Page 37 of The Boathouse By the Loch

‘I know. But I can’t sit around doing nothing, waiting severaldays, or god forbid, for my return flight in five days’ time.’

He stuffed one last shirt in his bag and tried zipping it up. ‘Dammit!’ The shirt got stuck in the zip. ‘You know what? Why am I even packing? I don’t need to take this bag with me.’

Gayle stepped into the room. ‘Here, let me zip it up while you make that call, see if you can get a flight back to London today.’ She put a hand over Jake’s arm. ‘Take a breath, Jake. Everything is going to be okay.’

Jake took a deep breath, realising he wasn’t thinking straight. He should have sorted a flight first.

It didn’t take long for Jake to sort the flight. He didn’t even have to make a call. He turned to Gayle with a sigh of relief, holding up his mobile phone. ‘I’ve booked the next flight online. It leaves this afternoon.’ Now he knew why Faye had phoned the guesthouse. His phone had been on silent. Thank goodness he’d told Natty about staying at Lark Lodge in Aviemore. She must have told her mum.

Gayle handed Jake his bag. ‘You’re leaving right now?’ Gayle asked as she followed him out of the door.

‘Yes.’ Jake hurried down the stairs. Although there was plenty of time to drive the airport, he didn’t want there to be any chance he’d get caught in a traffic jam and miss his flight.

They stopped at the front door. ‘Feels like déjà vu,’ commented Gayle.

Jake knew what she was talking about – just the previous morning, he’d been standing at her front door, with Marcus waiting in the car, heading off, much to Gayle’s surprise.

And to add to the feeling of déjà vu, Olive suddenly appeared out of nowhere, running down the hallway towards him. Jake gave her a fuss. He looked at Gayle. ‘Sorry to do this again.’

‘Really, don’t be. I’m just relieved you got a seat on the next flight to London.’

‘So am I.’ Jake looked at his watch, even though there was no point. He had plenty of time. Even so, he didn’t want to stand and chat.

Gayle grabbed Olive by the collar. ‘Come on, Olive. Jake can’t stand here all day, petting you.’

Olive whined.

Jake looked at Gayle. ‘Thank you.’

‘You’ll come back, won’t you, Jake?’

He managed a smile. ‘You know, I’d love to bring Faye and Natty here, show them Scotland.’

‘Well, you know what? I’ve got a grand idea. You’re going to pay me for the attic room, those five more nights?’

Jake looked at her. ‘Pardon?’

‘Then when you get back to London, and you find Natty – which you will today, I just know it – then wouldn’t it be lovely if you all came back here, for a holiday, to Lark Lodge? I’ll keep the room reserved. You know, it’s a family room.’

‘But—’ Jake didn’t have time to explain that her plan wouldn’t work. He wasn’t in a relationship with Faye. But it did buoy him up, the thought that as soon as he reached London, he’d find Natty, if Faye hadn’t already, and he could tell her about the guesthouse, and see whether she’d entertain the idea of the three of them having a holiday together. ‘All right.’

‘Good, good. That’s settled then.’

Jake looked at her, and thought it wasn’t, not really. He had no idea whether Faye would come away with him to Scotland, and if she wanted to, when that would be? Perhaps Gayle wouldn’t even have vacancies. He thought aloud, ‘I could stay with them in TheLake House, if you get a last-minute booking tonight for the attic room.’ There were also a lot more bedrooms, so he wouldn’t have to worry where he would sleep.

‘But it’s being decorated, remember?’

‘Not if Robyn’s staying in London,’ Jake blurted. On second thoughts, he didn’t want to return to The Lake House – not with all those memories of Eleanor there.

Gayle looked at him.

‘Sorry, I know it’s none of my business, but I bumped into David this morning at Mr Gillespie’s store, and it didn’t sound as though he booked that hotel for the two of them for tonight, and he’s staying here on his own instead. He’s going to The Winky to drown his sorrows.’

‘Is he, now?’ said Gayle with a twinkle in her eye. ‘I don’t think he is.’ Gayle grinned and lowered her voice, even though, apart from Olive, there was nobody else in the house. ‘I’ll tell you a little secret. She’s coming back today, but she wants to surprise him. They’re going to stay in their room here for one night, for old times’ sake. I had a conversation with Robyn, told her what’s been going on with David, how he feels. I didn’t want to interfere …’

Jake doubted that very much. They were her friends. Of course she’d want to interfere.

‘But I had to say something. When I told her he was afraid he was losing her, especially after this last trip to London when she didn’t want him to accompany her, and that he’d wanted to book a night in fancy hotel in Aviemore as a surprise when she returned, she told me she was going to play a little trick on him.

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