Bear with Me (#2, Completed)

5. Troublemaker

SCARLETT

I narrowed my eyes at Callum, confused. "Flame?"

"You are fire inside and outside, so I thought it was a good fit," he chuckled.

Flame was definitely not a nickname that anyone had used with me before, even if I had a pretty long list of names that I had been called. Guys always thought they were so original when they came up with monikers based on my hair. Ginger, Ruby, Carrot Top... But my favourite cliche was Red. Thankfully, Callum had not come up with that or I would have jumped back on the bike and disappeared.

"It's not the worst nickname I've heard, I give you that." I smiled at him but I had not expected the butterflies in my stomach when he smiled back. Fucking hell, he was gorgeous and I could only hope that he was not Riley's mystery lover.

Come on, Scar- use your brain. If he was, why would he be here with you? I told myself off.

We took a seat at one of the tables by the window that oversaw the lake and I found myself lost in the marvels of Mother Nature. The sun was slowly setting and Loch Lomond's calm water reflected the sky above, which was shifting to deeper pinks, purples and oranges as the sun's hue was changing.

"Wow, it's beautiful," I whispered. We had nice sunsets in London too but the view here was heart-stopping.

"It is, isn't it? The area has a lot to offer."

It sure does, I thought to myself as my gaze shifted back to Callum. He was certainly a masterpiece in his own right, though I had to rely on my imagination for what was hidden beneath his clothes. Something told me that it was definitely not going to be a beer belly.

"So, what's the speciality here?"

For some reason, my question seemed to amuse my companion. "Do you trust me?"

That was a loaded question, despite the jokey tone in Callum's voice.

Did I trust him? 

I really was not sure what was happening here. Did I fancy him? Sure. But he made it clear that tonight was nothing more than him being friendly. Certainly no date. The silver lining in the situation was that he didn't seem to be an arsehole- he could have easily told me anything and then tried to get into my pants by the end of the night. There was certainly a sense of honour and code to Callum. And something inside me told me I should trust him, even with trivial things such as our meal choice.

"Give me your best, Andrews."

"Well, the fish and chips are to die for. Believe me- you've never tried anything like what Patty and Cormac have to offer. They have been perfecting their recipe for the last 20 years."

"Two fish and chips it is," I told the waiter as he came to take our order.

We spent the next hour goofing around as we tucked into the delicious food. The battered fish was incredibly tender and the chips with its mushy peas were out of this world. Callum was certainly right when he said that this was a speciality to try. Yet, what brought more joy to my soul than the food was the lightness of our conversation and the enjoyment of his company. I could not think of a single occasion in my life when I had gotten on so well with a guy. It's like he understood me when many others had tried and failed.

"Did you know that the first fish and chips in Scotland were served in the 1870s?" Callum provided me with yet another fun fact. If we were to take part in a pub quiz, this man could win it single-handedly.

"No way."

"Not kidding. We are known for enduring time up north. Take Patty and Cormac, for example- they met when they were eighteen and never looked back. They knew they were soulmates the moment they met. And all these years later, they still feel like that for each other and their love shines through every dish they prepare."