Page 96 of The Grump I Got Stuck With

I gaped at the screen, watching that compass spin and point me right back to HOME. I bit the inside of my cheek. Of freaking course. That’s how I suddenly had all this exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to all the coolest spots in Scotland without upgrading my account—not that I could actually use them when the app wouldn’t let me set those places as my destination. “Well, what good is a damn upgrade if I can’t go anywhere?”

There was a knock on my door, and I sidled over to open it to a smiling Isla. “Just me, checking in. Everything okay?”

I sighed, gesturing to my phone. “I was trying to plot out where to go next, and I realized Alistair’s been tampering with my app.”

“What do you mean tampering with it?”

I explained, and Isla tipped her head, laughing a bit. She waddled through the door. “Mind if I sit?”

I shifted so she could plop down on the edge of the bed next to me, cradling her pregnant belly. She was only a couple days from her due date, and she looked more than ready to have this baby. “You know, when Locke and I were trying to work things out after a rough patch of our own, he bought out the entire baby registry before my shower.”

Emily’s voice crackled. “Awwwww. That’s adorable.”

Isla hummed. “That’s not how I took it. I was actually quite annoyed with him because I felt like he wasn’t really understanding why I was so upset. He wasn’t showing up enough for me in the relationship, and just buying the baby things was completely missing the point.”

“Men,” Emily tutted. “Even when they’re doing something sweet, they’re still proving that they’re clueless.”

“What are you saying?” I asked Isla.

“From Locke’s perspective, he was trying to get my attention and show how invested he was in making things right with me.” She gave me a pointed look. “Right or wrong, I think maybe this is Alistair’s way of trying to make amends with you.”

I snorted.

“Maybe she’s right, Mads. I mean, he didn’t pick the best way to go about it,” Emily said. “But points for trying.”

“He wants you to see this place as your home,” Isla said, tapping my phone screen.

“But it’s not my home,” I argued. Admittedly, Dunhope had come closer than any other place ever had…but at the end of the day, Alistair had drawn the boundary line, and I’d been the one left on the outside.

“Why can’t it be home?” Isla replied. “Since you moved into the inn, I’ve loved having you around and hate the thought of you leaving town. Plus, the whole community cares about you. Didn’t you see the way both Cat and Lesley told those reporters to screw off and leave you alone in those videos? And don’t get me started on what Jo said when the reporters tried to ask her about you. You may not see it, but you mean a lot to everyone here.”

I pursed my lips to keep my jaw from trembling.

“And maybe if you and Alistair can work things out, then⁠—”

“There’s nothing to work out,” I said. “He doesn’t get to push me away one day and tell me to stay the next. Not ask. Tell. That’s not how a relationship works.” I was still unsure if he ever really liked me or simply the convenience of me. And I was done putting my life on hold for a scrap of affection. I deserved better than that. “I can’t just hang out in Braeburn forever. Kenna starts nursery soon, so I’ll be out of a job. And if I’m going to see the rest of Scotland, I need to do it before my savings run out.”

“Doesn’t Alistair’s salary give you a cushion to float for a while?” Emily asked.

I scowled down at my phone. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“I am on your side. I’m not saying you need to stay for him. I’m saying stay for yourself. Take a few weeks to actually figure out your travel plans before you rush off. Don’t give up on finding that connection to your birth mother in Scotland. And don’t you dare think about returning to that awful paralegal job you hated. You were miserable there, Mads. I mean, I miss the hell out of you. But do you really want to come back to that life?”

I swallowed hard, thinking about my existence in Connecticut: that horrible job, my parents’ constant criticisms for daring to be myself, and their insistence that I get back together with Ryan because he was more like them than I could ever be. None of it had anything to do with who I really was or what I wanted to do. That was the thing about Emily. She was good at being my friend. And part of that was asking the tough questions.

I glanced over at Isla.

“Braeburn’s a good place to find yourself,” she said. “And the weather’s getting nicer now. There’s a really great trail I’d love to show you sometime. It’s got this amazing waterfall, and…well, it was a place that was special to me and my mother.” Isla gave me a soft smile. “She’s gone now, but it’s still a place where I do some of my best thinking. I’d really love to share it with you if you feel up to staying for a while. Maybe it’ll bring you a bit of clarity.”

She took my hand and squeezed. I squeezed back. Even if Alistair and I weren’t meant to be, I’d still formed real relationships here in Braeburn—granted, they were new, but that had to count for something.

I’d come to Scotland chasing connection.

I’d wanted to understand who my birth mother was and where I belonged. And as I looked at Isla, I knew I wasn’t finished yet with that journey. There was more to learn about myself, and maybe Braeburn wasn’t the place to learn it…but maybe it was.

Either way, I wasn’t about to let some paparazzi or my parents or my feelings for Alistair chase me off before I figured that out. It was time to take charge of my own future again and figure out where I was truly meant to be.

I just wasn't ready to admit that every time I tried to picture somewhere else, I couldn't.