Seeing a shadow cross her face, Zac moved closer to her. ‘How are you feeling after the dramas with Rhys in town the other day?’
She shrugged. ‘I’m fine really. Still a bit stunned by his nerve coming here and behaving like he did, but relieved he’s gone.’
Zac checked no one was looking in their direction and gave her a quick kiss.
‘What’s that for?’ Melody smiled.
‘Does there have to be a reason?’ he asked, wishing they had some time alone together without the chance of anyone interrupting them. He had an idea. ‘If I arranged something, just for you and me, overnight, would you mind?’
She stared at him thoughtfully for a few seconds, and he wished he could tell what she was thinking. Then Zac felt Melody’s hand slip into his. ‘I’d like that very much,’ she whispered.
His heart raced at the thought of the two of them with time on their hands, alone. ‘You seem very certain about that,’ he teased.
‘That’s because I am.’ She kissed him. ‘So, where were you thinking of taking me for this rendezvous then?’
He tapped the side of his nose. ‘That’s for me to know and you to wait and find out.’
Melody looked deep into his eyes. ‘You don’t know yet, do you?’
He laughed. ‘Fine, no, I don’t. To be honest, the idea only just occurred to me.’
‘Because we never have time by ourselves and we’ll be parting ways soon, you mean?’
He saw the sadness in her face at the mention of them having to say their goodbyes in a week. ‘Exactly that.’
She took a sip from her drink. ‘I’m taking so many amazing memories home with me and to have a night together alone with you will, I’m sure, be perfect.’
He felt his mood deflate slightly. ‘You don’t think that maybe it’ll make things even harder than they’re already going to be after we do this?’
She nodded. ‘Most probably, but I wouldn’t let that put me off, and I imagine you won’t either.’
He shook his head. ‘Hell, no.’
Lindy banged a tray with a serving spoon, making Melody jump and Zac roll his eyes in irritation. ‘Why she can’t just call out to us, I don’t know.’
Melody went to go to the table, just as it dawned on Zac exactly where he would take her. He only hoped there wasavailability. It was still not quite autumn and there were a lot of holidaymakers on the island. He walked next to her to the tables. ‘I know exactly where I’m going to take you,’ he whispered.
Melody stopped walking and looked up at him. ‘Where?’ she asked, an excited look on her tanned face.
‘You’ll have to wait and see.’
After supper, when Lettie had left to spend the rest of her evening at Brodie’s cottage, Patsy had retired to her room to continue working on her next book and his parents were in the sitting room watching something on the television, Zac suggested he and Melody go for a drink at the pub.
‘It’s a beautiful evening and if this winter is anything like that last one, we should make the most of the warm weather while we have it.’
Half an hour later Zac left Melody to get comfortable at the last table outside the pub, nestled among tubs of colourful trailing geraniums and ivy, while he went inside to buy their drinks. When he came outside, he stopped on the doorstep and watched the girl he loved for a few seconds. She was gentle and kind to everyone and there was something refreshing in the way she never seemed to try to fit in with current fashions, or the usual social-media-influenced women he usually dated.
Melody seemed to sense his arrival and looked up, smiling at him and causing Zac’s stomach to flip over. She really was the perfect woman for him in every way. ‘You were quick.’
He placed their drinks on the circular metal table and sat opposite her. ‘I think my timing was spot on. There’s a large group of people in there being served just after me and they’ll probably want to come outside like the rest of us.’ He raised his glass to her. ‘To a happy last week of your visit.’
‘It’s all going far too quickly,’ Melody said. Zac listened as she told him how much she and Patsy had enjoyed their time on the island. ‘It’s been wonderful getting to know your family andfriends. And we’ve loved living on the farm. It’s such a peaceful, pretty place.’
‘I’m glad you’ve enjoyed your time there.’
She took a sip of her drink then set it down and rested her elbows on the table and her chin into the palm of one hand. ‘We’ve loved every moment. I know we’re both sad that our time here is almost over.’ She looked around while he watched her wistfully, wishing he could persuade her to stay. ‘Even this village is like something from a picture book.’ She sighed.
‘You don’t have to go.’ He said the words without meaning to. He knew she was close to her grandmother and couldn’t imagine Patsy wanting to stay long term when she had a home and family back in Scotland to return to.
