Page 29

“It would be so cool if you found a hunk in the Highlands, too. Gods. That sounds like a bad dating show.”

“I’d watch that.” My handsome friend shrugged and popped the last bite of the cupcake into his mouth. “I’ll miss you,” he added, giving me a sad smile.

“Me, too. You know that you’ll have to visit us, right?”

“Us. Damn, I’m so happy for you, Bee.”

“I promise I’ll visit. Once that crazy trade fair is over and I’ve spent a month on my couch to recover.”

“Hi Beryl, hi Rhys. Is everything alright?” Maeve called from the back door, waving before she wrapped her leather apron around herself and tied it behind her back.

Rhys got up from his chair to kiss Maeve’s cheeks.

“Hello, beautiful. I’m just bloody exhausted and need to get back to work in a few minutes. How are you and Taran?”

“Oh we’re grand. Thank you, Rhys. He flew me here and went for a walk in the park behind the theatre.”

“Maybe I’ll run into him when I go back to the shop. I haven’t seen him in ages.”

At least he still had a friend in town when I’d be living my best life with my hunk in the Highlands.

“Hi boss.” I hugged her. “It’s all good. It was a quiet shift. We’re almost out of Pumpkings, though. And the new chestnut cupcakes were a hit with the crowd this morning.”

“Yeah, I bet it’s the gloomy weather that keeps people in.”

“I can’t wait to get home and curl up on the couch. They delivered it this morning, want to see a picture? I already made Rhys gush about it with me.”

“Yes, show me!” Maeve bounced on her feet as she waited for me to pull up the picture Kjartan had sent earlier.

“Oh my God, Bee. I love it! That colour? It looks so cosy. And I still adore your future living room. That cottage is so beautiful.”

“I’ll miss you so much, and the cafe here. But I swear, I can’t wait to wake up next to my man every morning and see Breeze come to life.”

“Aw, gods. You make me overthink things, Bee,” Rhys said. “You make being in a relationship sound appealing. I hate you.”

“No, you don’t,” I deadpanned.

My friend smirked and waved me over for a hug.

“Think about it, babe,” I whispered in his ear as we hugged goodbye.

“I might. See you in five weeks.” He winked, waved at Maeve, and left, bundling himself up in a coat and beanie as he went.

“Do you need me for anything else, boss?”

“Nope, I’m good. You go. Enjoy the weekend with your man.” She beamed at the words. Maeve got it.

“He’s picking me up in an hour. We have another two carloads to take back to the cottage before I’m moved out of my house. We’re doing one today and one next weekend.”

“Have fun, and say hi to Kjartan for me.” She put the last two chestnut cupcakes into a paper bag. “Provisions.”

“Cheers, boss. Give my best to Taran. I’ll see you on Monday.”

Chapter 21

Kjartan

Only two more trips from Beryl’s house to Kincardie and we would officially be living together. I was a little nervous about it. True, when I’d been fighting for the Yregh, we’d lived in close quarters. But the barracks and caves had been so far from our nice cottage with the loveliest pastel green Nøkken couch. I’d thought I loved my siblings in arms, but nothing I had ever felt before came close to what I felt when I was with Beryl, not even Stígur.