Page 41 of Journey to the Scottish Highlands

Now what?

I put my right foot gingerly back down on the path, but it was still hurting. I winced and tried to move myself so that I wasn’t putting any pressure on it. I really was having a great day! First I almost choked on some toast, and now I’d injured my foot?!

I had to make it back down to Dane’s car. I didn’t want to try to find him. I could end up getting lost or falling over. But if I did reach his car, I didn’t have the car keys anyway. He had them. Bugger! What now?! What should I do?

Fury ate into me. This was my fault. I should never have said yes to Dane asking me along. Why the hell had I? I’d just wanted to show Dane I was grateful to him for what he did at breakfast. But was there something more to it than that? Something I didn’t want to acknowledge? Was it because I wanted to annoy Evan? Make him jealous? Get back at him because Sacha rang him last night? Let him think I wasn’t interested in him? I wasn’t anyway, of course. Had I come on this walk with Dane to get away from Evan’s simmering presence for a while? A combination of all of them? No, of course not. That was ridiculous.

Wait. I had my phone with me. I could ring for help. I dumped my bag at my feet and swiped one brow across my sweaty forehead as I pulled out my phone. I tapped the screen.

My shoulders sank. There was no signal.

Panic was rising in me faster.

‘Need a hand?’

I almost stumbled over in fright as I twisted round.

It was Evan.

It took me a few stunned moments to process that he was standing there, talking to me. I gasped in surprise, almost forgetting my throbbing ankle. ‘What are you doing here?’

He shrugged. ‘Thought I’d take a morning stroll.’

‘At exactly the same place as Dane and me?’

‘A happy coincidence.’

I narrowed my eyes. ‘How did you know we’d be here? Did Dane tell you where we were going?’

Evan shook his head. ‘He always brings his lady friends up here. He’s a creature of habit.’

I stiffened under his enquiring eyes. ‘I’m not one of his lady friends.’ In my indignation, I forgot about my delicate ankle and set my foot hard down on the path. ‘Aaargh!’

‘What is it? You ok?’

With two strides on those long legs of his, Evan was right in front of me. I could make out the curve of his upper lip under his stubble and the prick of his ebony lashes. ‘You’re not having a great day so far, are you?’ he asked, with a hint of amusement.

I fought to look calm and collected. ‘I’ve twisted my ankle, but it’s fine.’

‘It doesn’t seem like it.’ Evan peered around. ‘And where’s Thor got to? Breaking up tree trunks with his bare hands?’

Despite my tender toe, I laughed. ‘He was taking photos on his phone, and I seem to have got left behind.’

Evan’s lip curled up with evident disapproval. ‘Very gallant of him to leave a lady in distress.’

‘Well, he did perform the Heimlich manoeuvre on me earlier.’

‘Only because I didn’t get to you first.’

‘Oh, sorry about that. Next time I’m choking, I’ll make sure I give you a head start.’

With one swift movement, he took my left arm and draped it around his neck. I could feel the warm glow of his skin against my arm. ‘Just stop being mardy for two seconds, Daisy, and let me help you.’

I swallowed. ‘What are you doing?’

‘Well, we’re not about to do the Argentine Tango.’

I tutted at him.