Page 82 of A Secret Scottish Escape

Faith’s irritated voice made me blink. “Layla, Danielle was just about to tell you what info she has on this Australian woman, but you haven’t been listening to a word she just said.” Faith’s concern was evident. “Something is clearly bothering you. You have told me everything, haven’t you?”

She blinked emphatically, aware that Danielle was now present.

“Yes, I’ve told you everything,” I blustered. Sort of. Panicked, I pointed at the burnt-orange sofa and chairs in front of the window, where many of the tourists would sit and peruse the collection of leaflets and maps before setting off.

“Is that new?”

“What, the furniture?” interjected a puzzled Danielle. “God, no. We’ve had that in here for years.”

“Oh,” I flapped. “It goes to show how observant I am then.”

Faith was really studying me now. She shot a troubled look at Danielle, who raised her eyebrows and shrugged.

Mentally willing Greg and Sam to arrive so this nightmare could be over, I began to gush about the boathouse colour scheme, when two blond heads appeared out of the corner of my eye.

Going by Faith’s stunned expression, there was no doubt it was Greg and Sam.

I inched around, as though a huge tarantula was crawling up my back.

My apprehension melted at the sight of father and son hovering there. They were both dressed in similar outfits: dark blue jeans, leather jackets, and desert boots.

They were like two handsome bookends and looked adorable. Greg was obviously going for the top end of the irresistibly cute spectrum. As far as I was concerned, he’d achieved that and then some.

Don’t look at me, Greg, I mentally whispered to him. If Faith sees, she’ll know straight away.

Too late.

Greg delivered the swiftest glance over to me, but Faith pounced on it. Her jaw dropped. “You knew about this!” she gasped, her tone accusatory. “That’s why you’ve been so jumpy.”

She switched her attention from me to Greg and Sam. “I don’t know what Layla has been saying, but—”

“Will you just hear me out please, Faith? All I ask is that you listen to what I have to say.”

Faith was scarlet. She swallowed and risked the briefest glance down at Sam, who was gazing up at her out of long-lashed, blue eyes. Then he offered her the widest grin that revealed a dimple in his right cheek, the same as his father.

Faith returned a watery smile. “This is unfair,” she managed. “You brought Sam.”

“He and I come as a pair,” Greg reminded her gently. He squeezed Sam’s hand beside him. “And that’s the whole point of this, Faith. I know we only went out together a couple of times, but I really like you and I think you feel the same about me.”

Danielle’s hand fluttered to her throat.

Greg’s expression was open and appealing. “I’m prepared to take a chance on us and see how things go. I think you could have real fun with Sam and me.”

It was then that I noticed Greg squeeze Sam’s hand and the little boy burst out, “Please go out with Daddy again. He has been very sad.”

I swallowed a smile and flicked my gaze at Faith for her reaction. She was biting her lip. “And of course, that was in no way rehearsed.”

Greg winked at her. “Of course not.”

Faith turned her attention to me. “You knew about all this, didn’t you?”

I held my hands up in mock surrender. “I only found out about half an hour ago. I didn’t know about the cute routine they had planned. Honest.”

Greg jumped to my defence and agreed that I was innocent – well, sort of.

Faith’s blue eyes clouded over.

Greg kept staring at her. “Well, what’s your answer?”