Page 73 of Surprises on the Scottish Isle

Tara ate, but she didn’t rush her food. She wanted the moment to last, to savour it the way she was savouring this delicious picnic. After all, they had all night in which to make love.

After they’d finished eating, Tara helped Cal pack the remains of their meal into the wicker basket and stow it on the boat, then she got in, taking her customary perch on the middle bench.

Cal was about to push off when he said, ‘Would you like to steer?’

‘No, thanks! Rowing looks hard work.’

‘I wasn’t planning on rowing back. I want to save my strength.’ He lowered the outboard motor into the water and leered at her. ‘It’ll get us back quicker, too.’

Tara rolled her eyes. ‘Go on, then. I’ll give it a try, but don’t blame me if we hit something.’

‘We won’t.’

Tara wished she had his confidence, but hers grew the nearer they came to the jetty, although she did insist on Cal taking charge of the steering before they reached the beach because she was worried the boat might run aground.

‘There’s no chance of that,’ he explained, cutting the motor and lifting it out of the water to let the boat drift gently to the shore.

She even jumped into the shallows to help him drag it up the beach and was surprised at how light the vessel was.

Despite only having been on the loch for about three hours, Tara felt as though she’d had a full day out. She was tired, covered in a fine coating of salt from the spray, and deliriously happy.

‘I need a shower,’ she declared, tasting the salt on her lips. Her hair was also sticky with it.

‘Have one at mine,’ Cal suggested when she made to walk towards the boathouse. ‘My shower is big enough for two.’

‘So it is.’ And as she strolled hand in hand with Cal towards his cottage, she couldn’t help feeling blessed and incredibly thankful. Not many people had a second chance at first love.

What was that noise? Cal opened one eye and felt around for his phone. It wasn’t in its customary spot on the nightstand, so he had no way of telling the time. However, he knew it was morning because light streamed in around the bedroom curtains.

The noise came again, and he realised there was someone at the door.

Tara stirred next to him, and he eased his arm out from underneath her, wincing as it began to tingle.

‘Whassa time?’ she murmured.

‘No idea.’ He sat up.

‘Whossat?’

‘Don’t know, but I’d better answer it before they break the door down.’

Grabbing a pair of shorts, he drew them on and reached for a T-shirt, pulling it over his head as he hurried downstairs.

‘About time!’ Yvaine exclaimed as he opened the door, and Cal stepped back in surprise. ‘I was about to go to the castle and ask if anyone knew where you were.’

Bonnie was standing next to her, clutching her rucksack to her chest.

Confused, he asked, ‘Am I supposed to have her today?’

Yvaine tutted. ‘If you’d bothered to answer your phone or check your messages, you would know that Dad’s got sickness and diarrhoea, so they can’t have her. Mum blames it on the prawns he ate yesterday. Luckily, she had the monkfish. Anyway, I’m sorry to dump Bonnie on you. I know it’s early, but I’ve got a work meeting this morning, so I’ve got no choice. You don’t mind, do you?’ She said it as though she knew he wouldn’t, and he didn’t, but—

Oh, God,Tarawas upstairs, asleep in his bed.

‘Gotta run,’ Yvaine was saying. She gave Bonnie a kiss on the head, then pushed her towards Cal. ‘I’ll pick her up later, but I’m not sure of the time. I’ll let you—’ She stopped and her mouth dropped open.

Cal turned around slowly, guessing what she had seen.

Tara, her hair tousled, yawning widely and wearing one of Cal’s shirts with her bare legs on show, was slowly descending the stairs.

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