Page 30 of A Summer House on Arran (Scottish Romances #3)

It was the final day of their tour. Kitty was glad that she just had one more day to get through before embracing a quieter life.

She had loved having fresh air and exercise and the chance to get to know Olivia and the others, but she was starting to crave some space and time off her feet.

They were starting to ache from the thousands of steps she’d been doing every day.

As she brushed her teeth, she looked at herself in the mirror.

Her face did have a healthy glow about it, and there was a sparkle in her eyes that hadn’t been there for some time.

If she was being honest, she had been feeling increasingly panicked by the pull she felt between her and Logan.

It didn’t matter how much she tried to ignore it, she had loved getting to know him these past few days.

Yes, she had been careful to keep a bit of a distance and not be overly friendly or flirtatious when talking to him, and she had refrained from sharing much about herself.

But trying to maintain that had become increasingly challenging, and she only hoped she could get through one more day without giving him the wrong idea.

There had been several occasions over the past few days when she longed to lay a friendly hand on his shoulder, to touch his arm or reach for his hand.

Then she’d caught herself just in time and reminded herself that would be weird.

In normal circumstances, Kitty wouldn’t think twice about how she interacted with the opposite sex — it had never been an issue.

This time was different, though. She felt a strong attraction to Logan and genuinely enjoyed his company.

He was an uplifting person to be around, and she felt herself relax when talking to him.

Then the little whispering voice would appear, telling her not to relax too much or make a fool of herself.

She needed some distance from him, and from that voice in her head.

Rinsing her mouth, she pulled her curls back from her forehead and wrapped her hair into a bun.

She smeared some sunscreen on her face, chest and arms and pulled on her outfit for the day.

Let’s face it, that was the easy bit of all of this walking malarkey.

You couldn’t really overthink what you wore to go climbing, as it had to be fairly practical.

Today she wore grey outdoor trousers and a deep-green T-shirt with a long-sleeved fleece tied around her waist — Logan had warned it could be cooler as they reached the summit.

The usual obligatory waterproof and extra tops, in case it was super cold, were stuffed in her backpack.

‘Olivia,’ she called, ‘are you up?’

‘Yes,’ she yelled back from her room. ‘I won’t be long.’

It was Kitty’s turn to make their packed lunch today, and she found a recipe on Instagram the night before for spicy chickpea wraps.

She quickly assembled them, wrapped them in tinfoil and added a parcel of homemade flapjacks to each of their lunches.

She got some apples from the fridge and then filled up their water bottles.

‘That’s me, I’m good to go,’ said Olivia, stifling a yawn.

‘All this exercise is exhausting. A lie-in tomorrow will be nice.’ Olivia eyed Kitty suspiciously.

‘You look nice today. Not that you don’t usually,’ she added hastily, ‘but there’s something about you that looks different .

’ She raised an eyebrow quizzically and smirked.

‘I’ve brushed my hair, that’s what it will be,’ said Kitty hurriedly, realising she should have left it tied up as usual rather than leaving it to hang loose.

‘Come on, we don’t want to be late.’ She didn’t want to admit to Olivia that she had actually spent longer doing her hair this morning, and had even dabbed on some lip gloss.

* * *

They were meeting outside Arran Brewery, where the walk would start, and when Kitty saw Logan she felt the same annoying flutter in her stomach she’d been feeling since she first laid eyes on him.

‘It’s a shame we aren’t starting with a beer,’ joked Adam.

‘Just think how much you’ll enjoy it later,’ said Logan. ‘Where’s Liz today?’

‘Ah, she has blisters. Really sore too. She didn’t want to hold the group back.’

‘Oh, that’s such a shame,’ said Kitty. ‘Isn’t she disappointed to miss out?’

Adam thought for a minute and shook his head. ‘I don’t think she’s too gutted. She’s booked a facial and a manicure at the spa.’

Olivia burst out laughing. ‘I like her style.’

Just then Logan’s mobile rang. ‘Hello,’ he said, frowning as he listened. ‘Okay. I understand. Thanks for letting me know.’

‘Everything okay?’ asked Olivia.

‘Well, yes and no. Fred and Tom already let me know last night that they didn’t fancy Goatfell.

They want to see the castle before they leave so they’re doing that instead.

We were two down anyway. And that was Jill saying she and Richard can’t come either.

Her knees are bothering her, and Richard is insisting he stays with her. ’

‘Oh well,’ said Adam, clapping his hands together and shrugging. ‘We’ll just need to crack on with it, then. I guess we’re the last ones standing.’

Kitty could feel Logan’s eyes on her, and she dropped her gaze to the ground. Keeping her distance was going to be almost impossible when there were only the four of them.

‘Okay. Well, Adam,’ said Olivia, ‘I’ll walk with you for now, as I want to know more about Sydney. I’ll ask you lots of questions while I’m still able to talk. I was there briefly last year on a tour and it’s a place I definitely want to go back to.’

Kitty could have throttled her. She knew exactly what her friend was up to.

‘Do you want to walk with me, Kitty?’ asked Logan.

‘Sure,’ she said, trying to sound as casual as possible. She would be having words with Olivia later.

‘The route is well signposted and visibility looks good today. The forecast certainly doesn’t suggest otherwise, but as you know things can change rapidly. It is Scotland. Adam and Olivia, you lead the way. We’re right behind you.’

They soon fell into a comfortable pace, with Adam and Olivia walking briskly ahead.

‘I’m sure this won’t take as long as it would if the group was bigger,’ said Kitty, now struggling to know what to say.

‘True. Normally we would keep stopping to give folks a chance to catch up. It does get a bit more challenging near the top with all the scree. But the four of us are fairly fit, so I don’t think we should have any problems.’

They walked in silence for a while as they ascended up through woodland. Kitty occasionally stopped to turn around and marvel at the view behind her.

‘There is another lovely walk on the island if you and Olivia fancy it while you’re here,’ said Logan as they approached another sign for Glen Rosa.

‘If you follow that it will take you on a circular route through the edge of the forest. You feel as though you’re in the middle of the Highlands.

And you get great views of Goatfell. Without the huge climb. ’

They continued up the path and Kitty found herself starting to relax. ‘How long have you been doing this?’

She listened intently as he told her about his time in the Navy and how his love of the outdoors led him to working outside. ‘I can’t imagine doing anything else,’ he said.

‘Do you miss having a permanent base?’

He shook his head. ‘Not really. I mean, I guess I kind of do have a base. It’s just that I’m never there.

I have a small, annexed cottage, more of a studio really, next to my sister’s house in Perth.

I have two older twin sisters. But she, Lucie, has taken to renting it out on Airbnb, as she says I’m never there.

I guess she’s right and the income is quite handy.

If I do want to go back, I usually have to give her lots of advance warning to make sure it’s not occupied, which doesn’t really work with my erratic planning.

So usually I end up staying with her or my other sister, Bridget. ’

‘That actually sounds quite liberating,’ said Kitty. ‘Just suiting yourself and having the freedom and courage not to conform to expectations. That’s something I’ve always admired.’

‘I suppose it’s a bit different for me as I don’t have kids,’ he said thoughtfully.

‘I don’t have anyone depending on me. But I do love spending nights in different places, whether it’s a cabin in the woods or a youth hostel on one of the islands or even a tent.

There’s nothing better than waking up next to a waterfall or sleeping under the stars and then sipping coffee under the shelter of the trees. ’

Kitty sighed and allowed herself a small smile. He did have a certain way with words that was very attractive.

‘Don’t get me wrong, I usually relish time alone, especially after doing a tour, but at times it can get a bit lonely.’ His eyes rested on her. ‘How about you? Have you always lived in Rosemarkie?’

Kitty hesitated.

‘Sorry, just ignore me if I’m being nosy. You don’t have to answer that.’

‘It’s okay. Yes, to answer your question, I was born and brought up in Inverness, then I moved to Rosemarkie when I got married.’

Logan choked back a cough.

‘I’ve been there ever since.’ Kitty looked at him curiously as he snapped a twig he’d been holding.

‘It’s a great spot,’ said Logan. ‘Some of our tours in the Highlands are really popular.’

‘And do you normally work up there?’

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘There’s a tour that runs most of the year, but I usually lead it in the autumn.

We meet in Inverness, walk up the north side of Loch Ness and stay in Fort Augustus, then Loch Oich and Glen Tarff, Glen Moriston and the Dundreggan, then finishing up back in Inverness.

That’s a five-day tour, and that time of year, as you can imagine, the colours are just stunning. ’

‘It is a beautiful part of the world,’ she said. ‘I should really try and get out more and explore. It can be too easy to fall into the same old routine.’

‘And how did the summer house here come about?’ he asked.

‘I think you must know my cousin, Fergus, who runs the outdoor centre in Lamlash?’

‘I do know Fergus, yes. He’s a great guy. Olivia said that there was a bit of miscommunication, which meant you both ended up in the same house?’

‘That’s right. Though it seems to have worked out okay — so far, fingers crossed.’ She told him about her plans for the rest of the summer, and how nice it was to have a break from work.

‘I can only imagine how exhausting that must be. I admire you, though. Working with little ones can’t be easy.’

She smiled. ‘It has its moments, but I wanted to work with kids to get away from adults. I was a counsellor for a while,’ she explained, ‘and then, well, after the pandemic I was exhausted. I needed a break.’

He looked at her, his brow creased in concern. ‘That must have been tough.’

She waved her hand dismissively. ‘It’s been tough for loads of people and still is. Things could always be worse.’

‘And your son?’

‘Yes,’ she said unable to stop herself from smiling. ‘Cameron. He’s eighteen and has just left school. He’s off having the time of his life working at a camp near New York.’

‘What a brilliant experience. And really great of you to support him to go off and do that.’

‘It was tough saying bye, and I really had to hold it together so I didn’t upset him, and I do miss him.

But I had to let him go. He’s got to go off and live his life.

It’s just always been me and him . . .’ She could feel tears well up and was grateful when she felt Logan place a reassuring hand on her arm.

‘Tell me about him,’ he said gently.

Kitty was thoughtful as she spoke quietly. ‘Well, he’s taller than me, funny, kind, smart, handsome and one of the nicest kids I know. Clearly, I’m biased. But I’m so proud of him. It’s not been easy.’

‘Well, I really admire you, Kitty. I see my sisters with their kids and know how challenging it can be, and they both have partners.’ He paused. ‘I lost my mum when I was younger, and my dad didn’t cope at all. It seems like you’ve done a great job of raising him on your own.’

They had been walking for some time now and the path was getting steeper as they ascended. Adam and Olivia were about a hundred metres ahead of them. ‘Thank you,’ she said automatically.

‘Do you mind me asking about his dad?’

Normally Kitty would feel her hackles rise when she was asked that question, which she had been many, many times over the years.

But she didn’t think Logan was being nosy.

He was looking at her with kind eyes and she could feel a surge of emotion at the back of her throat.

Oh God, the last thing she wanted to do now was start crying. ‘He . . .’

Logan looked at her in concern. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry, Kitty. The last thing I wanted to do was upset you. Please, let’s change the subject.’ He reached for her hand and squeezed it.

Kitty wanted to lean into him and open up and let all the words and emotions tumble out of her.

So much for trying to keep her distance — he made her want to do the opposite.

She had never felt so at ease with any man, other than Ryan, and she wanted to tell him what happened.

But she was frightened, so instead she managed to give him a grateful smile and squeezed his hand back.

For just a tiny moment, their gaze connected, and Kitty felt a surge of something ripple through her.

She could have stared into his deep brown eyes forever and didn’t want him to drop her hand.

She wanted to tell him what happened. She wanted to tell him everything , but a high piercing shriek jolted them both back into the here and now.