Page 89 of Summer Escapes on the Scottish Isle

‘I do.’

Vinnie could have come out on theSea Serpentany time, but it never occurred to Mack to ask him. He’d assumed that Vinnie was done with boats when he’d sold the trawler and hadn’t bought himself a dingy. ‘Just say the word, and I’ll take you whenever you want.’

‘I’m not going to put you out. You’ve got enough to be getting on with.’

Mack smiled, knowing that the old man was too stubborn and proud to ask. ‘If you think you’re going to be having your own private trip every time you fancy feeling a wave under your size nines, you’re sadly mistaken. If you come out on the boat, you’ll be expected to join in with a proper tour. The only difference between you and a punter is that I won’t charge you.’

‘I can pay my own way,’ Vinnie growled. ‘I don’t need charity.’

It was the response Mack had expected. ‘Och, it’s not charity I’ll be giving you. You’ll have to pull your weight, like the rest of the crew.’ Mack would make sure that Vinnie didn’t do much – just enough so he didn’t feel he was getting a free ride.

‘We’ll see.’

‘The offer is there.’ Mack thought Vinnie might need a while to come around to the idea.

‘I can’t do anything with a gammy hip,’ Vinnie grumbled.

‘You’re not going to have a gammy hip forever, so let’s see how you feel when it’s healed. Are you hungry?’

Vinnie’s eyes lit up. ‘I could manage a bite.’

‘How about we drop anchor off the castle? I’ve brought us some bacon sandwiches and a flask of tea.’

Mack had hoped Vinnie would approve, and the old man’s smile confirmed it. You couldn’t beat a piece and a mug of tea on the water. And he’d also brought a packet of oaty nibble biscuits for a bit of sweetness after the salt of the bacon.

Bringing the boat closer to the shore, he dropped the anchor.

‘This is a braw breakfast,’ Vinnie enthused as he bit into his sandwich. ‘It’s even got a dollop of brown sauce!’

‘I haven’t forgotten you like sauce in your bacon butties. I’ve put sugar in the tea as well.’

‘You’re a good wee lad.’

Silence ensued as they ate their breakfast, and Vinnie chewed vigorously, polishing his off in a matter of minutes. When he settled back with a mug of tea in one hand and a biscuit in the other, he said, ‘Do you mind me asking you a personal question?’

‘It depends on what it is. You can ask all you like, but I mightn’t give you an answer.’

‘Fair enough. I was wondering why you’ve never settled down.’

Mack sighed and rolled his eyes. ‘Not you as well. You’re as bad as my mum. Carter’s always on my case, too.’

‘What do you tell them?’

‘That I’m not ready.’

‘Will you ever be?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘It took me a while. I was thirty-six when I met my Sandra. You probably haven’t met the right woman yet.’

‘I thought I had, once. But it was a long time ago. I was barely twenty. She broke my heart when she moved away.’

Vinnie shot him a sharp look and Mack hastened to add, ‘Not Freya. Her friend Alice. We got together after Freya went to London. I think she was lonely. And I don’t know why I’m telling you this.’ He uttered an embarrassed laugh.

‘It’s mended now, though? According to Jean, you’ve got a new girl every other week.’

Actually, he hadn’t. Not recently. ‘Yeah, I guess it’s mended.’

---