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“Did we? Oh! Well, there’s nothing going on. We’ve never dated or anything. We’re just long-time friends and work colleagues. After the scandal broke, Ash was the only one who saw me as something more than tabloid fodder. She’s always had my back.”
Evie still didn’t approve of Ashley’s judgmental take on the islands, but at least she was in Nick’s corner—and not in his bed. “Loyalty’s so important.”
“More than ever, yep,” said Nick. “I tell ya, the past few years have definitely tested my faith in people.”
Her thumbs skated over the pitted curves of the glass. “Yeah, once trust is gone, what’s left?”
Nick didn’t answer.
Perhaps that was a little too close to home.
But Nick’s mention of Bree and the scandal had poked old doubts as to whether he’d been honest with her when they were younger. Back then, he swore there was no romantic entanglement with Bree, so how did they get from “good mates” to a sex tape? Evie needed the truth if only to figure out where his deceit began.
“So, you and Bree did have a thing all these years.”
His face creased. “No, never. Banff was a misguided, drunken one-off, the perfect storm of exhaustion, absinthe cocktails, and loneliness. Bree met a woman in the bar and brought her back to my room. The rest, in all its salacious glory, is online history. We both regretted it immediately. In fact, it ruined our friendship. We haven’t really spoken since.”
“That’s tough. I guess some friendships aren’t meant to last.” Evie paused, her comment drifting on the breeze. “I heard you bumped into Sam a few weeks back.”
“Yeah, but we were both in a hurry…”
And didn’t talk. She slipped the sea glass in her pocket. Of course they didn’t.
Nick and Sam hadn’t spoken for years, the cracks in their bromance never really healing after the champagne incident on Inganess Beach.
“How is he?” asked Nick.
“Busy vet practice, loving boyfriend, cute house—Sam has it all. If he wasn’t my brother, I’d probably hate him.” She laughed.
“Well, good for him—and you, bossing it on Broad Street.”
He noticed? She swept a piece of hair fallen free from her bun behind an ear. “Thanks. Winning the catering contract has meant a lot. I know we’re a small island, but Marwick’s isn’t the only caterer in town.”
“True. Competition was fierce. The Beeb even considered bringing in someone from Aberdeen.”
“I’m glad I didn’t know that before!”
“You’ve got nothing to worry about.” Nick raised his voice over a high-pitched squeal in the distance. Seabirds were always telling off the seals. “Everyone’s extremely pleased with the catering. Nothing but good feedback.”
Gratitude bloomed inside her. “That’s great to hear. I’ll be sure to let Jamie and Sunita know—”
“YOU! Over there!”
Evie’s attention flew down the beach following the panicked voice. What looked like a small whale was lying on its side in the low tide. Two people crouched beside it and a third stood on the sand waving their arms urgently. Oh my god. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as nausea roiled in her belly. “Nick!”
He spit out a brittle “Holy fuck!”
“Please!” A woman in a high-res jacket hollered and waved repeatedly. “Help us!”
She didn’t need to ask twice. Evie and Nick took off, running as fast as they could across beach and seaweed, their heels digging in when the shifting sand slowed their progress.
As distance fell away, the creature’s shiny black skin and iconic white markings near its eyes became clear. A savage chill ripped through Evie’s chest. The small whale was an orca, her favorite since childhood. Being called into action to help rescue one was a serendipitous gift she had never expected to receive.
Trembling as they ran, she frantically fought through her shock, mining everything she had read about beached whales. “Nick, I think we should walk the last bit. Fast movements and loud splashing could startle it.”
Nodding, he slowed his pace, and together they calmly entered the ankle-deep water in silent reverence.
“How can we help?” Evie asked quietly, her heart pounding in her throat as the young orca let out a shrill, heartbreaking cry, drawing tears to her eyes.
