Page 12 of The Boathouse By the Loch

‘You’re joking.’

‘No. The house is in a lovely setting, in gorgeous grounds, thanks to Marty …’

Jake looked about him, wondering where Marty was. Perhaps he was late for dinner too. Or maybe he was all too familiar with Gayle’s cooking, and had decided on a takeaway too.

‘But a wellness centre, for god’s sake. What’s wrong with it being a guesthouse?’

‘Who said I was going to stop running the guesthouse?’

‘But you just said …’

Jake looked from one to the other and decided to forego dinner. This was getting awkward. Jake got up.

‘Sit down.’ Gayle waved the wooden spoon at Jake.

He sat obediently.

‘Now look here,’ she pointed the spoon at David, ‘you needto speak to Robyn, tell her how you feel. I’m sure there’s nothing going on apart from your imagination running wild.’

Jake looked at David, wondering why – if Jake was guessing correctly – he’d got it into his head that Robyn could be cheating on him.

‘I don’t need to tell her anything,’ said David defiantly. ‘Sheneeds to talk tome. That’s what I keep telling you. She needs to tell me what’s going on.’ He paused. ‘Because there is something going on, Gayle. She keeps making these trips to London.’

Gale sighed. ‘We just spoke about this. You know she’s getting offered commissions all over the place. I’ve got to say, I can’t believe how her business has taken off so quickly.’

Jake looked at Gayle, thinking of her friend’s small interior design outlet in Mr Gillespie’s store. Robyn certainly had done well. It couldn’t have been open long. He didn’t recall Robyn’s Interior Design in Aviemore the previous Christmas.

‘Yes, I know,’ David said glumly. ‘I can’t understand it.’

‘I can. There’re a lot of second homes around these parts, a fair few of them owned by wealthy individuals who I imagine live in London.’

Jake felt like slinking down in his seat when David’s eyes roved over to him. He avoided David’s gaze.

Gayle continued, ‘They’ve obviously liked her interior design work and given her commissions to work on their London homes.’

David’s attention shifted back to Gayle, standing at the oven. Jake thought that whatever she was stirring in the big pot on the stove smelled really rather good.

‘I thought we’d be spending time together in the boathouse, you know, after …’

Gayle glanced over her shoulder and grinned. ‘I know. She toldme all about it.’ Gayle glanced at Jake. ‘David and Robyn are engaged. David proposed on bended knee on the balcony of his boathouse that overlooks the loch. It’ssoromantic.’

Jake stole a glance at David. The look on his face said he wasn’t in the mood to talk about it. Jake bet he wished she hadn’t brought it up.

David shook his head. ‘I thought that after that, we’d start planning our wedding, but she’s more out than in. Now I wish she hadn’t set up her outlet in Dad’s shop.’

Jake raised his eyebrows. So, David was Mr Gillespie’s son. He wondered if that was how David and Robyn had met, through his father’s shop.

‘Don’t begrudge her this success. Just because you’re—’ She stopped abruptly.

David sat back in his chair and folded his arms. ‘Just because I’m what?’

Gayle heaved a sigh. ‘Just because your ice hockey career went south after your injury.’

Jake looked at the kitchen door, wishing Marty would get a move on and walk in. He was feeling very uncomfortable.

‘Look, David, you know she’s been to London before to meet up with clients in their homes. Why are you making it such a big deal?’

‘Because as you well know, I always go with her,’ said David through clenched teeth. ‘But just lately she’s insisted on going to London alone. She doesn’t want me with her. And these trips are getting more frequent, and …’ He stopped abruptly.

---