Maybe a day away from this place, from Lachlan and all these messy feelings, is what I need to get my head straight.
The to-go coffee from the Lighthouse Café is a godsend. Proper coffee, none of that instant crap. That’s more like it.
Ellie and I follow the coastal path that winds above Ardmara, the town spread out below us like a picture postcard. The wind whips my hair around my face, carrying the salt tang of the sea and the distant cries of gulls wheeling overhead.
“The view from up here is amazing,” I say, pausing to look back at the harbour.
“Mm-hmm,” Ellie says absently, then launches into what sounds suspiciously like a melody under her breath as we continue walking.
“Okay, I have to ask, what’s with all the humming? You’ve been at it since we left the café.”
Ellie winces. “Was I? Sorry. I’ve got the summer festival coming up, and I can’t stop running through songs in my head.”
“You perform? That’s amazing! What do you play? Please tell me it’s the bagpipes.”
She laughs. “Fiddle. I’m in a wee band with a couple of guys.” She glances sideways at me. “One of them is Struan. You know, guitar, curls, thinks he’s irresistible.”
I snort. “Flirty Struan, of course. Not a bad guy, though—when he’s not waggling his eyebrows. But I bet you wish it was Douglas in the band instead. Right?”
“Blair!” She nudges me with her elbow. “You’re terrible. Anyway, seems I’m not the only one with a creative streak. I overheard Finn saying at the library that you’re working on a story.”
“I am! Or I was.” I sip my coffee, watching a fishing boat carve across the water. “Been a bit... distracted lately.”
“Oh?” Ellie tips her head. “You did say something in your text about needing this adventure.”
I think about deflecting, but who am I kidding? I’ve never been great at keeping my mouth shut. And being here, far away from anyone who knows the New York version of me, makes it way too easy to overshare.
“I had sex with Lachlan,” I blurt. “Twice.”
Ellie nearly chokes on her coffee, her eyes going wide. “You what?”
“Well,” I plough on, because apparently my mouth has decided we’re doing this, “the first time was him taking care of me. Best oral sex of my life.” I let my head fall back and stare dreamily up at the blue sky. “But then last night we went the whole way, and... let’s just say that man knows what he’s doing.” I bring my fingers to my mouth in a chef’s kiss. “Could barely walk straight this morning.”
When I glance at Ellie, her cheeks are the colour of ripe tomatoes.
“Oh! Too much?”
“No!” she says quickly, then laughs at herself. “God, I sound like a shy librarian cliché, don’t I? Trust me, I’ve dog-eared plenty of spicy chapters in my time. I’m just not used totalkingabout such things quite so openly.”
I quirk an eyebrow.Thisis openly? Ellie should hear the director’s cut running in my head. But maybe in a small Highland town, people are a bit more reserved than I’m used to. Pretty sure Lachlan would sooner discuss tide charts than fingering techniques. Which just goes to show, you don’t need to be able tosaysomething to be very, very good at it. Last night he hit every spot like he had a map.
Ellie leans closer, almost conspiratorial. “I’ll admit, Lachlan struck me as more... schedules and rulebooks than bedroom acrobatics.”
I grin. “Oh, he’s disciplined, all right. Just in the fun ways too. I mean, if he wanted to lay down the law, I’d obey.”
“Blair!” Ellie squeaks, clapping a hand over her mouth. And then we both lose it, laughter spilling out and carried away by the wind. A nearby sheep looks up mid-chew, fixes uswith a judgemental stare, then goes back to grazing like our conversation is beneath its notice.
We keep walking, our laughter trailing off as the path curves around a headland and the coastline stretches wide and glittering in front of us.
“But honestly?” I say. “It’s complicated. He’s a widower, Finn lost his mother, and I’m only here for a short time. Also, sure, the sex is great, but there’s something else too. Behind all that gruff ferry-captain stuff... there’s a side to him that gets under my skin. Yesterday we spent the whole day at this beach—Traigh Bàn—and it was just... perfect. He was relaxed, Finn was happy, and I kept getting these stupid little butterflies in my stomach.” I shake my head. “Which is ridiculous. I didn’t come here for butterflies. I came here for escape.”
Ellie is quiet for a moment, her expression thoughtful. “Well, if we got to pick who we fancied, life would be a lot simpler. I’d have picked someone a little less complicated. As for Lachlan, I think he probably needs someone to shake him out of his grief. If it’s helping him, and you’re enjoying yourself, what’s the issue? So long as Finn’s not stepping over discarded clothes in the hallway, it seems harmless enough.”
She gives a little self-deprecating smile and tucks a lock of dark-blonde hair behind her ear. “Listen to me, pretending I know about these things. But if it feels right... maybe it is right.”
I consider this as we walk, then link my arm through hers. “You know what, Ellie?”
“What?”
