Heart Melter by Sophia Knightly

question for a moment. “Bettina Roberts just had cosmetic work done in Glasgow and she looks verra different.”
    “What did she have done?”
    Ranald’s hand left the steering wheel as both his hands made a circular, bouncing motion in front of his chest.
    “A boob job?” Natasha giggled at his pantomime.
    Ranald nodded and grinned devilishly. “It’s no secret, but don’t tell Maggie I told you.”
    “Is Bettina still after Ian?” Bettina was a cute and outgoing masseuse in her mid-thirties who was Ian’s ardent admirer. She came to Glenhaven twice a month to give Maggie and Ranald Swedish massages—Ian too, when he was in town.
    Ranald chuckled and shook his headful of shaggy white hair. “Aye, that one won’t give up, but Ian has had a girlfriend for two years now.”
    Girlfriend? It caught Natasha unaware, but why should she be surprised that he had a girlfriend? Most women would consider him a hot catch, with a capital H.
    “Who is she? What’s her name?” Natasha tried not to act distressed, but it wasn’t working.
    “Danielle Parkhurst.” Ranald didn’t take his eyes off the road as he concentrated on the winding path. “She’s a dermatologist who worked with him in Doctors Without Borders.”
    “Oh.” Natasha strove to keep the disappointment she felt out of her voice and off her facial expression. “So they’ve been together for two years you said?” she asked in a light tone.
    “Aye…but it’s been on again off again because she lives in London. They keep breaking up and getting back together.” Ranald rubbed the tip of his ruddy nose. “Rather complicates things because Ian has been working with her to build his clinic in Edinburgh.”
    “Are they back together now?” Natasha’s stomach tightened with jealousy. Not only were Ian and Danielle lovers, but they were working together on realizing Ian’s dream.
    “Maggie said they haven’t been getting along lately, so maybe it’s off again.” Ranald shrugged. “You should ask him.”
    “No, thanks.” She touched Ranald’s shirtsleeve. “Please don’t tell Ian I was asking. I was a little curious…that’s all.”
    Ranald’s weathered hand gave her shoulder a fond pat. “Ian is closed-mouthed about his love life. Maggie and I don’t dare ask him much about his women.”
    His women? “How many women are you talking about?” Natasha was embarrassed to ask, but she couldn’t help it. 
    He tilted his head and his brows drew together as if he were counting them. “A few, but none have mattered as much as that Parkhurst girl,” he said after a long moment of deliberation.
    Natasha flinched. She couldn’t bear hearing about Ian’s love life, especially when it didn’t involve her. She had just spent several hours with him on his private jet, hoping to reconnect, but everything had gone downhill after they’d argued. She had hoped to open communication with him after she woke up from her nap, but Ian had been less than talkative. Even during the continental breakfast they’d shared later, he’d been brooding and pensive. When she’d tried to draw him into conversation, he’d said he was preoccupied with the upcoming meetings in London. Now she wondered if part of his pensiveness was the expectation of seeing Danielle.
    “Och, listen to me ramblin’ on. How was your trip over, lass?” Ranald turned to peer at her warmly through olive green eyes.
    “Amazing. I’d never been on a private jet before. The food was wonderful,” she said.
    “What did you eat?”
    “Ian arranged for a fine lobster dinner and then later, a nice breakfast.”
    “Did he now?”  Ranald chuckled. “Jolly good. I’m glad the two of you have made amends. Maggie and I couldn’t be happier.”
    “Don’t get too excited. I wouldn’t exactly call it amends. Ian didn’t talk much, and I slept most of the way over.”
    “He’s not one for conversation when he’s preoccupied,” Ranald said, nodding.
    Preoccupied with Danielle ,