Page 11 of A Scottish Highland Hideaway

I remembered hearing it had once been owned in the 1900s by a silent movie actress who’d taken refuge there after her fiancé had gone off and married someone else. It seemed fitting, therefore, that Ezra should take ownership of it now. No doubt he’d turned it into something special.

Ezra smiled. “It’s not too shabby.”

As he turned towards his waiting car, he called over his shoulder. “I’ll drop by again in a day or two.”

A thought struck me. “Oh, Ezra, I have two part-time students who will be helping with the arrangements. What do you want me to tell them?”

Jackson leapt out of the car and opened the back door for Ezra to clamber inside. “I’d rather you didn’t say anything for now. I just think the fewer people that know about me being in the area, the better.”

“Of course.” I nodded. “I understand.”

I watched him wave and Jackson gave me a nod as the car glided away.

I’d just have to be discreet where Amber and Rowan were concerned. Ezra was trusting me and I wouldn’t betray that trust. Both of the girls were lovely, but Amber could talk for Scotland and one word in the wrong direction and Ezra could find himself under siege from fans and reporters. I’d just have to come up with something to explain this new influx of work.

With my stomach still tumbling over with excitement, I burst back into the shop. Amber was unpacking a box of new satin ribbons in a kaleidoscope of colours. “I love this one,” she commented, holding up a sheaf of the deepest blue.

“It’s very pretty,” I agreed, struggling to pay proper attention to what she was saying. I checked my watch and tried to unscramble my thoughts. “You should be heading home now.”

“Thanks, Bailey. I will do once I’ve finished unpacking these ribbons and draping them over the hooks in the store room.”

I swallowed hard, my adrenalin pumping.

Amber frowned at me. “What did that old guy want?”

It took me a moment to realise who she was referring to. Shit. She must’ve caught sight of Ezra leaving the office.

One of Britain’s most revered actors and she was referring to him as an “old guy”. I’m sure Ezra would’ve been delighted to hear himself described as such. “He’s not old,” I replied, avoiding her question.

Amber arched one brow as if to say, “That’s your opinion.” She returned to pulling swathes of ribbon out of the box.

Chapter Three

Later that day, I heaved a contented sigh as I swivelled the shop sign to read closed. I removed some leaves from the stems of some of the pastel-coloured carnations. If they tumbled into the vase, they could cause bacteria in the water.

The thought of retreating upstairs to pamper my feet with peppermint lotion and pour myself a glass of crisp white wine was delicious.

I moved around the shop, clicking off the spotlights and plunging the plants and flowers into darkness, so they sat like graceful, still silhouettes.

A sudden flicker of movement outside the shop door made me draw up.

Was there someone out there?

I squinted. Sure enough, a tall shimmering figure had appeared through the frosted glass of the shop door. I wondered if they might move on, but they hovered there. Recalling that I’d already locked it, I raised my voice. “Sorry, we’re closed.”

I moved back towards the counter to collect my bag, but a thud and a rattle of the door handle made me whirl around.

Was someone trying to get in?

The door handle let out another fierce crank.

I tilted my chin in an effort to conjure up some confidence. “We’re closed. We reopen tomorrow morning at 9am.”

I hoped whoever it was would evaporate into the dark, but instead they remained a smudged apparition through the glass.

They jiggled the door handle again.

“I’m sorry,” I repeated louder. “We’re closed. You’ll have to come back tomorrow.”