Page 42 of Wishing Under a Starlit Skye
‘That I don’t like you or… or appreciate you and what you did for Grace.’
He fixed her with a stern gaze. ‘Like I said, it’s fine. And you’re right, I’m with Rosabeth, so I wasn’t going to ask you out anyway.’ He smiled, but Caitlin couldn’t help thinking it wasn’t genuine, seeing as his eyes didn’t light up the way they usually did.
She hadn’t intended for him to hear her, nor had she intended to sound so disgusted by the prospect of going out with him. ‘Good. That’s… that’s good. So… how is it going with Rosabeth?’
He paused for a moment. ‘Good. She’s really nice. We had a nice time.’
Nice? Oh… ‘That’s good. I’m glad. So… what were you doing here?’
He glanced over her shoulder at the village hall. ‘Oh, I just came to help tidy the place, but you seem to have it all under control, so…’
Caitlin sighed. Guilt niggled at her insides, knotting them uncomfortably. She reached out and took his hand. ‘Archie, you’re so lovely. Thank you for everything. You really made Grace’s birthday extra-special and I’m so grateful to you. You must tell me what I owe you for all the balloons and lights and everything else.’
He snatched his hand away as if she had stung him. ‘Pfft, you don’t owe me anything at all. I was happy to do it.’ As if realising his reaction was a little harsh, he added, ‘She’s a grand girl… just like her mum.’ There was a hint of sadness to his gaze. ‘Well, I’d best be off. I’m taking Rosabeth out again tonight. We’re going for an Indian meal over on the mainland.’
Although a strange feeling twinged deep inside her, Caitlin smiled and nodded. ‘That’s lovely. Have a fab time, eh?’
‘Aye, cheers. Bye just now.’ He raised his hand in a wave and headed for his house.
Caitlin watched him leave and then closed her eyes for a brief moment, berating herself for her outburst before she returned to the hall.
‘Was he okay? I feel so awful about that,’ Jules said.
‘Aye, he didnae deserve to hear that, poor lamb,’ Morag added.
‘He’s fine. Like I told you, he has a girlfriend. He’s happy,’ Caitlin insisted although she couldn’t help wondering if she had, in fact, cruelly bruised his feelings.
* * *
For the next couple of weeks, Caitlin busied herself with finding an assistant for the shop. She had been lucky to acquire the details of the daughter of one of Morag’s friends, a young woman called Isla Kennedy, who was a graduate from the same catering college Caitlin had attended. She had also worked in retail during and after her studies so had plenty of experience. Now aged twenty-three, she was looking for something to do while she decided on a career path. Caitlin had initially taken her on for a trial period which had been a great success. She was a bubbly, smiley person and the customers seemed to like her. Things were going well, and the free time Caitlin had was being put to great use – mainly in enabling her to relax and spend time with Grace.
Caitlin couldn’t help feeling as though Archie was avoiding her, however. He didn’t come into the shop, and she didn’t see him around Glentorrin. She couldn’t help worrying that what he had overheard was the main reason. Perhaps he was busy with Rosabeth? And if he was, that was a good thing. After all, things were going well between her and Lyle. They had spent a few more evenings together, either at the pub or out with the girls. There had been a trip to the cinema where the girls had giggled on seeing their parents holding hands. There had been a shopping trip to the mainland where the girls had insisted on looking in all the jewellery shop windows and pointing out their favourite diamond rings. Luckily, Lyle had taken it all in his stride and had laughed along with Caitlin about them being desperate to be sisters.
Lyle had made himself at home more and more each time he visited and had taken to slipping his arms around Caitlin’s waist and kissing her neck as she prepared the bread for the next day. Things were, to coin an Archie phrase, nice. There had been no other issues or blips, however, when she thought about it, they had tended to avoid any conversations involving anything too deep or controversial.
It was Thursday in the second week of July, and they sat around the table in Caitlin’s dining room with the girls for a ‘family’ meal. Chat had been nonstop about Cora’s thirteenth birthday and how she hoped her party was as good as Grace’s.
‘Ah, but you don’t have an Archie to help, so maybe you need to get your dad to ask him,’ Grace said, innocently.
Lyle put his fork down. ‘I don’t need Archie, Grace. I’m great at organising special occasions. Just you wait. Although it will be a party for the four of us. No need to invite everyone else. It will be extra-special because…’
Grace and Cora immediately turned to look at him.
‘Because what?’ Grace asked.
‘Yeah, Dad, because what?’
‘You’ll see,’ he said and tapped his nose. ‘So, you’re cordially invited to celebrate with us at our house on Saturday evening. Dress up posh. There will be lots to celebrate.’ He winked and smiled at Caitlin who was a little surprised at the lack of plans for a big birthday party as she had expected.
‘Oooh, this sounds good!’ Cora said with a clap of her hands. ‘Are you thinking what I’m thinking, Gracie?’
‘Ah-ah, no speculating, young ladies. You’ll have to wait for the surprise,’ Lyle insisted.
‘Will there be a birthday cake though?’ Cora asked.
‘I have to speak to Caity about the design, but… yes.’
This was all a bit last minute, in true Lyle style. And Caitlin hoped that he didn’t want her to create something too elaborate when she only had a couple of days in which to produce it.
