Heather's Highlander: Highlanders of Heartsgate, #1

By Kirsten Osbourne

Heather has a busy career as a massage therapist and two roommates she adores. The only thing missing? Love. She longs to have a love like the ones she reads about in her books, but with little time and no prospects, it's doubtful she'll find the right man.
When a stranger attends her book club, Heather is intrigued by the woman's claim of matching soulmates through time.
Was her happily-ever-after only a wish away in medieval Scotland?
Derek McClain needs a bride to take his rightful place as laird over his clan, but with his empathic abilities, being alone with any woman long enough to court them is torturous.
When he stumbles upon a woman in the woods, he finds the answer to his dilemma. She needs a protector, and he needs a bride to fulfill his destiny.
But will feeling her emotions make it impossible to forge a real bond between them? And can a woman from the twenty-first century truly be happy in medieval Scotland?
Dr. Lachele is at it again, meddling in the lives of the members of another book club. Follow along and see how she changes the lives of the single people of Heartsgate.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Unlimited Dreams
• Release date: Oct 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393108870

Book preview

Chapter 1

Dr. Lachele Simpson sat at her desk and wished there was a book club meeting the next day, but how could there be? She’d made all the women of the club’s wishes come true, sending them back in time, or making them fall in the path of a billionaire...whatever they wanted, she’d done, but now she didn’t have a book club to go to.

Pulling up her internet browser, she quickly googled Book Club New York.

She read through several different book club’s profiles, and when she found what she was looking for, she let out a squeal. This is the one! The new book club was located in Heartsgate, New York, and looked like it took place in a library.

She wasn’t sure if she was even going to reveal her powers to the women of the new book club, because it made her lonely to have no one to talk books with. SamiSunflower was in Kansas, living a life full of twins, and she’d been Dr. Lachele’s favorite book buddy.

No matter. She’d have new book buddies soon, and better yet, the book club was out of the city, so she’d get to drive!  Her husband Sam didn’t approve of her driving in the city. She didn’t understand his problem. She’d only hit three mailboxes, four safety cones, and one light post in a week, and her husband said she wasn’t fit to drive in New York City. He really did have issues.

It looked like Heartsgate was about an hour and a half north of the city, which sounded like a nice drive to her. And this one met every Saturday. Of course, she traveled enough for her matchmaking business that she couldn’t always go, but she could go as often as she was in town.

She rubbed her hands together. Another romance book club. Another world to conquer. She couldn’t wait!

HEATHER CLUTCHED HER book to her chest as she hurried toward the library, ready to take part in the one activity she lived for every week—book club. The club had been meeting for a while, and she loved that she got to spend time with fellow book lovers. Usually, she and her housemates rode together to the library, where they met, but this week, she’d decided to walk to get a little more vitamin D and sunshine in her life.

It was a beautiful spring day in Heartsgate—a small town in upstate New York—where she’d settled after massage school. She’d met her friend and housemate Alyssa in school, and when they’d graduated, Alyssa had invited her to come live in her big house she’d inherited when her parents had died. It was a six bedroom, three bath house, and it was perfect for Alyssa, Heather, and Holli.

Each woman had a bedroom and a room to work in, though Holli wasn’t a massage therapist like the other two. She was a writer—a ghost writer in fact. Heather worried about Holli sometimes. Her friend was doing what she loved, sure, but she wasn’t doing it in the way she wanted, and Heather sometimes felt that the ghostwriting was eating her alive.

Heather rushed into the library and headed straight for the stairs. She sometimes used the elevator, but she was trying to be healthier. She wasn’t great at getting out of the house and doing things, though, so taking the stairs was at least a step in the right direction.

When she got there, she saw her roommates weren’t there yet, so she walked over and sat down next to an older woman with purple hair who’d been attending meetings for about a month. Heather knew a lot of the others thought the woman was batty, but she didn’t care. She liked Dr. Lachele. Good morning, she said, setting her book on the table in front of her. The top half of the library was mainly used for book clubs and author events, and they met in a conference room in one corner. They were rarely bothered.

Good morning! Rose, isn’t it? I’m not good with names, but I never forget a face.

Heather, Heather corrected automatically. Dr. Lachele had gotten her name wrong every single week, but Heather wasn’t bothered. It was easy enough to correct her. What book did you bring this week?

Oh, this is a favorite of mine, Dr. Lachele said, turning a historical western romance over. I’m addicted to crazy mail-order bride stories. Janelle Daniels is one of my very favorite writers.

Heather smiled. Dr. Lachele seemed to be addicted to a lot of different genres of romance. I can’t wait to hear about it, Heather said. Their book club was different than most in that everyone there brought their own favorite book and spent a few minutes talking about it. That way they all got to talk about books, and something might spark the interest of one of them for a different genre.

What did you bring? Dr. Lachele asked.

Same as always. A book about a Highland laird finding love. Heather sighed. I wish there was a way to live back then...when times were so much simpler. She’d thought about it more than a normal person would have, she was sure. Who wanted to live in a time before indoor plumbing? Heather did. With all of her heart, that’s what she wanted.

You do? Dr. Lachele had a twinkle in her beautiful green eyes. I could make that happen.

Heather laughed. I wish.

Look, Dr. Lachele said softly, I have the power to grant wishes. I’d be happy to send you back in time to the man of your dreams, but you’re going to want to be prepared. The first woman I sent back to medieval Scotland was in the wrong clothes and it was harder for her than it had to be. You need to get a nice dress made first. Come to me next week and wish again, and I’ll make it happen.

Heather laughed. You’re going to make me go back in time and marry a Highland laird?

Dr. Lachele shook her head. "I’ll make you go back in time, but marrying the laird is up to you. I’ll put you in the right place and right time to meet the man, but I can’t make him fall in love with you. She put her finger to her cheek. At least I don’t think I can. But I wouldn’t if I could. He needs to be able to control his own life, not have me do it for him."

Heather was feeling a bit confused, but she suddenly understood why the others thought Dr. Lachele was batty. But you can make me fall in love with him?

Not that either. But I can send you to the man who is right for you, and you can make things happen on your own.

Heather thought the woman had lost her mind. No wonder everyone else said she was batty. "So, if I come to book club next week, wearing a period appropriate dress, you’ll send me to a Highland laird I could fall in love with."

That’s right. I’d suggest a solar powered charger if you like your phone, because there are no plugs of course. The last woman I sent back was addicted to Candy Crush, and she had a hard time. Dr. Lachele shook her head.

I see, Heather said, though she didn’t. I guess antibiotics would be necessary. Why not humor the woman? She had a Highland dress in her closet from a costume party she’d attended in high school. It should still fit.

Yes, you’re thinking about this the right way. You want to take things that won’t make you stand out, or you could hide easily, but would make your life more comfortable. It might be nice if I could send you to marry the son of the last man, I sent a woman to marry, but I’ll have to think on that. He might not be right for you.

I see... Heather shook her head, shrugging. I’ll be ready next week. She didn’t believe the woman could really do it of course, but it would be fun to prepare for a journey through time, even if she didn’t really plan to take it.

Everyone else started trickling into the room then, and they got serious about their meeting. Heather’s heart wasn’t in it though. She couldn’t stop thinking about what Dr. Lachele had offered her. Even if it wasn’t possible, what did it hurt to live like it was possible for a week?

After the meeting, Heather went to lunch with Alyssa and Holli as usual. Saturdays were roommate days, something they’d decided long before when they all moved in together. They went to the Twisted Kilt, the Irish Pub next door to the library, and once they were seated in their usual booth in the corner, Heather told the others what Dr. Lachele had offered.

Alyssa laughed and shook her head. You don’t believe her, do you?

Heather shrugged.