head. “I need to call over to Elspeth’s place. I’ll come up to the pub after that, shall I?”
“Yes.” She gave him a quick kiss. “See you later.”
Lexie had just passed a pint across the bar to a regular customer when her phone whirred in her pocket. Hurriedly, she took the money and handed over the change, then moved along the bar to answer the call from Nick.
“I’m on my way to Elspeth’s,” he said. “And I was thinking I should just tell her about us. Otherwise she’ll be trying to set me up with Meghan and it’ll be really awkward.”
“You can’t,” Lexie snapped. “She’ll be annoyed that I didn’t tell her.”
“I can say I wanted to tell her so asked you not to say anything.”
“I want to tell Leana first.” Lexie felt a mild rush of panic. “If you tell Elspeth, she’ll be straight on the phone to Leana.”
“Can you just tell Leana then?”
“I will! But I’m at work now. I want to talk to her properly.”
Nick sighed heavily. “Okay. But you need to tell her soon.”
“I will. I want to tell her. But I don’t want to just call her and blurt it out.”
“Okay. I’ve just arrived at Elspeth’s so I guess I have to deal with Meghan trying to chat me up. You can’t complain about all the women who throw themselves at me if you won’t let me tell people I’m taken.”
Lexie rolled her eyes. “Just don’t go giving out the wrong signals.”
“Now you’re starting to sound jealous again. I quite like it.”
“Just behave yourself and I’ll see you later.”
As she ended the call she caught her mum staring at her. “What?” she asked with a silly grin.
“Nothing,” Mary said, but her eyes sparkled with amusement.
Lexie spent the next three hours checking the time at regular intervals. She was starting to think Nick had gone straight home to bed when he finally walked in.
“Have you been at Elspeth’s all this time?” she asked as he took a seat at the bar.
“Yes.”
“Did you have dinner there?”
“Aye. You knew that was the plan.”
“I wasn’t sure what you were doing.”
“I played with Arran, had dinner with them, then spent an hour flirting with Meghan. I really thought you knew my plans.”
The smile broke slowly over her face. “You’re not allowed to tease me.”
“But it’s so much fun,” he said happily.
“Hello!” Mary sidled over to him and gave him a big kiss on the cheek.
Nick immediately wiped the side of his face. “I’m sorry, Mary. I thought you knew I was off the market now. You missed your chance I’m afraid.”
She smiled at him. “That was for making my little girl happier than I’ve seen her for a while.”
“Mum!” Lexie snapped as Nick looked at her intently.
Angus came over and joined Lexie behind the bar, his gaze fixed on Nick. “I’m just going to say this once. If you hurt my daughter, you’ll be barred from this place for life.”
“Oh my God!” Lexie felt her cheeks heating up. “Please stop.” She could hardly bring herself to look at Nick as her parents moved away again. “They’re a bit embarrassing.”
“It’s quite sweet.” He tilted his head. “I definitely need to stay on your dad’s good side. Any chance of a pint?”
“Yes.” She moved to pour it, glad of the distraction. After setting it in front of him, she went and brought out a food order, then chatted to a couple of regulars at the end of the bar. “You look tired,” she said when she went back to Nick, who was coming to the end of his drink.
“I’m done in,” he said, stretching his neck. “What time will you finish?”
“Another hour or so. I feel as though I’ve hardly been here recently so I don’t want to leave early. Don’t feel you have to hang around.”
He nodded and finished his pint in one long gulp. “I think I’ll head off. I’ve got a bit of work I need to do.”
Lexie walked around the bar and walked to the door with him. In the entranceway she gave him a quick kiss.
“You really need to tell Leana about us soon,” Nick said. “I don’t like not being able to kiss you in public.”
“Sneaking around can be fun too,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Besides, I’m not really into public displays of affection.”
“You’ll tell her soon, though?”
She nodded. “I promise.”
“Good.” He wrapped her in a hug and she buried her head in his neck, savouring the warmth of his embrace. “I’ll talk to you