Page 22 of Summer Escapes on the Scottish Isle

Tara slipped an arm through his. ‘Can I come with you?’

Mack was surprised she wanted to. ‘It’s not going to be much fun – we’re shifting a sofa.’

‘I don’t care about the sofa. I want to meet Freya.’

‘OK, but she mightn’t appreciate a bunch of people descending on her.’ For some reason he felt rather protective of her.

Tara laughed. ‘I’m hardly a bunch. Should I bring a bottle of wine?’

‘This isn’t a social thing.’

‘It might be a nice gesture,’ she persisted.

‘You just want to be nosey,’ Cal said, ushering her out the door. Mack followed, jangling the keys to his truck.

‘Friendly,’ Tara corrected. She turned to Mack. ‘Cal says she grew up here, but moved away and is now living in London.’

‘That’s right.’ He hopped into the driver’s seat. Cal hung back so Tara could sit in the middle, then he got in.

‘What’s she like?’ she asked.

‘Nice.’

She scoffed, ‘Is that it –nice?’

Mack stared steadfastly ahead. He knew Tara’s game. She was trying to set him up.

She cried, ‘You like her, don’t you?’

Cal said, ‘If she’s under thirty and pretty, he’ll like her.’

Mack shot his friend a quick look. ‘She’soverthirty, actually.’

‘How old?’ Tara demanded.

‘Thirty-three, thirty-four.’

‘Not that much over.’

‘Shut up and let me concentrate on the road.’ The road was practically empty, and Mack was aware of the pair exchanging looks. ‘She’ll only be here for a few weeks,’ he told them, not sure why he felt the need to explain.

‘Just how you like your women,’ Cal said. ‘No risk they’ll get serious.’

‘I feel sorry for her, that’s all. Her dad is in hospital and she’s having to cope on her own.’

‘But she’s from around here, isn’t she?’ Tara pointed out. ‘I mean, she’ll know people – her old friends and such. How about Jinny?’

Mack considered the question. ‘You forget how small Duncoorie is. It’s not as though there would have been loads of kids around. A handful maybe.’ An image of Alice sprang into his head, and he pushed it away. ‘Anyway, Jinny is a bit older than Freya.’

His sister-in-law was the same age as Carter, and they’d been inseparable since school. In some ways, Mack envied his brother: Carter and Jinny were blissfully happy. On the other hand, being tied down wasn’t Mack’s bag. While Carter had been stuck at home changing nappies, Mack had been out having fun.

Mack eased the truck into a space behind a small red van that was parked outside Vinnie’s cottage, and got out.

‘We should have brought wine,’ Tara hissed, as he knocked on the door.

‘As I said, it’s not a social— Hi, Freya.’ His heart stuttered at the sight of her, and he smiled widely to cover his sudden confusion. ‘Are you ready for us to move your sofa?’ he asked. Then, seeing her gaze flit to Cal and Tara, he added, ‘I’ve brought reinforcements. Actually,Calwill help;Tarawill just get in the way. Oh, and she’s nosey.’

‘Oi.’ Tara elbowed him in the ribs.

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