Page 55 of Just Like That

‘What do you think, girl?’ I hear him say. ‘Do I scrub up all right? Long time since I’ve had a proper date.’

‘Let’s have a look at you then?’ I call out jovially as I approach him.

Nick’s head shoots round and he looks mortified. ‘Oh, hi, I didn’t expect you to be on time with everything you have on this week.’

‘Clearly. By the way, in case that’s a universal term of endearment for the women in your life, I’m not too keen on “girl” as a pet name.’

Nick gets up from the bench, giving me my first proper look at him, and I’m honestly rendered speechless. It’s the first time I’ve seen him in normal clothes rather than those scruffy, stained overalls and it’s almost like I’m looking at a different person. He’s wearing slim-fit jeans and a stylish branded polo shirt that enhances his upper body in all the right places. He’s also shaved and tidied up his hair just enough that it looks smarter, but also has a sexy just-out-of-bed appeal to it. He looks good. No, scratch that, he looks smoking hot. Like, sizzling on a grill territory – in my eyes anyway. All of a sudden, I feel a bit insecure, as if my subconscious has made a fresh judgement on him and decided he’s out of my league.

‘You all right?’ Nick steps forward to greet me properly.

‘I’m… yeah, I’m fine.’ I lean in to receive his kiss, which is slow and lingering.

‘You look incredible,’ he murmurs in my ear and my moment of insecurity passes as I remember I’ve spruced myself up, so I might just pass for someone who’s not completely punching.

‘So, where are we off to this evening?’ I ask. ‘I’m looking forward to a proper introduction to East Lothian.’

‘I have quite the plan actually.’

Nick gestures towards the bench and I sit down, saying hello to Rana as I do. She’s investigating (or rather, hanging from) a new ledge that Nick has added to her enclosure, so she doesn’t even seem to notice I’m there.

‘I thought we’d take the scenic route.’ Nick flops down next to me, putting his arm around me, and I instinctively cuddle into him. ‘I’d like to show you a few of the coastal villages in the area – Gullane, Longniddry and the like – then I thought we could have a walk on the beach before dinner. I’ve booked an Italian restaurant in North Berwick, so if it’s not too late after, maybe we can have a wander round the harbour there too…’

While Nick is sharing his plan, it dawns on me how long it’s been since I’ve had a night out. It was something I always took for granted, being young with no ties. Seth’s social group, who took me under their wing when I returned to Edinburgh, provided me with ample opportunity for nights out. They were more about hitting the bars of George Street hard than the romance that I expect tonight will bring, but they were symbolic of my freedom. Or mine and Seth’s freedom – which I’m unsure if we’ll ever get back.

‘Hey, where did you go?’ Nick cocks his head to interrupt my line of sight. ‘Do you not like the sound of what I have planned?’

Realising that my mind has wandered at the most inopportune time, my attention snaps back to the present. ‘Oh, sorry, no, it sounds great. Really great.’

He looks at me uncertainly, so I pull him into another kiss – and ensure it’s a particularly steamy one – to make sure there’s no doubt in his mind whatsoever that I’m all in.

Chapter 25

Following a magical mystery tour of the vast East Lothian countryside and the nearby coastal villages in Nick’s four-by-four, we arrive in yet another pretty little village call Dirleton. Nick gives me a quick tour of the place, which is essentially just pointing out the village green and a majestic castle ruin, before turning off the main street and driving along a narrow country road until we reach a small car park. Thankfully, despite the sky having threatened to pour buckets on us all day, it has held off. The sun is even peeking through every now and then to offer us some warm evening rays on our faces.

‘Where are we now?’ I ask.

‘This is Yellowcraig beach.’ Nick opens his car door to get out and I follow suit. ‘It’s one of the best beaches in the area. Have you really never been?’

‘No, I’ve only ever been to North Berwick beach, but I’m excited to discover something new. This is such a beautiful area. I don’t know why I haven’t spent more time here.’

‘I guess when you live in the “big smoke” you forget there’s a world outside of it,’ he teases me.

‘It is a bit like that, I guess.’

We cross the car park and take a pathway, which I’m assuming will lead us to the beach, chatting lightly about Rana’s developmental progress as we go. Nick’s pleased with how she’s coming along, and it’s so lovely seeing him like a proud dad. He really is a big softy at heart, it seems.

It feels warm and companionable being with him, and at the same time exciting. I can feel my senses are on high alert, to the point I just want to grab him and kiss him and never stop. Or better yet, sneak into the overgrowth and devour every little bit of him, right there. I realise that could result in anything from tick bites and Lyme disease to my underwear (and other bits of me) feeling like sandpaper, but it’s almost worth the risk. Almost.

As we climb over the dunes on to the beach, Nick slips his hand into mine and it feels so good, I decide that I can settle for this over an alfresco romp for now. Stealing a glance at him, my heart skips as he smiles back at me, and gives my hand a little squeeze.

‘Oh, wow, this is lovely.’ I come to a sudden halt, drinking in the panoramic view of the seascape in front of me.

There are lashings of powdery sand, a rocky area off to the left and frothy waves crashing onto the beach from the Firth of Forth, right where it meets the cold expanse of the North Sea. A tiny island with an old white lighthouse perched on it is visible in front of us, surrounded by the rippling azure body of water, while sand dunes, grassland and forest frame the beach inland from where we’ve walked.

‘It’s nice, huh?’ says Nick. ‘And see, there’s North Berwick Law off to the right.’

I follow his line of light. ‘Ah, so it is. So, with growing up in Aberlady, you must have spent a lot of time here.’

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