‘You said you had something to tell me?’ She glances at his hands.
‘Yeah. But.’
‘Do you want a coffee? Tea? Some beer?’ Heather bends to move a pile of what must be ironing from the sofa onto a small table to create space for him to sit.
And suddenly, he knows what he wants.
‘No. I want to do this properly,’ he says with the assurance of a man who finally understands what he’s been refusing to believe for many weeks. ‘I want to take you on a proper date. To buy you some lovely food, to drink some fantastic wines. And to talk. And play cards. And watch shit on TV.’
There’s a beat as Heather places the pile of laundry on the table and then turns to face him.
‘Those aren’t the things we normally do, Scott.’
She doesn’t mention their agreement of having a casual, don’t-tell-the-girls arrangement, but her questioning of his motives says it all.
‘No, but what do you think? Could we do things just a bit differently? There’s stuff I want to talk to you about, Heather. Properly. At a time that suits us both.’
She frowns. ‘You’re sure?’
By the time he leaves, they agree he’ll come over to hers in two weekends’ time, and she’ll fit it in around seeing her parents with Fraser on the Sunday. Heather will have completed the bulk of her work by then, and although she’ll be looking after Maisie, they can tweak their arrangements to accommodate it. The fact their date clashes with Scott’s next cycle ride with Luca and the rest of the group is something he’s just going to have to work around. They kiss passionately in the hallway, and when he eventually leaves, Scott has a sense that their relationship has moved into a new territory, and one his sister-in-law would approve of. Scott himself couldn’t be happier. All he has to do is silence his long-held demons.
Lorraine’s right. It’s time.
FRESHMAN PARENTS' ONLINE FORUM: ST ANDREWS UNIVERSITY
Just seen the post on Instagram. Apparently there’s a big student three-legged pub crawl this afternoon. Hold on to your hats everybody!
OMG. That’s going to result in a bunch of rat a***d students!
My DD’s doing it. Says it’s going to be wild!
Chapter 29
HEATHER
ThedaysbeforeHeather’sfirst proper date with Scott fly by in a haze of receipt sorting, conversations with Georgia (How is it possible for Todd to treat her any worse than he already does?)and the odd rushed conversation with Claire. At every spare opportunity, and there aren’t many, she considers Scott’s motivation for this afternoon's date. If it’s to move things between them to the next level, how does she truly feel about it herself? She knows she’s falling for him, but can she really allow herself to freefall into a new relationship after years of avoiding them at all costs? Can he? Years of programming need to be undone on both sides.
One thing is certain. Scott has ramped up his efforts. And, truth be told, it makes her love him even more. The day has been planned in precise detail. He’s giving Heather space to paint in the morning and will bring a picnic lunch for them to eat at home before a walk up Blackford Hill with Maisie, followed by a lazy evening in front of the fire. Everything about it screams “proper date”. Heather knows her resolve has already weakened to the point of being non-existent.
After a productive morning, she feeds Maisie, showers, washes her paint brushes and takes a quick photograph of the incomplete painting to show Fraser her progress so far. Scott arrives at twelve thirty on the dot with meats, cheeses and fresh artisan breads from the Morningside bakery along with a selection of antipasti from the local deli. He’s even brought some tiny dog biscuits to keep Maisie occupied while he sets up the feast on Heather’s dining room table.
‘How did you get the area around his eyes so realistic?’ he says once he’s unpacked the feast and Maisie is napping in her dog basket. He’s standing mere centimetres from the canvas and inspecting her brush stroke. He’s not looking at her, but Heather has rarely felt soseen.She forces her thoughts onto safer ground and the brush technique she discussed with Gerry a couple of weeks ago.
‘It’s about building up the colour palette,’ she says. ‘There’s a temptation to think that as a Westie, Maisie’s coat can only be shown in creams and whites, but the way the light falls on her fur means that there are greys and greens and purples in there. That’s why it’s so important to have a live model, if possible.’
Scott turns to her and looks. Really, really looks. Heather feels suddenly aware of her toes gripping against the carpet, holding her steady.
‘You’re really talented, Heather.’
His praise has an intoxicating effect. Her muscles relax. She leans into him, and as his arm slips around her waist, he turns to kiss her on the head.
‘I couldn’t have done this without you,’ she says, thinking of the practical and moral support he’s given her recently. ‘It makes such a difference to know people are cheering me on from the sidelines.’
