Scotland for Christmas

He sat with his back to the wall, keeping track of the situation. Who came into the shop, who went out. Checking for anyone obviously carrying weapons. Yes, it was New York, and certain things were illegal here, but that didn’t stop tragedies from happening.

“I haven’t talked with someone from home in so long, you’ve no idea how brilliant it is to see you,” Isabel Sage was saying to the boyfriend. Alex. She had that faint, alert smile on her face, her protective mask.

Jacob was beginning to understand this about her. Whatever thoughts or emotions she felt, she rarely showed them. What he’d first mistaken for privilege—and he should know better than to underestimate anyone—may just have been a damn good survival mechanism.

“Bell, I’ve come all this way to see you...because, er, it’s better to say certain things in person,” Alex was stuttering.

Jacob watched without moving his head so as not to alert them. “Of course it’s been a difficult separation for us,” Isabel said. Her mask was on tight.

“Please sit. You’re making me nervous.” Alex leaned back in his chair. The guy hadn’t gotten her a coffee. Hadn’t even pulled the chair out for her. Jacob had to keep from snorting his disgust.

Jacob wasn’t sure what Isabel was thinking, but he could imagine. She seated herself in a graceful motion and quietly folded her hands.

Alex coughed. “You’ve been quite busy in New York these months.”

“Yes, and when I return to Scotland for Christmas, we’ll have more time for each other,” she said brightly.

“I’ve been quite busy in Edinburgh, as well...” Alex’s cheeks flushed. He let his voice trail off.

Isabel licked her lips and smiled even harder. “I’m pleased to see you, Alex. I’m glad you’re here, really. You have no idea how much I’ve missed—”

“I’ve come because I’m breaking up with you, Bell,” Alex said abruptly.

Jacob’s heart slowed. Damn. He’d been dreading this even though the conversation had been taking this direction and he wasn’t surprised at the outcome. He glanced at Isabel.

Still with her composed mask. Wow, she was disciplined. “Pardon me?” she asked Alex. Her voice quivered slightly.

“I can’t live in this state of affairs any longer,” Alex muttered.

A small line appeared in Isabel’s forehead. “I see. Well, my schooling here is temporary. I’ll be home soon.”

“Yes, I know. And then you’ll be running your uncle’s company. You won’t need me anymore.”

“It’s...not guaranteed yet,” Isabel said. “He required that I come here—that’s why I’m in New York studying finance, why I have to be away from home.” She lowered her voice. “You know this. You alone know the stress and the pressure I’m under. Like no other person on earth, you know me.”

Jacob saw the tiny fissure in her mask. The signs of tension breaking through. He leaned closer. He’d given up the pretense of paying attention to the phone in his hand.

“Bell,” Alex said, “the point is there are brighter pastures for you out there. This...friendship between us...isn’t meant to be any longer.”

“Of course it is! And don’t you believe we have more than a friendship?”

Alex sat back. “I want out,” he said flatly.

Her face pale, Isabel pressed forward. “What if we...gave ourselves a break for now? After I’m home, we’ll start fresh with a conversation then.”

“I want to be friends with you,” Alex said. “Just friends. That’s all that I want.”

She took a deep breath. Jacob wasn’t sure she was getting what the guy was telling her. “I understand you’re angry with me,” she said to Alex.

“I’m not angry, Bell.”

“You...want more of my attention.”

“No. I’m ending it with you.”

“But that’s...daft,” she said, her voice getting even softer. “We’ve been together since we were children.”

“We were never together. Not truly. I don’t expect you to understand. I didn’t understand myself until recently. But...oh, bollocks. I didn’t want to tell you this way, but...I’ll just say it. I’ve met somebody, all right?”

“You...met somebody?” she repeated. Jacob waited for light to dawn. Or maybe she was just controlling her emotions as best she could.

“I’m seeing this woman,” Alex said. He spoke softly, his head down, staring at the table. Jacob felt himself heating inside. “I tried, Bell. I tried to make this work with us. But you’re meant for other things.”

“Alex, let’s go back to my flat. I’ll introduce you to my mates. You’ll...be part of my life here.”

“See. Look at you. Any other woman who’d just been told that her man was seeing someone else would be furious. Or perhaps hurt. But you don’t feel like other women, Bell. It’s not natural.”

Isabel crossed her arms. “I assure you, I feel. Very much. And right now I feel...I feel that we can fix this temporary rift.” She smiled bravely. “If we both want to.”

Alex glanced at his watch. “I have to go. I flew all the way here just so I could tell you in person. I’m not a bad bloke. I’m not breaking up by text message.”

“Alex—”

“Do I have to say it, Bell? Fine, you’ve made me say it.” Alex stared hard at the table. “I’m in love with her.”

Isabel’s mask split then. Wide open. Her look of anguish hit Jacob with a jolt.

“I didn’t mean for it to happen, but it did,” Alex said. “I asked her to marry me and she said yes. We’re planning a small wedding in June, at home.”

The pain on Isabel’s face touched Jacob. Her lips quivered. Her eyes watered. She seemed to be struggling to breathe.

But Jacob gave her credit. Because with a grit of her teeth and a fierce blink of her eyes, she controlled herself again. He could see the effort it took her to swallow the hurt, but she did. Bravely, she found her mask and put it on again.

By the time Alex—now Alex the ex—glanced up from his escape into checking his phone messages, Isabel was composed again. Her slip had been brief, and Jacob was sure he was the only person who’d seen it. Alex the ex certainly hadn’t.

“You’re handling this well.” Alex gave her a relieved smile. Unlike Isabel, he showed all his emotions on his face, in his vocal inflection, in his posture. “I knew you would, Bell. You handle everything like a champ.”

Alex coughed and stood. “Well, that’s sorted then. The meter’s running on my taxi. I have to go. But you’ll do well, I know you.” He had the temerity to smile at her in relief. “Look at you. Not a tear. Never a worry with you. That’s why I’m sure you’ll run your uncle’s company someday. Isabel Sage, CEO of Sage Family Products. No doubt you’ll be the one chosen.”

And then Alex leaned in and gave Isabel a bloke’s awkward fake-hug. Alex wasn’t even looking at her, not really. She kept her composure, and Jacob gave her credit for that. In her shoes, Jacob would have wound up and slugged the guy.

No, he wouldn’t have.

When it had happened to him, Jacob hadn’t slugged anybody. He’d stood stoically by while his ex had given him much the same kind of speech as Alex.

You know what your problem is, Jacob? You’re too intense. No one could live with that level of intensity every day.

Jacob got up from the table and shoved his phone into his pocket. He hadn’t thought about this stuff in years and years. And he wasn’t going to think about it again.