Page 32 of Surprises on the Scottish Isle

‘It sure didn’t take you long to find one after you dumped me.’

They were at the edge of the village, the road ahead devoid of people, cars or buildings, and Cal grabbed her arm, bringing her to a halt.

‘It wasn’t like that. It was a mistake.’

Tara was incredulous. ‘You got married bymistake?’ She glared pointedly at his hand. His touch sent her heart rate skyrocketing.

His expression was apologetic as he let go of her arm, saying, ‘Not the getting married part, although that was definitely a mistake. Yvaine, my wife – ex-wife – I never should have… She was a rebound date.’

‘Rebound?What the hell wereyourebounding from?Youdumpedme, remember?’

‘For all the right reasons.’

Tara put her hands on her hips. Anger flared in her chest, quelling the rush of remembered desire she’d felt when he’d touched her. ‘Which were?’

He looked away, staring over her shoulder and shrugged. ‘We were very young, I’d just got a job in the middle of nowhere, you had your degree to finish…’ He sounded as though he was ticking them off against a check list.

‘I didn’t finish it.’ She dropped her hands, clasping them together in front of her, the anger dissipating, replaced by heavy regret and the sadness she’d carried with her for the last ten years. She’d thought she’d buried it nice and deep, but it had bubbled to the surface like spring water through rock.

‘Why not?’ She could tell he didn’t want to ask the question but felt compelled to ask it anyway.

‘Because of you.’

His exhaled breath was long and slow. ‘Oh, Tara.’

‘Yeah,Oh, Tara.’ She was thankful for the scorn in her voice, because it was better than the hurt that might otherwise have been there. Reining in her emotions, she pretended indifference as she said, ‘It doesn’t matter. It’s water under the bridge.’

‘But you loved your course.’ The sympathy in his eyes was unbearable.

‘I did, but I love making doll’s houses more.’ It was the truth.

‘You’re good at it, too.’

‘Thanks.’ Her reply was sarcastic. She neither needed nor wanted his praise. What she wanted was for him to sod off.

He said, ‘That’s what I wanted to speak to you about. I’m sorry, I should have waited and come to the studio. This is your downtime.’ He grimaced. ‘I’m like one of those people who bump into their GP in the pub and want to talk to them about their piles.’

‘Do you have piles?’

His lips twitched. ‘No, I do not.’

‘Shame.’ Tara began walking again and Calan fell into step beside her. She said, ‘I take it that the doll’s house is for your daughter?’

‘Yes. Yvaine and Bonnie are going to live with Yvaine’s boyfriend, and she’s putting the house on the market. Bonnie was really upset, which was why she wasn’t in school on Monday. Bonnie thought that if she had a scale model, it might help her with the transition, make her miss it less. That’s why she wanted to do a workshop, but I want to commission one instead.’

‘It’ll cost.’ Tara didn’t want the commission. She didn’t want to spend any more time with Cal than necessary.

‘How about you give me a quote and we take it from there?’

We?They hadn’t been a ‘we’ for a very long time. ‘I’ll need measurements and photos. The cost depends on what you want. A shell is considerably less expensive than a fully furnished house with accurate details.’

‘I see. Can you quote me for both?’

‘I’ll need loads of photos – every part of every room.’

‘OK. I’ll get them to you. How is the coffin coming along?’

She didn’t want to make small talk, but he clearly did, and considering she had to work with the man she decided to play nice. Or as nice as she could manage. ‘You heard that?’

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