She smiled a little, then drank some of her milk. “And you?”

“I thought we might have a prowler in the castle, and I came down to tackle him.”

She chuckled. “Right.” Then feeling like a mother hen, she said, “Turn around and show me the bottoms of your feet.”

He smiled and shook his head, then showed her the sole of his right foot. She washed it with a wet paper towel.

“The other now,” Calla instructed.

He obliged. Before she finished, Julia walked into the kitchen, stared at the scene before her, and smiled. “Um, I’ll come back later.”

“Nay!” Calla said. “I broke a glass and Guthrie insisted on helping me clean it up. Even though he isn’t wearing shoes.”

“Ah,” Julia said, her eyes sparkling.

“Why in the world is everyone making a trip to the kitchen tonight?”

Guthrie only smiled.

Chapter 7

The next afternoon, after teaching the younger kids math all morning, Guthrie was called into Ian’s office, making him wonder what was up now. He’d really wanted to see how the Christmas party plans were going with Calla and Julia. Well, truth be told, he’d wanted to see Calla again.

He’d missed her at both meals—first, trying to get ready for his class, and at lunchtime, because he’d had a business lunch meeting in town. He hadn’t believed he’d have feelings like this about any lass so soon, he thought as he walked up to Ian’s office. Every time he heard her sweet voice anywhere nearby, he’d turn to see her. Every time someone mentioned her name, he instantly listened in on the conversation.

When he didn’t glimpse her sometime during the day, he wanted to know what she was doing—if she was fine with everything, or if she needed anything. He swore he’d never had such a one-track mind when it came to a woman. He attributed it to her being here, living at Argent Castle, unlike the other lassies he’d courted. If she was still living at her home, he wouldn’t be thinking about her constantly. Or so he thought.

He walked into Ian’s office, noting that his brother was reading a letter.

“Shut the door, will you, Guthrie?” Ian pushed aside a stack of papers on his desk.

If Ian hadn’t been concerned, he would have continued working and just talked at the same time, as he did when he was swamped with business and the conversation wasn’t all that important. Wolves did that—devoted all their attention to one source if they wanted to see, hear, and smell what was going on with another wolf. “Was Calla all right last night?”

Guthrie sat down and smiled. Had Julia told Ian that he’d been with Calla last night in the kitchen? Or…Duncan had. Hell, probably both had. “Aye, just a little spilt milk, but that was it.”

“Is there…anything I need to know? Like, do you want to be on permanent guard duty for Calla?”

“Over spilt milk? Nay.” Guthrie knew what his brother was getting at, but he had no intention of feeding his curiosity.

Ian considered him, knowing in his wolf’s way that Guthrie wasn’t being completely honest with him. “Calla said she had an impromptu kids’ party this morning that was just scheduled last week. And then she had to set up the decorations and do whatever else beforehand for the toga party. So I sent Duncan with some men.

“He was supposed to also go to the toga party. He had to rearrange his schedule so he could go to the other activities this morning. You were teaching the kids, so I didn’t want to ask you. But Duncan had plans to take his mate Christmas shopping. Can you handle the toga party instead?”

“He’s going Christmas shopping again?”

“I understand he and Shelley haven’t found everything they need.”

Guthrie couldn’t see his brother doing all that much shopping. “You really want me to go to another one of Calla’s parties after yesterday’s fiasco?” Guthrie asked, surprised.

“Aye.”

“I suppose you don’t want me to be armed this time.”

Ian smiled at him and leaned back against his leather chair. “Leave your swords in the vehicle. You can wear your sgian dubh in your sock beneath your trousers in case Baird or his kin show. Do you have any objection to going?”

“Nay, unless the lass doesn’t care for the idea. She may still believe I’d stir up too much trouble.” Guthrie didn’t like the idea that she might wear a toga herself. Then again, maybe she wouldn’t. She hadn’t worn a Stewart plaid to the Rankin reunion.

Ian chuckled. “Of any of our brothers, you are the least easily provoked. The fight at the reunion was not why I didn’t assign you to this job initially. I knew you had financial business to attend to, but then you resolved it at lunch today. I’ve already informed her that you’re heading her guard detail for the party. All right?”

“How did she take it?”

“She was fine with it.”

Guthrie eyed his brother, knowing that there was more to it than that. He finally said, “Aye.”

“You, Ethan, and Oran will go.”

“Was there any sign of Baird and his brothers or cousins following Calla to the party this morning?” Guthrie asked.

“Nay. But I’ve had Julia talk with her about it. I keep feeling there’s more to him stalking her than that he’s an alpha wolf who doesn’t like to lose.”

“That’s putting it lightly. Not only did Cearnach convince her not to marry Baird at the wedding, but she’s also now under our protection. And we tore into him and his brothers and cousins good the last time we had a confrontation with them. He’s more than a sore loser.”

“Aye, true. So keep a watchful eye out.”

Guthrie rose to leave.

“Are you going to participate in the Christmas decorating party that Julia’s scheduled for this afternoon?”

“If I can make it. I’ve got some other business to attend to.”

“All right. Well, it starts in an hour.”

Guthrie nodded and left the room. He had no intention of adding to the chaos of decorating the tree. Last year, he’d lost his balance when Cearnach bumped into him while untangling Christmas lights. Guthrie had stumbled onto a cardboard box of decorations, smashing the delicate glass ornaments to bits. He’d felt terrible, though his mother had just smiled at him and shaken her head.