Page 31 of Surprises on the Scottish Isle

No, that was the wrong analogy. A crush presumed she still had feelings for him, which couldn’t be further from the truth. So she stayed put, her own personal endurance test of how long she could stand to be in his company before she did a runner.

Hopefully he would deliver the drinks to their table and bugger off.

However, Cal did no such thing. After distributing the fresh drinks, he took a chair from a nearby table and pulled it up to theirs, wedging himself between her and Jinny.

Tara shuffled her chair away as unobtrusively as she could.

‘I know you said you didn’t want a drink,’ Cal told her, ‘but I got you one anyway. Is vodka and cranberry juice OK?’

It used to be her favourite tipple and she was surprised he remembered. Her mouth dry, she took it from him and gulped at it.

‘Thanks,’ she muttered belatedly, then forced her lips into a semblance of a smile as she realised that both Cal and Jinny were staring at her.

‘Are you sure you’re all right?’ Jinny’s expression was concerned.

She finished her drink. ‘I think I’ll get off – my bed is calling.’

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Cal stiffen, and she could have slapped herself for mentioning the word ‘bed’. They had spent a lot of time in bed, and the last thing she wanted was to remind him of that. Hell, she didn’t want to remindherselfof that. Now that she had, she was thoroughly disconcerted.

He got to his feet. ‘I’ll walk back with you.’ His beer was untouched.

‘No, no need. You stay and finish your pint. It isn’t dark, so I’ll be fine,’ she gabbled.

‘I was about to head off anyway. Early start in the morning. Fishing.’ He shoved his hands in his pockets.

Tara glanced at his pint. ‘Stay. I’ll be fine walking back on my own.’

‘I wanted to speak with you, actually.’

‘Oh.’ Left with little choice and feeling as though she’d been backed into a corner, Tara said goodbye to the others, studiously ignoring Calan.

Fergus said, ‘I’ll have that,’ and moved Cal’s pint closer. ‘Shame to waste it.’ He didn’t seem in the least bit bothered by her or Cal’s departure.

Jinny, however, had a speculative look in her eye.

Tara turned away from the table. ‘Come on then, if you’re coming.’ She headed towards the door, not checking whether Calan was following. But as she stepped into the twilight, she was conscious of his nearness, and she lost her patience. ‘What did you want to talk to me about? How you broke my heart?’ And there she goes, sounding like bloody Rod Stewart.

‘About commissioning a doll’s house, actually.’

Dear God. Tara briefly closed her eyes, hoping he would have disappeared when she opened them again. No such luck. He was still there, gazing at her intently. The sight of him infuriated her. ‘Why don’t you go boil your head!’ she snapped.

His blink of surprise gave her momentary satisfaction, until she realised how childish she sounded. What on earth had possessed her?Professional, eh, Tara?Good grief!

She marched off up the road, her movements stiff and jerky, her jaw clenched shut lest she said anything equally as stupid.

Cal quickly caught up with her. His voice was soft as he said, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.’

‘Whatever.’

‘I thought I was doing the right thing.’

‘What?!How can shagging me while you had a girlfriend back home be the right thing?’

‘I wasn’t! I didn’t have a girlfriend.’ He sounded shocked.

‘Fiancée, then.’

‘I didn’t have one of those, either.’

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