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‘In winter? Are you joking?’
Amelia frowned. ‘I bet you can’t guess where I am at the moment?’
‘On the beach?’
‘Oh . . . How did you know?’
‘Because that’s where you are most mornings. You tell me either on text or in the voicemails you leave.’
‘Suna, I don’t understand. Is something wrong?’
‘Nope. Sorry, I don’t mean to be short. Just because you’re having a great time messing about on a freezing beach in the back of beyond doesn’t mean we all need to share your enthusiasm.’
Amelia felt as though she had been slapped in the face.
‘Look, I had better go. It’s getting busy in here, and they’ll be wondering where I am.’
‘Okay. I’ll catch you later. Bye.’ Amelia hung up, Suna’s words still ringing harshly in her ears. What on earth was wrong with her? What had Amelia done to piss her off? She knew she’d been a high-maintenance friend over the past couple of months with the wedding and all the rest of it. But wasn’t that what friends were for? She hoped she would have offered support to Suna if their roles had been reversed. She’d sounded so angry with her and Amelia couldn’t help racking her brain, wondering what she could have done to upset her friend so much. She walked slowly back up the garden path to the cabin.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Later that afternoon, Amelia opened up her laptop to show Edie her work on the new website.
‘Oh — hold on a minute, dear, and I’ll get my glasses.’
Amelia had played about with several names for the shepherd’s hut and offered a list of potentials: Coorie Cabin; the Wee Shelter; Shepherd’s Hoos; the Cosy Cabin; and the Bothy.
‘Oh, I love all of these.’ Edie’s eyes shone in excitement as she read the list over Amelia’s shoulder. She stood for a moment and sat down on a chair next to her. ‘Do you have a favourite?’
Amelia laughed heartily. ‘I’m glad you like the shortlist! I had loads of them and needed to whittle it down. Coming up with names has been such fun. I like Coorie Cabin best because it’s nestled in your garden.’ She opened up another page. ‘Look, this is what I’ve done to give you an example of how the website would look in the first instance. We can finalise the name later. See what you think.’
Edie watched the screen closely as Amelia flicked through all the different pictures of the cabin, which looked fantastic. Somehow she had captured it at its best at different times of the day. Amelia had managed to take some with the fading light and the crescent moon in the background; there were some sunset shots too, and others when she had made the most of the sunshine and caught the cabin in a warm, dappled light. Her staging was exquisitely done. A pristinely made bed with perfectly plumped cushions and neatly laid throws. Fresh flowers, a cafetière of coffee with a set of matching mugs and plate of croissants from Cèic. The log-burning stove with its warm and welcoming glow. She had set up the garden furniture, arranging the wrought-iron chairs and table with a wine cooler, fizz and glasses. Despite the time of year, the filter Amelia had used gave the pictures a middle-of-the-summer look.
‘What do you think?’ Amelia leaned back in her chair.
‘I think it looks tremendous. You’ve done a fabulous job.’
Warmed by her comment, Amelia continued to scroll, and stopped when she landed on the mock home page. ‘Here you go. Read the description and see what works or if you would like to add anything.’
Beautiful shepherd’s hut in a secluded garden with spectacular sea views.
Enjoy a magical stay on a peaceful island with this fabulous coastal retreat.
Be surrounded by nature and the beauty of the ocean.
Spend your days exploring the Arran Coastal Trail and wandering the stunning beaches. Spot the seals and otters and all the wildlife that make Arran their home. Or visit one of the many attractions, including the castle, distilleries and artisan shops where you can sample the finest cheeses, chocolate and breads. If you like to relax then you will love the wood-fired hot tub, especially under the starry night skies.
The shepherd’s hut is the perfect escape for two and is fully equipped with a small kitchen, en-suite shower room and log-burning stove.
It’s the most blissful place to be!
‘Wow!’ exclaimed Edie. ‘How fantastic. When can I go?’
Amelia beamed in delight. ‘Oh, I’m so glad you like it, Edie.’
‘The only problem is that we don’t have a hot tub.’
‘Oh, yes, I was going to talk to you about that. I was getting caught up in writing about this amazing romantic retreat and imagining what I would like if I was going there with someone I loved.’ She smiled wistfully. ‘I thought a hot tub would be amazing . . . But maybe something you could think about adding later.’ Amelia wanted to kick herself. She’d obviously got completely carried away when writing this the other night and forgotten to take that bit out.
