“What are you talking about?”
He hesitated, looking puzzled. “Where were you going?”
“You know, you could have asked me that to begin with in a nice way. A phone call would have sufficed,” she snapped, so irritated that he would chase her down like this and act as though she was the bad guy.
“Reception isn’t always the greatest out here,” he said, trying to talk his way out of this.
She wasn’t buying it. “Where did you think I was going?”
He shoved his hands in his pockets.
“Grant?”
“To see Archibald.”
“What?” She couldn’t help how angry she sounded.
“To ask him if he knew about my father’s death.”
“Oh.” She thought Grant was worried that she’d intended to take up with the man, as in dating and mating, after she had told him she had no intention of letting Archibald get his hands on the estates. She took a deep, calming breath. “I’m on my way to see Julia. And I won’t be home until tomorrow, later sometime. I don’t know when.”
He motioned to the car behind him and both men got out. Maynard and Darby? What was going on?
“Darby, you and Maynard can return home. I’ll take it from here,” Grant said.
Lachlan got out of the passenger side of the car in front of her and waved.
“Go on home, Lachlan. I’ve got this covered,” Grant said.
“Wait, you’re going to walk home?” she asked Grant.
The men looked like they didn’t want to witness this conversation, yet they hung around as if they thought they might still need to give Grant a ride back to Farraige Castle.
“Move over, lass. I will drive you to Argent Castle.”
“We’re having an all-night girls’ party, and all day, too, if you must know.”
“Good, I need to speak with Ian and his brothers. That will work perfectly for me.”
In disbelief, she moved over to the passenger’s side. She didn’t believe he’d had any intention of speaking with Ian or his brothers until she made plans to visit them.
“This is what you meant by letting me borrow the car anytime I wanted?” she asked, scowling at him.
Grant smiled.
She shook her head. “You couldn’t just call Ian?”
“Bad reception sometimes.”
She didn’t believe it for an instant. Well, maybe sometimes, but not this time. “You really didn’t think I was getting together with Archibald for any other reason, did you?” She had to know beyond a doubt that he didn’t think she was interested in the man.
“No, lass. It’s as I said. I was concerned you might think to ask him about your father’s contribution to my father’s death. I didn’t want you getting involved in that. So what brought on this sudden urge to see Julia? I thought you were spending the day studying the financial graphs.”
She was sure her whole body blushed. She didn’t want to reveal that her leaving had all to do with one wickedly sexy wolf who had seduced her last night, abandoned her, and was now trying to take charge of her today. And how she didn’t know how to deal with him when her emotions got in the way.
Grant’s phone rang and he answered it. “Ian, yes, I got word the lass intended to keep my car for longer than we thought. Which is fine. I’m coming with her, so make another place at the table, will you?”
She heard Ian laughing. Grant glanced at her. “Aye, I’m keeping her out of trouble on the way there. What’s the deal with this wild all-day and all-night party Julia’s holding? Is it something we’ve got to be concerned about?” he asked Ian.
Colleen smiled. “Yes, if you’re a man.” That earned her a smile. “Ask Ian if Julia’s had any of these parties since she’s been there.”
He asked Ian, listened, and then he said, “Okay, so you don’t know what this is all about, either? Well, between your pack and me, we should be able to manage them all right.”
Colleen chuckled. “Not on your life.”
“See you in a while, Ian.” Grant ended the call and said to Colleen, “So what do you do for ladies’ night out?
She smiled. “Whatever we feel inspired to do. Haven’t the women in your pack done such a thing?” She wasn’t about to tell him she’d stolen a pair of his boxers and Enrick’s also, and if she’d known he would actually be there, too, she wasn’t sure she would have snatched them. Well, yeah, she would have. She had no idea what Julia intended to do with them. She sure hoped Grant wouldn’t learn of it prematurely. Or afterward, either.
“Not that I know of,” Grant said.
“That should be changed.” And she intended to while she was here. “Where are the women in your pack?”
“On holiday.”
“Did you think having only braw men at Farraige Castle would scare me off?”
“Nay, lass. I was afraid the women would attempt to befriend you and agree to anything you wished to do. But it didn’t work out as well as I’d planned.” He gave her a small smile.
“Oh?”
“I’m afraid you won my men over, and me. And even without the woman being there, you won them over as well.” He sighed. “So…you’re not going to tell me about this ladies’ day and night out?”
“Just think of it like a guys’ day out, sword fighting and then feasting afterward, without the sword fighting.”
“Without the sword fighting it would lose all its appeal,” he said and smiled at her, and that wolfish smile made her heart leap.
She wondered how she’d managed to get away from him, only to be stuck with him once again, and her feelings for him were twisted into knots even worse now.
Her cell phone rang and Grant glanced at her. She hoped it was just one of her cousins, but she suspected it was Archibald since he said he’d call her today. She fished out her phone. It was. And she really didn’t want to talk to him right now.
“Hello?”
“Hi, it’s me, Archibald. I said I’d call and I wondered if you’d like for me to take you out for supper tonight.”
“I’ll be at my friend’s place tonight and tomorrow.”
Pause.
“You have friends here?” Archibald asked, sounding surprised.