Page 83 of The Boathouse By the Loch

Jake flushed the loo and headed back downstairs. He heard Natty in the kitchen as he approached the door.

‘Are you getting me a phone just like yours?’

‘Not exactly sweetheart. It will be a basic phone without WiFi or internet, but we’ll go shopping and you can choose one.’

‘Oh Mummy, you’re the best.’

‘I know.’

‘But will there be time before we go on holiday?’

Jake was about to open the kitchen door when he heard Faye say, ‘There will be plenty of time to shop for a mobile phone. You’ve got all week.’

‘Please can we wake Jake up now? I can’t wait to talk to him about our holiday. He is coming too. Mummy, you won’t change your mind, will you?’

‘Oh, sweetheart. Rest assured, we are not going anywhere without him.’

Jake felt a lump in his throat. He had his heart set on showing them the country of his birth, and the place he would always think of as home, but in that moment he realised that although it would have been wonderful, he didn’t actually care all that much where they went, as long as he was with them.

Jake couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he opened the kitchen door. Natty immediately flew into his arms. ‘Jake!’

Jake threw Faye a sheepish look, suddenly afraid of howspending a holiday together would work. Would it draw them closer? Would she start to feel the same way about him that he felt for her? Or would he find his relationship with her daughter getting in the way? It wouldn’t get in the way of them physically being together, but what if Faye were to feel jealous and threatened by his presence in Natty’s life, after being a single parent for so long?

Patrick was right: it had always been just the two of them before Jake had come along – she’d made sure of it by keeping distance in her relationships, keeping the guys she’d dated out of Natty’s life. But she hadn’t counted on a guy she wasn’t dating, who she’d invited into their lives, capturing Natty’s heart. Oh, how he wanted to capture Faye’s too.

Jake held his breath.

‘Jake,’ said Faye, smiling, ‘Natty and I have a surprise for you.’

‘For me?’

Natty nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘You know I told you last night that I wanted us all to go on holiday together to Scotland?’

Jake nodded. He didn’t let on that he’d already overheard them talking and had guessed that perhaps they weren’t going to Scotland after all. He wasn’t surprised. It was quite a distance to drive, unless they flew, and with the school summer holidays having started, and their plan to go at such short notice, he imagined the flights might be fully booked, unless he paid first class. Knowing Faye, she wouldn’t want him to go to the expense. There would be plenty of other destinations in the UK that didn’t involve a flight or such a long car journey.

He smiled. Wherever she wanted to go was fine by him – perfect, even. He’d have no quibbles whatsoever with her plans.He looked at Natty. ‘What’s the surprise?’

‘It was Natty’s idea. Early this morning when she’d woken up, I told her the plan to have a holiday together in Scotland.’

Jake nodded. ‘You know, it’s absolutely fine not going to Scotland.’

‘Who said we’re not going to Scotland?’

‘Um … I thought maybe you’d changed your mind about the destination.’

‘Why would I do that?’

‘Because it’s a long way by car.’

‘Well that’s what holidays are for. To get away – a long way away.’

Jake grinned.

‘But we don’t have to travel by car,’ said Faye. ‘Natty and I talked about it, and I gave Natty a choice as to how we travel there – plane, train or automobile.’

Natty chuckled into her hand.

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