Page 62 of The Boathouse By the Loch

However much it hurt Jake, maybe the fact that Faye didn’t want him was for the best; it meant he was free to start over again, properly this time, not deceiving himself any more about what had happened to his wife, able to move on now to a permanent place – home.

‘Jake! It’s Faye.’

Jake turned around and took a tentative step into the house. He looked at the phone in Patrick’s hand. ‘She wants to speak to me?’

He nodded. Jake wasn’t sure he wanted to speak to her and get another earful. But the look on Patrick’s face – he was smiling, and winking at Jake – made him wonder … she wasn’t phoning to apologise to him, surely?

‘Faye?’

‘Don’t say anything, just listen …’

Jake listened. His mouth dropped open. ‘I’m sorry, did I hear you correctly?’ He stared at Patrick, who was bouncing from one foot to the other, clearly dying to know what exactly was going on. ‘What do I think?’ Jake didn’t know what to think. He couldn’t have been more surprised. ‘I … I … of course I want to come … Yes, Marcus will be okay. He’ll just have to wait until I get back to check into the clinic.’

Jake slowly put the phone down.

Patrick said, ‘Well – what did she say? Is she coming back to collect you and take you to the bus station to collect Natty?’

Jake slowly shook his head from side to side. ‘No.’

‘So, what’s going on?’

‘She wants to take Natty to Scotland for a holiday, and she wants me to come too. She’s going to tell Natty the plan.’

Patrick grinned, and slapped Jake affectionately on the back. ‘Well, there you go. All’s well that ends well.’

‘But will it?’

‘Will it what?’

‘End well?’

‘You mean you and Faye getting together?’

Jake meant more than that. Could he convince Faye to start a new life with him in Scotland? She’d nearly finished her headship qualification. She could be a headteacher in Scotland, couldn’t she? He could get a teaching job too. He’d have to show her all the great things Scotland had to offer, make sure it was a holiday to remember.

Jake frowned when he had a sudden thought. Did she have an ulterior motive? Was this their final hurrah, letting Natty see him, taking her on a trip to Scotland together, before bowing out of his life completely? She wouldn’t do that – would she?

Jake stared at Patrick.

Patrick shrugged. ‘Do not ask me what is going through my daughter’s mind. The only thing you can do is go to Scotland, make sure they have a bloody good time, get back in her good books, and lastly …’

‘And lastly?’ Jake asked, hanging on his every world.

‘Don’t screw it up.’

Chapter 23

‘Just like old times.’

Robyn turned her head and looked at David. He was smiling. He turned on his side, head resting on his elbow, and smiled at her. ‘How long have you been awake?’

Robyn was still nestled under the duvet. She’d been lying awake for some time, watching David sleep, her mind elsewhere. She turned to look at the ceiling. ‘Just a little while.’

‘Why didn’t you wake me?’

She turned on her side to face him. ‘Why would I do that? You were fast asleep.’

‘I wish you had. I don’t want to miss a second of your company now you’re back.’ He paused. ‘You are back – right? You’re not returning to London, are you?’

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