Page 123 of A Secret Scottish Escape

Faith tilted her head to one side. “I take it you mean Greg? We had a lovely dinner, and Sam was charming too. He wanted us to have fish fingers and spaghetti hoops, but Greg managed to persuade him that a roast chicken might be better.”

“And?”

“And we’re taking things nice and steady. Greg’s mum has offered to babysit Sam one night next week, so the two of us thought we’d try that Italian place in North Spey.”

She blushed at my smug grin and meandered off into the kitchen.

Faith had left my mobile on the bedside table and as I lay there, my head replaying tonight’s events, my phone lit up with an incoming call.

Rafe’s name appeared on the glowing screen. My stomach made a swooping sensation. I remembered how Rafe had insisted on jabbing his mobile number into my contacts when I’d insisted on returning Hazel to her B&B.

I hesitated, debating whether to answer it or not. Eventually I surrendered and took the call. His voice made me shift uncomfortably in bed. “I wanted to check you were OK.”

I gathered myself together and stared into the middle distance. “I’m fine, thank you. My best friend, Faith, is staying over tonight to keep an eye on me.”

There was a long pause at the end of the line.

“I’m just a bit bruised,” I added, in an attempt to fill the quiet. “No doubt a good night’s sleep and a hot bath in the morning will do the trick.”

I could hear Faith moving around in the kitchen. “How are you?” I asked him.

“A bit sore, like you, but otherwise I’m all right.”

I willed him to mention our moment. Would he say something about that kiss?

But instead he cleared his throat and declared in his deep Australian accent, “I’m going to contact Hazel’s parents. I’ll leave it up to Hazel as to how she wants to approach things, but I think I should alert them to the fact that she’s in a delicate state of mind at the moment and needs their support.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

“So anyway, I’d better go and let you get some rest. Take care Layla and have a good night.”

I felt overcome by waves of disappointment. So that was it. As far as he was concerned, our kiss was banished to the past and didn’t warrant another mention. “Thanks Rafe,” I managed. “You have a good night too.”

I ended the call and bit back a tear, before thumping my mobile down on the bedcovers in frustration.

Chapter Sixty-Five

“So, all the tickets have gone for opening night,” grinned Faith, “but I’ve kept a reserve list like you asked me to, in case there are any last-minute dropouts.”

She turned to the scribbled notes she’d made on a lined pad by her computer. “And all the invitations we sent out have now received positive RSVPs…” Her enthusiasm dribbled to a halt. “Are you all right? Layla?”

I pulled my attention away from the tourist office door. “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”

“Aren’t you leaving it a bit late to be having regrets now?”

Faith was right. This was all about looking forward and not back. I flapped one hand and smiled. “Ignore me. It’s just a touch of nerves, that’s all.”

“And there isn’t anything or anyone else lurking in your mind?”

I straightened my spine. “Like who?”

Faith smiled. “Oh, come on.”

“If you mean Rafe, then no.”

That wasn’t entirely true. If I were being honest with myself, I felt like a right idiot. Since his phone call on Friday night, I’d received a couple of brief texts over the weekend from him, asking how I was, but that was all.

Our kiss had been a heat-of-the-moment thing. That must have been all it was. A combination of charged emotions.