Page 83 of The Castle in the Bay

‘I don’t suppose you have time for a quick chat?’

‘Sure, I do. Take a seat.’ Mr Robertson pointed to a seat.

‘Thanks.’ Monty sat opposite.

‘What’s on your mind?’

‘Well, you’ll be aware that my father died last month.’

‘Indeed.’

‘It’s shaken me, but also put things in perspective for me, and while I’m happy in my job and with my role here, I wonder if there’s a possibility of making it more flexible.’

Mr Robertson folded his hands on the desk. ‘In what way?’

‘I’m considering moving. Perhaps to somewhere more remote.’ Monty began carefully. ‘I wonder if there are any opportunities to work from home, perhaps based out of the Glasgow office, as that would be easier to reach.’ He might even get used to that landing on the sand. ‘This is all just thoughts atthe moment, nothing concrete. I just want to test the water.’ He was getting good at that.

His boss tapped his pen with a measured look on his face. ‘You’ve always been a solid performer. Reliable and diligent. And I certainly understand the need for flexibility.’

‘I appreciate that,’ Monty said.

Mr Robertson leaned back in his chair. ‘Let me look into it. I can’t promise anything immediate, but I’ll see what arrangements we can make.’

‘Thank you. I’ll be ready to discuss any possibilities that arise.’

‘Good man.’ Mr Robertson reached out to shake Monty’s hand.

This was the first step, and there was still a long way to go, but a glimmer of hope shimmered on the horizon.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Iona

Iona lifted the boards out of the container. The beach was quiet this morning, but the waves rolled in with their steady rhythm. She loved the calm so much. It steadied her brain and kept her sane. Without this beautiful island to comfort her, she’d have gone insane the last few weeks. Because getting over Monty really wasn’t happening for her.

As she went to put her phone away, she glanced at it, and a text notification caught her eye.

Speak of the devil.

MONTY: How are you? Missing you. Hope to see you soon. X

Her heart did a little flip. She read the message again, trying to decipher any hidden meaning in his words. Was it just a casual sign-off? Did he really mean it? Was he coming back? What a tease sending a message like that… Or was it his way of asking her to come and visit him?

She wanted to see him too, but the thought of leaving Barra, her sanctuary, filled her with dread. A visit would be ok, but what about the long term? Was there even a long term? Had she already cut off the avenue? It wasn’t something she’d wanted or considered for a long time. She’d lived in Edinburgh before and had no desire to do so again. Would this be any different?

But this was Monty… Could she make the sacrifice for him? Maybe it would be worth it. Because anything might be better than the constant cutting pain in her chest. Choosing between him and her beloved island seemed a cruel choice. One she couldn’t even make unless she knew for sure that was what he wanted to.

She looked out at the Atlantic crashing against the shore. Could she give this up?

She thumbed out a message.

IONA: Are you hoping to see me here? Or are you hoping I’ll come visit? Not sure I’d cope in Edinburgh these days, but I do want to see you. A LOT! Wish I knew what to do. Do we have a future??? X

She held her breath. Should she delete it? Was it too needy? Oh hell. This was impossible and part of the reason long-term relationships scared her. She put down the phone andcollected another set of surfboards. Her students for the day would be arriving soon, and she needed to be ready. No reply came infrom Monty before the class and she left her phone in the container as she taught the lesson.

When she finally got back to it, she found a message.

MONTY: I’d love for us to have a future, but I’m acutely aware of the difficulties. As I always have been. You didn’t seem interested in a long-term relationship before and my work commitments make our situations difficult. Whatever happens, you belong in Barra. It’s as much a part of you as you are of it. Need to talk soon x

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