Page 73 of Under A Sicilian Sky
She sneered. ‘Yeah right. That sounds just like something I would say.’ Her voice dripped with sarcasm; she would’ve rolled her eyes if they didn’t hurt. She waited for him to tell her that it was just another joke. When he didn’t, the blurry memory ofthinkingabout kissing him returned. Once again her stomach somersaulted when she realised she had actually thought it out loud. ‘Shit, I did say that, didn’t I? Ugh, I’m so,sosorry, Mitch. I was so drunk, and Ineverget that drunk. Now you know why. Because I say stupid things that I don’t mean.’ She hoped he believed her, even though it was a blatant lie. She most definitelyhadthought about kissing him. More than once.
He shrugged and she thought she saw a hint of disappointment in his eyes. ‘Don’t worry. We’ve all been there.’
Silence fell and Ruby wanted the tiles on the floor to open up and pull her in.
After a few moments, Mitch spoke again. ‘Look, the best thing for a hangover is some carbs, followed by a walk in the cold. I’m thinking of driving up to the Quiraing and doing the loop if you fancy it?’
She scrunched her brow. ‘I don’t think I would make it. I feel so ill,’ she whined.
‘Och, come on! I’m not kidding. It will honestly help. I’ll make a flask and we can have a hot drink with us. What do you say?’
She didn’t have the energy to argue. Her shoulders slumped and she simply replied, ‘Okay then.’
‘Great! Go away up and get your jeans on. Stick your warm coat on too, and you’ll need a scarf and hat as it can get blustery up there. I’ll see you down here when you’re ready.’
She drank the last of her tea and left the table, walking slowly and steadily up the stairs to get dressed.
* * *
By the time they had reached the parking area for the Quiraing walks, the headache pills had kicked in and Ruby was feeling a little brighter. Dougie looked like he was about to embark upon an army expedition, and Shelby had tagged along too with her perfectly made-up face and her tightly fitting Lycra walking leggings.
As they all prepared to set off for the hike, Mitch walked over to Ruby. ‘Hey, I actually meant that just the two of us should go, but Dougie was keen when I told him what we were doing, and he told Shelby. I didn’t want to draw attention to the fact that you were feeling rough but…’
She smiled. ‘It’s fine, honestly. I suppose they both have jobs to do.’But it would’ve been nice just to spend a little alone time with you,or at least without the entourage, she thought. She would rather have borrowed Chewie for the walk, but with so many people it hadn’t felt feasible.
‘Hey, Ruby, are you all ready for Saturday? I can help you choose an outfit if you like. I could even go shopping for you,’ Shelby said with a bright smile.
‘Actually, I’m all sorted, thank you. Caitlin is lending me a dress and Jules is helping with my hair.’
The smile disappeared from Shelby’s face. ‘Oh, I see. Maybe I can help you with your speech?’
Ruby cringed. ‘Thank you, but I think I’m just going to wing it. Say what comes to me. I think it’s important it sounds natural rather than rehearsed.’
Shelby nodded and gave what appeared to be forced smile. ‘Okay. Fine. Are we heading out?’ She marched on ahead.
‘I took the liberty to bring some hydration, snacks and foil blankets. I also have a whistle and a compass,’ Dougie informed them before he too walked off, following Shelby.
Mitch turned to Ruby and mumbled, ‘Welcome to boot camp. So much for a nice leisurely stroll.’
The sky overhead was cloudless, a hazy blue that merged up to a bright cerulean and the sun cast a bright haloed ring around the tops of the mountains. Before them, the path led away from the parking area and upwards towards jagged rocks that jutted out of the bracken. Behind them, it swept steeply, precariously downwards, and after around twenty minutes Ruby paused to take stock of how far they had come and to breathe in fresh air to abate the rising hangover nausea that had struck again. The view was incredible, and they weren’t even at the top.
In places, loose stones underfoot made the terrain a little worrisome and Mitch placed a reassuring hand on Ruby’s back to steady her. She appreciated it. She liked the physical contact.
When they reached the top, they stopped and stared out at the view. Ruby was out of breath and stunned into silence. All around them, ragged rocks reached skywards like trees searching for daylight; they were like sculptures and Ruby decided that, in a way, they were, only they were carved by nature rather than man. Birds hovered above them, catching warm air thermals to float upon, and for a moment she watched them ducking, diving and playing. Beneath her muddy boots, the ground was every shade of green, purple and brown and appeared almost like velvet. From her vantage point, she could see way out to Staffin Bay where the water mirrored the colour of the sky; deceptively inviting even though the temperature would no doubt chill to the core, she thought.
‘It was created by landslides,’ Mitch told her as they stood admiring the vista before them. ‘This place, I mean. Amazing what nature can do, eh? The rock formations have names. There’s the needle, the table and there’s even one called the prison.’
She loved to hear him talking with such passion about the area. ‘Wow, it’s incredible.’
‘Aye. Still moving too.’
Ruby turned to face him. ‘What?’
He laughed. ‘Don’t worry. It’s very slow. The road gets repaired regularly to keep up with it. You wouldn’t be allowed up here if it wasn’t safe.’
‘Good to know.’ She turned to face the view again and took out her phone to snap some photos. ‘Mitch, how about a selfie?’
He smiled and came to stand close beside her. She turned the camera lens around and snapped a photo of the two of them with the stunning view behind them. His face was so close, and he leaned his head on hers as he smiled at the screen. She took another shot, reluctant to move. He turned his face towards her and locked his gaze on hers. Once again there was a crackle of electricity between them. He glanced at her lips just like he had once before…
