Page 36 of A Scottish Highland Hideaway

Thoughts about Ezra and the niggling worry over Zach lurking around made me feel off-kilter. Boy, I needed my big brother right now, every bit as much as he needed me.

Forty-five minutes later, Marcus arrived.

He carried a leather holdall in one gloved hand and his laptop case in the other.

His skin was pale and his light brown hair was damp from the weather.

I hurried towards him and scooped him into my open arms. Marcus didn’t say a word. He just clung to me in a cloud of citrus-scented bodywash. I took a step back and held him at arm’s length. Lack of sleep was evident in his puffy, powder-blue eyes.

“I parked round the back,” he said in a faltering voice. “I hope that’s ok.”

I nodded and squeezed his arm. “That’s fine.”

I studied him. “What would you like to do first? Do you want me to give you the spare key to the flat and you can go upstairs and have a lie down? You look like you could do with some sleep.”

“You know how to boost my morale.”

“You’re still handsome, even during a personal crisis.” I paused. “I’ve made up the bed in the spare room.”

Marcus gave a weak smile. “I know I look like crap, but I don’t feel tired. Can’t I just stay down here in Flower Power with you for a little bit?”

I patted his gloved hand. He was dressed in his heavy navy coat. “You do whatever you want.”

I lowered my voice. “Just remember when we have company around, that my name’s Bailey, ok?”

Marcus rolled his eyes. “Your life is like some bloody soap opera.”

“Please.”

“Ok. Ok.”

Marcus deposited his holdall and laptop behind the counter for now, while Amber returned from my office with a spare chair. I’d explained to her that my brother was coming to stay following a painful breakup and I’d say the same to Rowan when she arrived for the afternoon shift. I didn’t want them interrogating him and opening up fresh wounds while he was trying to heal.

Amber offered Marcus a kind smile before insisting he have a cup of tea.

“She seems really sweet,” Marcus commented, as Amber wobbled off in her platform fur-lined boots to make a fresh pot.

“She’s a gem. A bit of a chatterbox, but I wouldn’t have her any other way.”

“And the other girl? How’s she working out?”

“You mean Rowan? She’s fantastic too. A real asset.”

Marcus tried to push out a smile. Perched on that chair, his shoulders hunched, he was like a shadow of his usual self.

Marcus fluttered his right hand. “You don’t have to stand over me and watch me. You do what you have to do. I’m fine here.”

I noticed that his scalloped gold engagement band was missing from his left hand.

Amber returned with a tray of steaming mugs of tea and we all sipped in silence.

“I can take a bit of time off while you’re here,” I said to Marcus. “I do have a bridal bouquet and two birthday orders I’m working on, and I need to order the ornaments for the Christmas wreaths, but that’s not a problem.”

Marcus shook his weary head again. “Stop mollycoddling me! I’m fine.”

I started to insist again that I wanted to spend some time with him, when the shop door flew open, bringing with it Zach Stern.

Bugger. I knew he’d reappear at some point, but not just after I saw him earlier when I was struggling with the crêpe paper and he’d been taking the mickey out of my van.