Page 13 of Snowy Surprises in the Highlands (Scottish Highland #5)
Later that day, when she arrived home, Bella was greeted by Bertie, his tail wagging like an aeroplane propeller and his funny high-pitched yips that had only deepened slightly as he got older.
She half expected him to take off, he was so excited to see her.
He ran away and brought her his tatty rabbit soft toy, something he had started to do when he was having big feelings. It was so cute.
‘Hey, boy, have you missed me?’ she asked as she crouched before the bundle of fluff. He continued to wag his whole body as she stroked his fur.
‘Hey, sweetheart, had a good day?’ Harris asked as he walked through to the hallway to join the welcome party. He was drying his hands on a towel which he flung onto his shoulder once he was done.
She thought back to Carlton and his persistence but said nothing about it to Harris and instead nodded and smiled. ‘Yes, busy but the place is looking wonderful.’
He leaned close and kissed her. ‘I can’t wait to see it when it’s all done. And the owner’s son, is he happy with it all?’
Again, she nodded and forced a smile. ‘He seems to be, yes.’
‘Good, good. We’ve had some more RSVPs in the post, which is great. It’s all coming together.’ When Bella didn’t reply, Harris narrowed his eyes. ‘Is everything okay? You seem a little off.’
She brightened her smile. ‘Oh, sorry, yes, I’m just a bit wiped out, that’s all. Maybe I’m coming down with something.’
He slipped his arms around her and pulled her close. ‘Let’s hope not, you’re heading over to Drumblair tomorrow.’
Bella had almost forgotten about her planned trip to see Olivia and to try on her wedding dress for the first time. Being reminded of this lifted her spirits. ‘I’m sure I’ll be fine after a good night’s rest.’
‘Well, come and sit down. Dinner’s ready. I’ve made my lasagne for you because I know how much you love it.’
He was so incredibly wonderful, and she loved coming home when he’d been off work. He always cooked for her and made sure she knew how proud he was of her.
‘Oh, lovely, thank you. I’ll just nip upstairs and get changed.’
Harris pulled the towel from his shoulder and said, ‘Don’t be long, I’ll get the food served up.’
Bella made her way upstairs and changed into yoga pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt.
She stared at herself in the full-length mirror in the bedroom and almost didn’t recognise the body she saw there.
She really had changed physically since moving to Skye and was losing weight, not intentionally – she had always accepted her curves as part of herself – but simply due to the rushing around she was doing for the several jobs she insisted on working on concurrently; at first she couldn’t see it even though her granny pointed it out frequently and with concern.
The conversations were tattooed onto Bella’s brain…
* * *
‘In spite of what you read on the interwebs, men don’t like skeletons, Arabella. They like a girl with shape. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up looking like one of those girls with anaphylaxis.’
Bella frowned. ‘I think you mean anorexia.’
Isla curled her lip. ‘Anna who?’ She waved a hand in annoyance.
‘Ugh, never mind, I have no idea who she is or how thin she is, but you don’t want to be trying to look like her, take my word for it, hen.
In fact, I heard a song the other day on a tick tack toe video about big butts.
They’re all the rage now, you know. People are getting those Brazilian butt lifts, so their bums are bigger, and here you are losing yours.
I mean, look at that Jenny from the block woman.
And that Nicki Minger. Men love them and they’ve both got vera ample posteriors. ’
‘Minaj, Granny, it’s Nicki Minaj.’
‘Aye, that’s what a said. You’ll be needing one of those bum transplants if you’re not careful.
’ Images of surgeons harvesting people’s bottoms from one person to implant in another sprang to Bella’s mind and she scrunched her face at the unpleasant thought.
When Bella said nothing, Isla sighed. ‘You look better with some meat on your bones, that’s all I’m saying, hen. ’
Bella forwent the explanation of her grandmother’s multi-faceted error this time. ‘Granny, I can assure you, with all confidence, that I won’t be having buttock im plants… any time soon. Or ever, in fact! And I’m not losing weight on purpose. It’s just that I’m so busy,’ she insisted.
‘Aye, well, take some snacks wi’ you on the road. You can get all sorts of things to go these days. And anyway, why don’t they feed you up at that fancy hotel you’re working on?’
Bella tried not to roll her eyes but failed. ‘Because I’m not there long enough and I do a lot of the design work remotely.’ Mainly on account of the new manager trying to seduce me whenever I see him in person.
Her granny shook her head and folded her arms across her chest defiantly. ‘I’m just worried you’re catching an eating disorder. Princess Di had one, you know. But it doesn’t make it something to perspire to. They’re not a vibe, you know. They don’t slay, in spite of what you may think.’
Bella pursed her lips, this time trying not to laugh. Her granny really did spend too much time on TikTok. ‘I can assure you, Granny, I’m not as piring to have an eating disorder. And you can’t catch them so stop worrying. But I love you for caring.’
These conversations were a regular occurrence and although they grated on Bella a little she knew they were coming from a place of love, so she tried not to let them get to her too much.
But even Bella was starting to see it more now.
She’d even had to contact Olivia and give her new measurements for her wedding dress.
Admittedly the situation with Carlton wasn’t helping matters.
He seemed to think it was all a laugh but she was increasingly unhappy about the way he spoke to her.
She had resolved that, if it hadn’t stopped, she would contact Mrs Somers and speak to her.
* * *
After dinner, Bella clipped on Bertie’s lead and she and Harris headed out to walk the dog.
The weather had brightened as the day had progressed and it seemed strange to Bella that the sun had made an appearance as soon as she was on her way home to Harris.
It was now descending and painting an amber glow over the pretty village of Glentorrin.
It was a mild evening, and others seemed to be taking advantage of the weather too.
Jules, Reid and Evin were out walking Chewie, and they stopped to say hello.
‘Are you excited about tomorrow?’ Jules asked with a bright smile.
Bella nodded. ‘I think so. But I’m nervous too.’
‘Aye, but it’ll be a good kind of nervous, surely?’ Reid asked. ‘It’s not every day you get a renowned designer to create your wedding gown.’
‘That’s true. And yes, I’m definitely a good kind of nervous. Plus, it will be lovely to see Freya and have a cuddle.’
‘How old is she now?’ Jules asked.
‘A year and eight months! She’s growing so fast.’
Jules ruffled Evin’s hair. ‘They have a habit of doing that,’ she said.
Evin’s face coloured pink, and he ducked. ‘Muuuum, mind ma hair!’ he said with a laugh. ‘We might see Grace walking Cleo.’
Evin, and Caitlin’s daughter, Grace, had been friends for a long time, but things seemed to be heading towards romance these days. Or that’s apparently what he hoped.
Jules pulled him into her side and kissed his head. ‘Ah, young love,’ she said with a wink.
‘Evin!’ came a female voice from the direction of the bakery and he waved.
‘Come on, lad, let’s go see Gracie and Cleo,’ Evin said as he patted his thigh and began to jog away towards the pretty red-haired girl and her little dog, with Chewie following obediently behind. ‘Have a nice time at Drumblair, Bella,’ he called over his shoulder.
‘Thanks, Evin,’ Bella replied.
Reid clapped his hands and rubbed them together. ‘So, who’s up for a cheeky wee drink at the Coxswain?’
Harris grinned. ‘You don’t have to ask us twice!’