. Finally I pulled his car into his driveway and into the garage. I stepped out of the car and jiggled the keys back and forth in my hands nervously.

“That was fun,” I said for the fourth time. Dumbass.

“Aye,” he said vaguely. He squinted because the lights of the garage blared on when we drove in. He strode to the wall and flicked them off, overriding their insistence that we be able to see.

He returned to the back of the car and leaned against it. So we were going to stay in the garage?

“There's something I must say to ye, Mistress Kaitlyn.”

I leaned beside him on the back of the car. Our view was out the garage door, the driveway, the back end of my Prius, and the road out front lined by low sand, shrubs, and a mailbox.

“Yes?”

Our arms were close enough to touch again. We had been so close like this all day, and I was so aware of our edges — the tiny distance between us, full of intrigue and electric interest.

“I haena known ye long, but you art a bonnie lass, and I like ye and...”

His words were so lovely, formal plus old fashioned; I couldn't wait to hear him say something really romantic.

He stopped and looking out the garage door his eyes went far away. “I wish ye the best, I do. But I hae tae leave. Tis important that ye know I dinna mean tae leave ye, tis nae about ye. I just hae tae go.”

My heart sank to my strappy sandals. The sandals that had been digging into my toes for the last hour, because they weren't made for dancing, but I wore them anyway because they made me look amazing. My calves were freaking perfect even though they hurt like hell, and what the hell was he talking about? “You're leaving? You didn't mention you were leaving. I mean, you did, but…”

“Aye, I dinna intend tae, but I know now I must.”

I scowled at the floor. “I thought...”

“I am pleased tae hae met ye, the maiden with the fiery temper. The ruler of the North Wind. I appreciate ye knowin' how the New World works and shewin' it tae me.”

I scowled. “I don't know how the world works. I'm apparently the most clueless person in the world.”

He shook his head.

I stood straight and smoothed down the skirt of my dress and tried to be the kind of person who wasn't about to cry. “When do you leave?”

“The Buck moon.”

I was incredulous. “What even is that, Magnus, who says that kind of thing? The Buck moon? When the hell is the Buck moon?”

He said, “The next full moon, eleven days on.”

“Great, just great.” I crossed my arms and looked down at my tired feet.

“I wanted ye tae know, so you wouldna think—”

“You know, you don't owe me an explanation, Magnus. You don't owe me anything. Who am I, the first girl you met in Florida? I gave you a ride. That's it. don't worry about it.” I grabbed my purse from the back seat of the car and fished my keys from inside.

He said, almost to himself, “I wish I would hae taught ye tae fight.”

My hands were shaking and my voice wavered. “Whatever, right? Maybe I'll see you around.”

I stalked to my car, ripped open the door and climbed in, started it, and whipped the car out of the driveway. I looked back in the rearview because I kind of hoped he would be standing there, dejected, watching me go, second-thoughting. But no, he had gone inside. The garage door automatically slid down, closing me outside.

Hayley was too drunk for visiting. I went by a convenience store and bought a six pack and a red cup, parked at the end of my street, and walked out on the beach. I popped open a beer and like a poorly built dam during a hurricane, all the tears I had been swallowing down for the past twenty minutes spilled over. I drew my knees up, wrapped my arms around, and cried into my kneecaps. I cried because I was lonely. And unloved. I feared I might be unlovable. But also, worst of all, that I was a joke. The kind of girl that people suffered. A good portion of my tears were about Braden and my whole lost life, and a lot were about self-pity and despair — would my life never be better than this?

But a surprising lot of my tears weren't just about the rejection, they were about Magnus. Because I really liked him.

He had been so exactly right, so easy. Uncomplicated. As if he had been my guy since the first time I laid eyes on him. Mine.

And I know there were issues. He wore a freaking sword. He was from some no-dunk town in Scotland, practically Amish, possibly a cult or something. And Lady Mairead had scars on her cheeks. There hadn't been an explanation about that, not a good one. But Magnus didn't scare me. I felt safe with him. All my worries fell away when we talked.

I cried for a long time, remembering Magnus whispering, you smell like the wind.

And now, this. Stupid ass. He was leaving. He announced it like I was going to be hurt by the news. How asinine, how overly full of himself. I chugged a beer and opened the second. The breeze was a little strong tonight, still warm, but blustering a bit, the tide was coming up.

It was almost chilly actually.

I stood and picked up the rest of the six pack and walked it back to my car and drove it the two blocks to my home. The lights were out, which was good; it was late, and I didn't want my parents interrupting my pity wallow. I would be eating ice cream and drinking beer in my pajamas tonight.