Page 93 of Under A Sicilian Sky
Home, she thought again.
‘You must pop in and see Chewie. He’ll be so excited to see you. Every time we’ve walked him since you left, he’s pulled us towards Glentorrin House as if he’s looking for you. Bless his paws,’ Jules said as Caitlin parked up outside the bakery.
Ruby placed her hand over her heart. ‘Really? The feeling is mutual, I can’t wait to see him.’
Caitlin fell silent for a moment, reading something on her phone. She lifted her chin, gesturing to her handset. ‘Just had a message from Archie. He’s saying they’ve had a lead on Shelby. Apparently, she’s been spotted in Edinburgh.’
Ruby huffed. ‘Hmm, probably hunting for her lover, Mitch.’
Jules shrugged. ‘Maybe. Although I doubt he’ll be interested in her now he knows what she’s done and what horrors she’s capable of.’
Ruby could imagine them, Shelby and Mitch, holed up in his posh Edinburgh bachelor pad, avoiding capture, snuggled up naked in bed. She shivered at the thought. She knew it was a ridiculous notion, but her imagination was in overdrive. ‘Well, they’re welcome to each other. Now, let’s get in and get the wine open.’
Once inside, Ruby was shown to the pretty mustard and grey guest room of Caitlin’s house and she unpacked the clothes she had brought. She’d allowed herself a few lighter items seeing as it was May and signs of spring were everywhere.
When she returned to the kitchen, she found Jules and Caitlin sitting at the table, a bottle of red wine open and three half-filled glasses.
Jules and Caitlin shared a look and Jules cleared her throat. ‘Erm… Ruby, I’ve just had a message from Reid.’
‘Oh!’ she said brightly. ‘Say hi from me.’ She nonchalantly took a sip of the deep red liquid. ‘Yum!’
Jules made a nervous sideways glance at Caitlin. ‘I will. I will, but… I’m afraid I have news.’
Ruby frowned as she placed down her glass. ‘Oh? What’s up? Has something happened?’ Worry niggled at her mind.
Jules cringed. ‘I’m so sorry… Apparently, Mitch is back.’
Ruby gasped. ‘Oh great.’ She put down her glass, dropped her chin and rested her head in her hands as her heart skipped. He’d only just gone. What was the point in returning so soon? Then again, she’d done the same.
She huffed. ‘Did you two know he was coming back?’ She narrowed her eyes at her friends and pointed at them in turn. ‘Is this a set-up?’
Jules held up both hands, her eyes wide and her head shaking emphatically. ‘God no! Absolutely not! We would never do that to you, Ruby. Not after what he did. Slimeball. He has no idea you’re here. Reid hasn’t told him, and we’ll make sure to keep him away from you. I just wanted you to know in case you bump into him in the village.’ Sincerity shone through in Jules’ words and her reaction.
Ruby shook her head. ‘Okay. Well, I’m not going to let him spoil things for me. I’m happy to be back. I’ll stay out of his way and hopefully he’ll stay out of mine. It’s as simple as that. And if, ultimately, things don’t go according to plan, I’ll have to don a disguise again and sneak home to Yorkshire.’ She took another large swig of her drink.
Caitlin leaned forward. ‘You know you can trust us, don’t you? We would never have suggested you come back here if we’d known he was returning. We presumed he’d gone back for good.’
Again, Ruby could see the sincerity in her eyes. She nodded. ‘I know. And let’s face it, this is his home. I can’t expect him to stay away forever. So, I need to forget about what happened with him and move on.’
Jules exhaled through puffed cheeks. ‘That’s great. The last thing I wanted was for you to think we’d brought you here under false pretences. We would never do that.’
Ruby reached out and squeezed a hand of each of her friends. ‘I know. I do trust you both.’
Caitlin raised her glass. ‘To shitty timing and good intentions!’
Jules and Ruby raised their glasses and in unison said, ‘Shitty timing and good intentions!’
* * *
Ruby felt great. Two days back and she hadn’t once seen Mitch and she had settled back into island life like she had never been away. Kitty had kept a regular check on her and regaled her about two trips to the hospital with what turned out to be Braxton Hicks contractions.
‘You watch, I’ll be the girl who cries wolf and the time I’m really in labour I won’t believe it. The baby will end up being born on the kitchen floor or something! You must visit when it comes though.’
Ruby had laughed. ‘Try and keep me away!’
Her mum had informed her of their plans to visit. ‘We were already planning on coming up to stay with Morag and Kenneth, but now you’re there we have an even better excuse!’
Philippe video-called her to inform her of Veronica Lucas’ latest scoop. He held up the paper so she could see the New York Star headline:
