Bending Malcolm: The Captain's Folly Series, #2

By Adrienne Dunning

Can true love forgive and forget?

 

Malcolm Lennox has spent the last fifteen years carefully constructing a brick wall around his heart, determined to never be hurt in love again. He's mastered this over the years, but just one name obliterates all that work: Ainsley Hamilton.  The beauty that has haunted his every dream after completely breaking his heart has returned home at last.  She wants forgiveness, but that's easier said than done.  

 

When Malcolm finds out his ex is now also going to be in his best friend's wedding, the betrayal cuts deep.  Can he find a way to get through this fiasco unscathed, or will his heart, and the armor around it, get broken again?

 

This second-chance romance is book two of the long-awaited Captain's Folly Series, a trilogy of novellas following three members of The Captain's Folly, a pub band featured weekly at The Ship's Inn Tavern in North Berwick, Scotland.  New reader?  Then dive in where it all began by reading the prequel novel, Seeking Solace, and the first novella of the series, Snaring Angus.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ViridianFire Publications
• Release date: Nov 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393067504

Book preview

bending:  the act of pushing or pulling a string sideways across the fret to raise

the pitch of a note by a half to full tone or more.  Used extensively in rock and blues playing.

bending:  to force back to an original condition

"She’s pretending like she don’t miss you.  You’re pretending you don’t care.

Ego is a hell of a drug."

—Unknown

Chapter One

W hat do you mean Ainsley’s back? Malcolm Lennox growled at his best mate, Bretton Keith, as he slammed his whisky glass onto the bar.

Apparently, she moved to Edinburgh recently, and Sarah’s gotten friendly with her.  I couldn’t believe it when she told me a few weeks ago.  Bret shook his head and poured his mate another shot.

A few weeks ago! Malcolm shouted before lowering his voice to avoid attention.  You’ve known this for weeks, and you didn’t think I needed to bloody know!  Steel-grey eyes shot daggers at the man in the front of him.  Some best mate.

The noise of the crowd in the Ship’s Inn Tavern sounded like a cacophony in Malcolm’s head.  He looked over at his bandmate, Angus Donaghue, who was laughing and celebrating his new relationship with Kerry Hunter.  Those two had finally, after years of bickering, admitted they loved each other.    He wouldn’t ruin their night, but he needed some air.  He stalked off toward the door, weaving through the crowd.

Mack!

Malcolm heard Bret calling after him but didn’t turn around. 

Oy! What’s up with Mack? Angus yelled down the bar at Bret as he watched his friend stalk toward the door. 

Bret just shook his head at Angus and mouthed Later over the noise. 

Slamming at the heavy wooden door, Malcolm exited the pub and headed out into the darkness of the North Berwick night.

Malcolm shoved his hands in his pockets and continued up Harbor Terrace, trudging aimlessly ahead.  The street was quiet since most people were in the pub, so all he had were his thoughts.  He had plenty of those, some of which he wished he didn’t.  Fifteen years and just her name still felt like a broadsword slicing through his heart.  That’s why none of them ever said it.  The guys knew that if they valued their life, her name was never to be mentioned.  He managed to keep that pain, and the rest of his emotions, on ice most of the time.  Like it or not, that was the only way to go on.  Better to not feel anything than to feel that stabbing agony again.  Ever.  Between his mates now going all moony and falling in love and now this news, Mack wasn’t sure he was going to be able to keep that up.  Hearing her name just now chipped a huge crack in the ice block around his heart.  He could feel that crack getting bigger with every step he took. 

BRET WALKED UP TO THE sound of the furious banging of hammer on wood.  He knew he would find Mack working on his latest construction project, even if it had gone well past midnight.  Rounding the side of the stud wall, Bret shook his head.  Mack was bracing one hand on the wall, feet spread wide and planted firmly on the ground.  He was swinging that hammer with heavy force, the pounding echoing through the empty space.  His jaw was set in a harsh line, sweat pouring from his temples.

I am betting the neighbors are just loving you right now, mate, Bret called out as he leaned against the doorjamb. 

Yeah, well they can buggar all, he spat back through gritted teeth.

Malcolm.  The hammering continued.  Mack!  More pounding.  Damn it, Mack!!

Malcolm pivoted away from the wall and swung out his arm so that the hammer stopped just inches from Bret’s face.  You.  Of all bloody people, Bretton.  You know what that woman did.  Yet, you just bring her up as easy as saying the tide’s coming in.  His face contorted with rage and hurt.  Get out.

I think you—

Buggar off, Bret.  I mean it.  He turned back to the wall, picked up another stud and began pounding that hammer.  Go home, he threw back over his shoulder.

He didn’t look back to see that Bret had left.  He just kept his eyes on the wall and the hammer arcing through the air.  His bicep and tricep were burning with the effort he had been exerting to swing.  He could feel the tremor from the hammer hitting the walls reverberate all the way from his wrist to his shoulder.  Still, he kept on.  Forced to think about Ainsley again, and suddenly, he had to do something.  Anything. 

Losing himself in a new project always helped him center, so he naturally had found himself standing at the edge of the property for this latest one while he was roaming the night.  Yes, it was late.  Yes, the neighbors were likely cursing him to the heavens for pounding away like this in the middle of the night.  The muscles in his shoulder now on fire, he slammed the hammer into the stud one last time to finish driving the nail home and collapsed forward, forehead smashing against the narrow piece of wood and arms hanging limply at his sides.  He felt the hammer slide from his hand and fall to the floor with a thump.

Pictures flooded his memory in sudden flashes.  Seeing her across the room at a party.  Watching her sleep, long brown hair spilling over the pillows.  Sliding a simple ring on her finger.  Caramel eyes crinkling in a bright grin.  Coming home to a flat completely empty of all her clothes, books, and momentos.  Gripping the fabric of his jeans until his knuckles turned white, he bent at the waist and let out a deep, strangled scream.

Chapter Two

I s Mack coming today ?  What was with him anyhow?  Angus was getting seated behind his drum kit, spinning his drumsticks in his