Page 33 of Snowy Surprises in the Highlands (Scottish Highland #5)

Bella stared down at Carlton where he sat crumpled in a ball on the floor of the lift.

‘Oh, good grief, I really have heard it all now. All your other attempts have failed so now you’re trying to garner sympathy by pretending to be claustrophobic as a way to try and get me into bed.

You really are pathetic. Haven’t you ever been told no?

Is that it? You’re so used to getting your own way that you’ll go to extremes the first time it happens?

’ Meanwhile, Carlton continued to rock back and forth.

He’s a really good actor though, I’ll give him credit for that , she thought. If I didn’t know what he was up to I could really be fooled. He looks genuinely scared. Someone, get this man a Tony award.

He slowly shook his head and tears spilled over from his eyes. ‘You— have to— believe me— B-Bella. It’s not— I’m not— I’m not lying— I can’t be here— I can’t breathe.’

She sneered. ‘What were you saying earlier about Oscars? I think this performance is definitely worthy.’ She folded her arms across her chest. ‘And you’re not fooling me, by the way. It won’t work, just so you know.’

He rubbed his hands over his face. ‘Please, Bella… I’m not lying… I need to get out.’ Then out of the blue he lurched to his feet and screamed, ‘Heeeeeelp! Anybody!’ while hammering his fists on the door again.

‘Carlton, you’re wasting your time. No one’s out there to hear you. You sent them home, remember?’

Ignoring her, he continued to yell, ‘Pleeeeease! Anybody!’ His voice sounded hoarse now. As if he had exhausted himself, he dropped to the floor once more and curled up again in the corner of the lift.

Realising he might actually be telling the truth after all, because surely no one could fake fear this convincingly, Bella crouched down in front of him. ‘But you said you’d been using the lift all week, so how can you be claustrophobic? Claustrophobic people don’t use lifts. Everyone knows that.’

He closed his eyes. ‘I lied.’ He swallowed hard.

‘About using the lift, I mean. I’ve sent it up…

and down a few times. Empty though… Mainly when I’ve…

run up the stairs… to try and beat it. Just for fun.

But I hadn’t actually been in it… until today.

’ He seemed to be on the verge of hyperventilating again.

Bella flopped to the floor to join him. ‘Why the hell did you pull me into it and hit the button if you feel that way? What on earth were you thinking?’

He shook his head; his breathing still coming in fits and starts. ‘It was bravado, I guess. I wanted— to impress you. I wanted to— seem brave when you were scared— about using the old elevator. It was— it was stupid.’

Bella tilted her head and curled her lip. ‘You think?’

He lifted his chin and stared at her. ‘What are we gonna do, Bella? How will we get out?’

Seeing him so vulnerable, even after what he’d said and done, filled her with pity.

She fixed a determined gaze on him. ‘First of all, you need to calm your breathing, or you’ll hyperventilate.

So, follow me. In, two, three, four, five, hold it…

out, two, three, four, five…’ She made gestures up and down with her hands in rhythm with her words.

Keeping his eyes focused on hers, he began to copy her.

‘That’s it… In, two, three, four, five, hold it…

out, two, three, four, five. That’s better.

Keep doing that.’ She breathed with him for a couple of minutes until he seemed to calm down a little.

‘Someone will come, you know. It’s not like we’re going to be stuck forever, or die in here,’ she told him, in the hopes it would put his mind at rest. Although maybe mentioning death wasn’t the best idea , she thought, cringing inwardly.

‘But how will anyone know to even look for us? The construction guys won’t be back until tomorrow.

Neither of us have our phones. How will we get out?

No one knows we’re even here, Bella. Not a single person will know we’re stuck in this goddamn box.

It’s like a coffin.’ He tugged at strands of his hair with fisted hands.

‘Oh, jeez. I can’t do this. I really can’t, Bella.

I’m not kidding, I can’t be here. What if we run out of oxygen?

’ He spread his arms out, clawing at the walls as his breathing rate increased again.

Bella reached out and put a hand on his arm. ‘Hey, let’s go back to the steady breathing, shall we?’ She was more concerned about the fact that she hadn’t eaten and might need the loo at some point. Now she regretted refusing that delicious-smelling food as her stomach made its protestations.

After a few more minutes, she managed to calm Carlton down again. His breathing was more even, and his eyes were back to their normal size.

‘You asked who’ll know we’re here. Well, Harris knows I’m here, and when I don’t come home or answer my phone, he’ll get worried and come up to find me.’

‘He will? How long will that take? When will he be here? Will it be soon?’ He sounded like a scared little boy.

‘Try and stay calm, Carlton. He may be a while because he’s working, but he’ll come. And there are air vents if you look up there.’ She pointed to the ceiling. ‘But Harris will see that I’m not home and he’ll call me. When I don’t answer he’ll guess something is wrong. I know he will, okay?’

Carlton nodded, chewing on his fingers. ‘Okay, yeah. He’ll be here. He’ll know something’s wrong.’ He repeated her words parrot fashion as if trying to convince himself. ‘He’ll definitely be here. It won’t be too long.’

Bella forced a smile. ‘That’s right. Now in the meantime why don’t we chat to pass the time?’

Carlton lifted his T-shirt and for a bizarre moment Bella thought he was going to undress and suggest another way to pass the time, but instead he lifted the hem up to his face and wiped the tears away. ‘What do you want to talk about?’ he asked, sniffing.

‘Why don’t you tell me about your modelling career? How did you get into that?’

He huffed. ‘Where do I start?’ He shrugged, thankfully seeming much calmer now.

‘I was always a good-looking kid.’ He looked at her.

‘I’m not being conceited this time. It’s what I was always told.

Oh, aren’t you a handsome boy? Look at that beautiful face ,’ he said in a high-pitched tone that clearly mocked the people who’d said it about him.

‘Modelling seemed an obvious choice, so my mom got me an agent when I was pretty young, and it went from there. It’s all I was good for really. ’

So now he’s self-deprecating? ‘What do you mean by that?’

He picked at a thread on the outer seam of his jeans.

‘I wasn’t as bright as my sister and brother.

They got the brains. Sindy went to Harvard and Nate Junior went to Stanford.

I went to community college. Not because I was dumb but because I was lazy.

Basically, I knew my face would be my key to money and success so there was no need for me to try at education.

I know that was dumb when I look back now but at the time it felt like an easy choice.

But I can’t complain. It’s opened plenty of doors. Not literally, of course.’ He chuckled.

‘See, you’re making jokes now. That’s good.’ She smiled and patted his arm as she relaxed a little.

‘Look, I’m sorry about earlier. I was a total ass,’ he said. A line had formed between his brows, and there was sincerity in his eyes.

Bella nodded. ‘Yes, you were.’

‘I guess you were right, I’m so used to women wanting me that I just expect it to be the case with everyone I want for myself.

That they’ll just want me too.’ Although he did sound a little conceited, she understood what he was saying.

‘And before you say anything I know that makes me sound like an egotistical dick. But… it’s true.

Women have always kinda fallen at my feet, so to speak. ’

‘Wow, sucks to be you,’ Bella teased.

‘Although not literally, I might add. I’ve never drugged anyone or anything as dumb as that.’

‘Good to know.’

‘And I swear I wasn’t going to do anything to you when were upstairs. I’m not that kind of guy. I may be an asshole but I’m not a criminal.’ When she didn’t answer he continued. ‘So, you’re getting married at Christmas, huh?’

She nodded. ‘I am.’

‘What you got planned? For the wedding, I mean. Where are you tying the knot?’

‘We’re heading over to Inverness. My friend is Lady Olivia MacLeod, and she owns Drumblair Castle.’

‘No shit? You’re getting married at a real-life castle?’

He sounded like a child and Bella couldn’t help smiling. ‘We are, yes. At the chapel in the grounds anyway. Then we’re having the wedding breakfast in the castle’s picture gallery, surrounded by Olivia’s ancestral portraits.’

‘Wow, sounds grand. And I bet the place will be all decked out for Christmas, too, huh?’

‘It sure will. They have a plant and tree nursery in the grounds, so their trees are out of this world. Their fragrance is so fresh; the epitome of Christmas. They always have the most stunningly decorated Scots pines and these huge garlands of holly and ivy over every mantel. I’ve been going to the castle since I was a kid so getting married there will be very special. ’

‘So, this Lady MacLeod, does she do lots of state visits and stuff? Is she related to royalty?’

‘Not as such, no. She’s a fashion designer in her daily life and has her own line. In fact, she used to design for Nina Picarro in New York.’

His eyes widened. ‘You’re kidding me right now. You said her name is Olivia?’ Bella nodded and he shook his head, smiling. ‘Not Olivia MacBain?’

Bella narrowed her eyes. ‘Yes, that’s right.’

He slapped his thigh and let out a laugh. ‘I knew her! I was in the New York office, years ago now, and Nina introduced me to her. She was working on a fashion show I was in, and she did my fittings. Great gal. Beautiful but kinda quiet. Huh, small world.’

‘She’s designed my wedding dress,’ Bella said, feeling a lot more relaxed now.