"Are you sure about this Sorcha?"
Ella stood next to Sorcha in a pair of designer cut off shorts, a sequined tank top, and flats. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a messy bun and she wore a pair of Oakley's. Even though Sorcha couldn't see her sister's blue eyes, the only thing that marked them as siblings, she could tell that she was nervous.
"Of course I am. Calleach's paying for everything. You're just nervous."
Ella gave Sorcha a tight smile. "I'm not used to doing this without Mom and Dad breathing down my neck telling me how to behave."
"If it makes you feel any better I can breathe down your neck."
Ella jumped in surprise. She elbowed Zarr in the side as she glared at him. Zarr rubbed his ribs as he gave her a big smile. A smile crept across Ella's face.
Zarr draped an arm over Ella's shoulders. Sorcha hid a smile at the look on Ella's face. She was trying to look offended, but she couldn't quite keep the pleased look off her face. Zarr winked at Sorcha before he started talking with Ella.
"Are you ready?" Calleach's voice preceded him as he slipped an arm around Sorcha's waist.
"I'm ready to meet some of the hot Scottish guys you know."
Calleach laughed at Zefora. "I know plenty of guys for you and Ella to meet. I know quite a bit of women too for the men."
Amaranth and Zaranth gave matching grins and Sorcha couldn't help but groan. She knew that those two were going to end up having a competition going on. They enjoyed trying to one up each other.
Bishop, Barron, and Beau stood talking together and Sorcha was struck by how handsome they looked. Sorcha had never realized the strong family resemblance between the three. They all had black hair and the same intense blue eyes. That alone is what said that they were family. Other than that, each Claire boy looked different. Sorcha knew that there were going to be a lot
of broken hearts in America once these men left.
Bishop glanced up. He smiled at Sorcha before he went back to talking to his brother and cousin. Sorcha wondered how long it'd be before Amaranth and Zaranth pulled those three into their competition.
"So how are we getting to Scotland?" Sorcha heard Barron ask Amaranth.
Calleach let go of Sorcha so that he could talk to everyone. Sorcha didn't realize that everyone had moved into one big group next to them. She needed to pay closer attention.
"My Uncle is sending over his private jet. That is why I wanted all of you to have everything you needed packed up last week so that it could be waiting for us in Scotland."
Beau whistled. "You do come from money then don't you."
Calleach laughed. "My family is still reaping the benefits of some strategic planning during the Middle Ages. Certain members of my family are wealthier than others because of their occupation."
"What do they do?"
Calleach draped his arm back around Sorcha's shoulders as he answered Ella's question. "The normal things people do. I have a cousin who's an accountant and another one who works in a bank. The rest of my family has their fingers stuck in all sorts of pies."
"What sort of pies?" Zefora asked curiosity dripping from her voice.
"Book binding, antiques, art, and several more things that I can't think of at the moment." Calleach said with a shrug.
"Ah," Zarr said with longing. "The pursuits of the rich."
Calleach snorted. "If you say so. Once we reach Scotland I can introduce each of you to different family members and they can tell you what they do for a living. If you find something that interests you, tell me. My family is always looking for people to help them with their work. It is their passion and I have quite a few eccentric family members who love to pull someone else into their interest. They pay pretty well too."
A sudden thought occurred to Sorcha. "What do you do for a living Calleach?"
"A little bit of everything." Calleach said as he looked down at her. "I have a business degree in accounting. I did it to help keep my family's vast fortune in order." Calleach shrugged. "I also have a degree in ancient history and I help my one Uncle appraise the artifacts that people are always trying to sell him. A lot of the time we make a killing on the artifacts. We keep a few for ourselves, but most of what we do is helping museums extend their collections."
"So I'll never have to work again."
A smile tugged at Calleach's mouth. "Only if you want to. There are plenty of things to keep you busy around the estate or you can find something that you enjoy doing and make that your job. Either way you won't be hurting for money."
"I bet a lot of women pursued you in your young days."
Calleach laughed at Zefora's words. "Sorcha is the first girl to look at me without seeing dollar signs. It's...refreshing."
Sorcha smiled sweetly up at Calleach as she stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek. "I'm not that shallow."
"I'm not so sure about that Sorcha." Zarr studied Sorcha with a sideways glance. "Remember that guy you dated during high school?"
Sorcha tried to kick Zarr. She missed. Zarr gave her a wicked grin before he continued speaking to Calleach.
"He was from a wealthy family and you had the hots for him." Zarr looked at Amaranth. "What was his name?"
Amaranth shrugged. "Jonny something. You're forgetting that Jonny only dated her because her parents were going to help him get into Harvard."
"Oh." Zarr's face fell. "I forgot about that."
Sorcha stuck her tongue out at her cousin. Zarr returned the favor. Calleach hugged Sorcha close and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
"Look!" Ella pointed at the jet that was busy coming towards the airport.
Sorcha shaded her eyes and looked at the sleek jet coming their way. Calleach frowned at the approaching jet.
"It looks like my uncle has updated his jet again." Calleach shaded his hand against the sun. "its like a Gulstream V. I know my uncle had been eyeing that jet for several years."
Zaranth gazed at the jet in envy. "I wonder what the price tag on one of those is?"
"About $59 million."
Zaranth whistled. "Damn."
Calleach smiled at Zaranth. "I told you my family has money."
"Any way your uncle would let me fly that thing?"
"You know how to fly?" Calleach abounded incredulous.
Laughter escaped all those surrounding Calleach. Zefora flipped her away from her face as she spoke to Calleach. "Zaranth loves anything to do with planes. He's a licensed pilot. That's why he spent four years with the Air Force."
Calleach's eyebrows rose in surprise. He reached forward and shook Zaranth's hand. "I may not be an American citizen, but I can appreciate a man who serves his county."
"Thanks." Zaranth clapped Calleach on the shoulder after they shook hands. "I only served four years, but my commitment is for eight. I can still be recalled for active duty for another two years."
Calleach nodded. "Just wait until my family hears that you served your country. You'll hear so many war stories that you'll be dreaming about them."
Zaranth laughed. "I'll gladly share war stories with them. At least they will appreciate my service unlike my parents."
"We appreciated you Zaranth." Zefora laid a hand on her brother's shoulder.
"I think they're ready for us," Ella said as she grabbed Sorcha's hand and started tugging her forward.
Sorcha laughed as she gladly let her sister pull her towards the jet that now had its door open. A flight attendant greeted them as they ascended the stairs and set foot in the jet. Sorcha couldn't help but ooh and ahh at the sleek interior.
Ella plopped down in the first seat she saw and patted for Sorcha to sit next to her. Calleach headed to the cockpit to speak to the pilot while Sorcha's cousins and friends found seats around her. Zefora got up and moved so that Calleach could sit next to Sorcha.
Sorcha smiled up at Calleach and snuggled into him. Calleach wrapped an arm around Sorcha's shoulder while the flight attendant closed the door and notified them of the procedures. She walked to the cockpit once she was sinished speaking.
Bishop spoke up from where he sat between Barron and Beau. "How many miles will we be traversing?"
Calleach shrugged as they felt the plane start taxing down the runway. "A little over four thousand miles."
Beau whistled as he settled back into his seat. "That gives me plenty of time to get a good nap in."
Sorcha laughed as relaxed back into Calleach. Her stomach did a little flip as she felt the jet take off. She smiled up at Calleach. Sorcha couldn't wait to see what awaited her in Scotland.