Page 6 of Snowy Surprises in the Highlands

Bella’s heart tripped over itself with excitement. ‘Absolutely!’

Olivia took her phone from the pocket of her dress and pulled up the drawings she had produced of the most stunning wedding dresses Bella had ever seen. If she had been talented enough to design something herself these images were exactly what she would’ve drawn.

Her eyes welled with tears. ‘Oh, Liv, these are gorgeous.’ She wiped at her eyes and giggled. ‘Look at me getting all emotional at a 2D wedding dress.’

Olivia nudged her with her shoulder. ‘It can only mean one thing. You want me to design your dress.’

Bella grappled Olivia into a hug. ‘I definitely do.’

* * *

After the haggis had been carried in to the sound of bagpipes played by a friend of Evin’s, everyone sat to eat and listen to Burns poetry being read in an open mic kind of way. When it came around to Harris’s turn, he read the poet’s most famous love poem.

‘Of course this is for you, Bella,’ he said before he began.

‘O my Luve’s like a red, red rose

That’s newly sprung in June;

O my Luve’s like the melodie

That’s sweetly played in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,

So deep in luve am I;

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till a’ the seas gang dry:

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,

And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;

I will luve thee still, my dear,

While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only Luve,

And fare thee weel awhile!

And I will come again, my Luve,

Tho’ it ware ten thousand mile.’

When he was finished, the room erupted in applause and Bella thought her heart might burst with the love she felt for the man who was unabashed about showing his feelings for her. This was real love. This was what Robert Burns had been writing about.

Once they had finished their food and no one else was left to get up to read, the tables were pulled back, and a duo called the Toilichte Hens – which loosely translates to Happy Hens – took to the makeshift stage area. One of the two women played the fiddle, and one played an accordion and between them they started the ceilidh.

As everyone danced, Harris slipped his arms around Bella’s waist and kissed her. ‘Are you having fun?’ he asked.

She nodded. ‘It’s been the best night. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. And watching you read Rabbie Burns and dedicate it to me was ridiculously sexy.’ She felt her face heating with a flush of desire.

‘Hold onto that thought, Bella Douglas,’ he said with a chuckle. ‘I can’t wait to marry you.’ His eyes were filled with as much love as she felt inside.

‘I feel the same. We’re quite lucky, really, when you think about it.’