Page 41 of A Scottish Christmas Hideaway
‘It’s Struan,’ said Jessica when she saw his face pressed up against the glass. ‘I told him to pop in if he was passing.’
Reuben cleared his throat and moved away from Jessica. ‘We make a good team,’ he said softly.
Jessica smiled wistfully. ‘We’d better let him in and show him what we’ve done.’
Chapter Twenty-Six
The next couple of days passed quickly for Reuben as he put the finishing touches to Primrose Cottage. Brodie had been round to work on the window seat in the room upstairs which looked great. It was the perfect nook to curl up in and look out at the garden. As Reuben finally packed away his tools, he shook his head, thinking about someone telling his younger self that, one day, he would find himself falling for the girl up the road. He stopped himself in his tracks when he realised what he had just admitted to himself. There was no doubt he felt a sense of connection to Jessica, but he was also plagued with self-doubt. Did she feel the same? Or did the fact his ex-wife was still on the scene muddy things for her? The last thing he wanted to do was complicate her life any further. On the drive back to Rowan Bay the other afternoon, after their walk, they had chatted generally about the latest box sets they’d been watching on television and music they liked. She hadn’t said anything else about her ex and he hadn’t mentioned Belinda again. The curious part of him did wonder what she was holding back. Things had definitely shifted between them and the more time he spent with her, the more captivated he was becoming. Especially after that night at the bakery. There had definitely been another moment between them. When they walked back to Rowan Lane together later on, they had joked and laughed together and he had even found himself offering to take her paddleboarding in the loch when the weather got a bit warmer. Then he had realised he was getting ahead of himself and quickly changed the conversation.
Perhaps having some space away from each other would be for the best right now. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be near her. He absolutely did and it scared him. Murray and family were due to arrive later that afternoon and he had promised Catriona and Angus he would drop the keys round to them.He didn’t want to intrude on their family reunion. He gave the cottage one last glance and pulled the door shut. He would miss it. The thought of returning to Glasgow didn’t appeal at all. He walked the few metres up the road to Thistle Cottage. As he approached, Catriona swung the door open, holding a wreath.
‘Reuben, there you are. I was just coming to see you,’ she said. ‘I had some bits and bobs left over from the wreath-making workshop and I thought I’d just rustle this up for you.’
‘Catriona, what would I do without you,’ he said fondly.
‘Probably have a much quieter life,’ she said chuckling. ‘Shall I just come down and put it on the door now.’
‘Sure.’ He followed Catriona back to his cottage and watched as she pulled a hammer and nail from her jacket pocket. ‘Oh, I suppose I should ask if you mind me defacing your newly painted front door?’
‘Hammer away.’
It took just a few moments for Catriona to arrange it to her liking and she stood back, folding her arms in satisfaction. ‘What do you think?’
‘Great,’ he said, wondering if he should say anything else. It was fair to say it wasn’t the most traditional of wreaths with its random assortment of baubles and tinsel. ‘It’s quite, um, different.’
‘It’s upcycled,’ she said firmly, eyeing him suspiciously. ‘Funnily enough, Angus said exactly the same as you. Well, not quite — he described it asunusual.’
He inwardly groaned. ‘I’m sure Lexi will love it,’ he said quickly. ‘It’s bright and shiny and very Christmassy. You must be excited about seeing them? In fact, I was just coming up to give you the keys.’
She clapped her hands together, her eyes dancing. ‘I can’t wait.’ Then she glanced at her watch. ‘Only a day to go.’
He narrowed his eyes and looked at her confused. ‘What do you mean? I thought they were due in very soon?’
She shook her head. ‘They were. But the blooming airline bumped them off their connecting flight and so they’ve been put up in a hotel at Heathrow. Which is not ideal at all with the wee one. She will be exhausted. It’s such a long way to fly. But at least we don’t have to wait too much longer.’
‘Ah, that’s a pain,’ he said. He knew she had been ticking the days off on the calendar since Murray announced they were coming back.
‘What can you do? I can sit about and mope or just get on with things. Which is why I made the wreath. Now tell me, do you have time for a cuppa?’
It was an appealing thought and he was torn over whether to go and sit in the cosy kitchen at Thistle Cottage or return to his cold, empty flat in the city. He hesitated only for a moment. There was no immediate rush for him to leave Rowan Bay.
‘Go on. I’ve got some banana bread that I’ve just taken out the oven,’ she said.
‘You’re on.’ He followed her as she strode back towards the house, and he kicked off his shoes at the door. She led them through to the kitchen.
‘Jess is out just now,’ said Catriona as though she was reading his mind. ‘She was having a brainstorming session with Gillian and Struan at the inn.’
‘I see. It sounds like she’s got a lot of great ideas when it comes to the bakery. That gingerbread house was genius. It’s been the talk of the village.’ It did look great though, sitting proudly in the window, dusted with icing sugar and surrounded by twinkling fairly lights.
Catriona filled the kettle, flicked the switch on and then busied herself with pouring milk into a jug and bringing the cake and some plates over to the table. ‘Between you and me, Reuben,it’s been a bit of a lifesaver for her. I can’t believe how much she’s changed since she arrived here. For the better.’
He nodded sympathetically.
‘She’s had a hard time of it this past year. Anyway,’ she said, ‘it’s great seeing her so enthused again and to have the sparkle back in her eyes.’
He was certain that she was giving him a bit of a meaningful look and he wondered if she also sensed the connection he and Jessica had developed. She poured him some tea and told him to help himself to the banana bread.
‘It’s delicious,’ he said between mouthfuls.
