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‘This is me. This is the legacy that Angus left me.’ He put his hand over hers and squeezed tightly. ‘It means so much more than bricks and mortar. Angus, and the people here, helped me grow into the man I am today.’ He traced a finger down her cheek. ‘One that knows if you love someone, you should always put them first.’
Her voice trembled. ‘What do you mean you can’t get past me, Callan? What are you saying?’
‘I’m saying whatever your decision—about Annick Castle, or about your job—I want to be in your life. I want to be part of your life.’ He put both of his hands on her cheeks. ‘I want to be your family.’
Tears glistened in her eyes.
‘You have to know that I’ve never connected with anyone the way I’ve connected with you. I don’t want to let you go. I don’t want this weekend to end.’ He held up his arms. ‘I wanted to ask you to stay with me this morning, Laurie, but I didn’t know where I’d be. I didn’t know what I’d have to offer you.’
Her voice cracked. ‘Why would you need to offer me anything, Callan? I don’t expect anything from you.’
‘But that’s just it, Laurie. I want you to. I want to be part of your life. I want to be here for you. Wherever you want to be, just tell me. I can find a way to make this work.’
He could see her breath catching in her throat.
Her head was spinning. He was asking her to stay. He was telling her he wanted to be with her. But he hadn’t said the words. The three little words she needed to hear.
She took his hands from her cheeks and intertwined her fingers with his. It had finally stopped raining and the sun was peeking out from behind some clouds. Beneath them the gardens lay out in all their coloured glory. Who wouldn’t want to look out at that every single day?
She took a deep breath. ‘I’ve been so confused, Callan. You’re right. From the moment I set foot in Annick Castle I feel as if it’s got a hold on me. I love this place. I love every single part of it.’
She hesitated. Should she say the next part?
‘You’ve made some of my dreams come true, Callan. I never expected it. I never imagined it.’
His hand clasped over hers. ‘Every girl should have their own Sound of Music gazebo. Every girl should have their own princess staircase.’
‘But I don’t want every girl to have you.’ Did she just say that out loud? In another life she might have cringed, but not here, and not now. This was the moment she found out if her life was going to change for ever.
His voice was low and sincere. ‘Every girl can’t have me. There’s only one girl I want. There’s only one girl I want in my life, now and always.’ His hand reached up and stroked her cheek. ‘Know that I will go anywhere with you, any time.’ He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I can Blether all over the world, but there’s no one else I want to blether with. It’s you or nobody. I love you, Laurie Jenkins. Please say you’ll stay with me. Please say we have a future together.’
She reached up and caught his finger in her hand. ‘I love you too. I can’t imagine spending a single day without you.’
She was going to cry again. The tears were building in her eyes.
‘Can I interest you in an Edinburgh town house, Laurie Jenkins?’
‘Can I interest you in a slightly dishevelled castle, Callan McGregor?’
He smiled, his eyes crinkling as pulled her towards him in a kiss. ‘Let’s begin negotiations. I think I’m going to need a good lawyer.’
She laughed. ‘I know just the person.’
EPILOGUE
AS SOON AS he walked through the doors all he could smell was the wonderful array of baking. Gingerbread, chocolate cake, freshly baked scones and the bubbling smell of lentil soup. His stomach growled in instant response but there was a bus tour due in an hour. He had to keep his mind on the job. ‘Laurie, where are you?’
The former icehouse was exactly as she’d planned. Windows all the way around showing views of the gardens and views of the sea. Red and white checked tablecloths, comfortable chairs at the tables, a separate play area for kids and a very expensive coffee machine that Callan had already burned himself on. Still, it was red and matched perfectly. And it had put a huge smile on Laurie’s face.
She appeared from behind the counter, looking a little flushed, wiping her hands on a towel. ‘It can’t be that time already?’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘It is.’
‘But I haven’t got changed, or fixed my hair, and my make-up must be halfway down my face.’
He shook his head and put his hands on her waist. ‘You look perfect.’
‘But I’ve still to—’
He bent down and kissed her to stop her talking. It was amazing how often he had to do that. But it worked like a charm every time. She wound her hands around his neck. ‘You’re distracting me,’ she murmured.
‘It’s my job.’
He pulled back and smiled. ‘I have two special customers that we can’t keep waiting.’
Fourteen months of blood, sweat, tears and lots and lots of special memories. Annick Castle was theirs. Together. And it was now open to the public. The repairs had been put in order. They’d been exhausting and daunting. There had been hours of planning and negotiations with local authorities. They’d even had to redo the steps down the cliff side and install a proper handrail.
But the important thing was that they’d done them together.
And the truth was he’d never seen her look happier. She gave a nervous laugh. ‘Customers. Now I’m really scared.’
‘Oh, don’t worry. I think they’ll like this place,’ he said with confidence as she flicked the sign on the door from Closed to Open.
Marion and Bert didn’t waste any time. Bert went straight to the strawberry and cream sponge sitting under a glass dome. ‘I’ll have a bit of that and a mug of tea.’ He wagged his finger at Laurie. ‘Don’t be giving me any of those fancy china cups.’
Marion was the extreme opposite. ‘I’ll have a toasted scone with butter and jam, and a pot of tea.’ She nodded at Laurie. ‘And I do want a china cup.’
Laurie scurried off, obviously overjoyed by her first customers. Callan sat down at one of the round tables, staring out at the crashing ocean. It was August. The doors to Annick Castle opened today. His stomach was churning a little at the thought of it.
Part of it was genuine nerves about what people might think of the place he loved. Part of it was fear that things wouldn’t work out. Laurie would be devastated. He was beginning to suspect she loved this place even more than he did. Could that even be possible?
He heard the clink of china being set on a table, appreciative voices, then he felt a hand on his back and Laurie slid into the chair next to him, putting a large piece of his favourite chocolate cake on the table in front of him.
‘How does it feel?’
She smiled and glanced out of the window, looking the other way towards the gardens. ‘It feels right,’ she said quietly as she reached over and squeezed his hands.
‘No regrets about leaving London?’
She shook her head fiercely. ‘Not a single one. I haven’t had a tension headache since I moved here.’
‘Even with all the hassles with the castle?’
‘They weren’t hassles. They were teething problems.’ She leaned over and kissed him. ‘Besides I had someone I could moan to every night in bed with me.’
He gave her a wink as he put a piece of chocolate cake in his mouth. ‘I hope that wasn’t the only reason you were moaning.’ He didn’t wait for her reaction before he let out a yelp. ‘Ouch! What’s that?’
Laurie jumped up. ‘What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with the cake?’
‘There’s something very wrong. I just got a lump of something in it.’ He couldn’t stop the gleam in his eyes as he preten
ded to fish something out of his mouth.
She still hadn’t clicked. ‘What is it?’ she demanded as she made a grab for his palm. ‘Oh!’
The emerald and diamond ring lay in the palm of his hand. He’d wanted to propose to her from the moment she’d moved here. But there was never a more perfect time than now—the first day of their new life together.
‘Is that all you can say—oh?’
She smiled. ‘Oh, no, you don’t, Callan McGregor. I want the whole shebang.’
He slid down onto the floor, kneeling in front of her. ‘I should have taken you to the gazebo, shouldn’t I?’
She leaned forward and whispered in his ear. ‘Don’t worry, our last trip to the gazebo seems to have left us with more than memories.’
‘Really?’ He jumped straight back up and pulled her into his arms, swinging her around. ‘Really?’ He couldn’t believe it. Nothing could be more perfect.
‘Really.’ She smiled as he lowered her to the floor.
For the first time in years Callan felt flustered. He grabbed the ring and knelt down again in front of her. ‘Then I better make this quick, before people start getting out calendars and looking at the date.’ He took both her hands in his. ‘Laurie Jenkins, I love you more than life itself. Will you do me the honour of walking down our gorgeous staircase in a wedding dress and becoming my wife?’ He slid the ring onto her finger.
‘I think you’re supposed to wait for my answer.’ She smiled.
