Page 8 of Snowy Surprises in the Highlands (Scottish Highland #5)

April arrived in a riot of colour as daffodils, tulips and snowdrops sprouted and then bloomed on the island; marsh marigolds sprang up by the water, their vibrant yellow faces reaching for the sun as the days gradually became longer and the temperature on Skye increased, ever so slightly.

Then the video call came that Bella had been anxiously waiting for.

‘I’m a daddy, Bella!’ Ben’s voice and expression were filled with emotion. ‘Theo is here and he’s perfect. He was a whopping nine pounds! Can you believe it?’ He looked frazzled on her phone screen. His hair was unkempt, and he had dark circles under his red-rimmed eyes.

‘Oh, Ben, that’s wonderful!’ Bella said.

‘Congratulations, buddy!’ Harris was sitting beside her on the sofa.

‘Thanks, guys. It was a long night and I’m so proud of Skye. She’s amazing,’ Ben said, wiping at his eyes. ‘It was hard to see her in pain like that, but she did so well. Every time I think about it I get emotional again.’

‘I think you can be forgiven, you’ve both been through a lot,’ Bella assured him with a smile. ‘How is she doing?’

Ben huffed the air from his lungs through puffed cheeks.

‘She’s resting now. She definitely needs it, bless her, it was exhausting for me, and I wasn’t the one giving birth.

I don’t think any number of antenatal classes can prepare you for what it’s really like.

But you should see him, Bells, he has this thick mop of brown hair and a scrunched-up wee face but he’s so cute.

I think he’s got a look of Skye, but she says he looks like me.

I still can’t believe we made him and that we’re parents. ’

‘Aye, the fun starts now, eh?’ Harris said with a wide smile.

‘I can’t wait to see him,’ Bella said. ‘Make sure you send photos as soon as Skye’s up to it.’

‘I will, aye. I’m heading home just now for a wee sleep.

Then I’m coming back later to the hospital to bring her some food as she’s complaining of being hungry after all that hard work.

It’s hard to leave to be honest and it’ll be hard to stay away.

Skye’s staying in overnight tonight just because the little guy was stubborn and took longer than expected to make an appearance and it took a real toll on her, but she’s really happy regardless of all that. ’

Bella’s eyes welled with tears. ‘I’m so glad. Give her our love when you see her later. I’ll drop her a message on WhatsApp, but I’ll wait for her to ring us, so I don’t overwhelm her. Speak soon.’

‘Aye, cheers, guys. Look, I’d better get going, or I’ll be falling asleep on my feet. Speak soon.’ Ben ended the video call and Bella turned to Harris.

‘Well, that’s two of my friends with wee ones now.’

He tucked her hair behind her ear. ‘Do you still see kids in our future?’

‘Definitely. I’d still like to have them. Maybe two.’ She shrugged. ‘But… I hope it’s okay that I’m just not in a hurry. How about you?’

He smiled. ‘I’d still like to have kids, too, someday. But I’m happy to go at your pace.’ He leaned in to kiss her and nibbled suggestively on her bottom lip. ‘So long as we can practise plenty.’

She giggled and felt her face flushing. ‘Well, they do say practice makes perfect so I think that can be arranged. Just to be clear, do you mean like borrow one and take it for walks and babysit, that kind of practising?’ She tried to hold back her smile and failed.

He pulled her into his lap. ‘Erm, I think you know exactly what I mean by practising, you tease.’

She gazed down at him from her position straddling his legs and traced the line of his jaw with her fingertips. She knew she couldn’t love any man more than this. He was her future, and it was even better that he was ridiculously sexy.

A surge of heat and desire swept through her body; she wanted him right then and there. ‘We could start now,’ she said, swiping the long-sleeved top she was wearing from her body.

His eyes lit up. ‘Now you’re talking,’ he said as he got to his feet, still holding her in his arms, and carried her towards the stairs.

* * *

As Bella lay in Harris’s arms she snuggled closer into his side, revelling in the scent of his skin.

‘Christmas Eve,’ he said out of the blue.

Bella pushed herself up so she looked down at him where he lay with one arm behind his head. ‘What about it?’ She giggled. ‘That was such a random thing to say.’

‘We’re getting married on Christmas Eve,’ he said.

Bella widened her eyes. ‘I’m sorry, what? You can’t just pick a date, Harris. We need to consult Olivia and Brodie and?—’

‘Done.’ He grinned. ‘All the key players have been briefed. It’s all organised. I wanted it to be as close to when we got engaged as possible because I’m a romantic sap. And I can’t wait to see you in whatever dress Olivia designs for you.’

Bella gasped. ‘You’ve already organised it?’

He pulled himself to a sitting position and chewed his lip. ‘Is that okay? Did I overstep the mark? I just… I couldn’t think of a more perfect date.’

‘Of course it’s okay! I’m just a bit taken aback, that’s all. I was thinking it would be next year. I’m not sure we can get things organised that quickly.’

‘Says the woman who organises things for a living,’ he said laughing.

‘Just imagine it, Bells. A thick frost on the ground, glistening in the winter sun, lights strung up along the driveway and all around the grounds. The smell of fresh pine from the trees. Beautiful flowers in rich reds and purples, and gold accents everywhere.’

She could see it all, and in her mind’s eye it was stunning. It sounded magical and that’s exactly what she had always dreamed her wedding would be.

Bringing herself back to reality, she shook her head to dislodge the distracting images. ‘But… we have to think about everyone’s Christmas. People might not want to come to Inverness on Christmas Eve. Isn’t it a bit selfish?’

He reached out and touched her cheek. ‘I checked with your folks, our friends and Liv and Brodie to test the water. They were all excited about a Christmas wedding, Bells. So, unless you’d rather wait until next summer… what do you say?’

Bella’s stomach was suddenly alive with butterflies, and she couldn’t help the smile that took over her face. ‘Then I say ho ho ho yes ! We’re getting married at Christmas!’

* * *

A few hours later, Bella sat nervously in front of the camera on her laptop.

It was the first time she had met a client for an initial consultation over a video link.

The call was due to start at 3p.m. Bella’s time and it was just a couple of minutes before.

In Texas, however, it would only be 9a.m. The call had arisen following the receipt of an email from a prospective client via her website.

At first, she was a little baffled as to why someone from the US would be considering hiring her, but it all became clear.

‘Hi there, Miss Douglas?’ a blonde woman appeared on the screen before her. She was perfectly made up with immaculate hair and Bella guessed her age to be around sixty.

‘Yes, Mrs Somers. Good to meet you.’

‘And you too, darlin’. Excuse me lookin’ like this but it’s early here and I’ve just come in from my mornin’ swim.’

Bella wasn’t sure what she meant because she looked as well put together as was humanly possible. ‘Oh, no, you look lovely,’ she replied, hoping that wasn’t too forward. ‘So, how can I help you?’

‘Well now, as I explained in my email, my husband and I are in the process of purchasing an old hotel over on Skye in a place called Por tree.’ Her emphasis on por made Bella smile.

‘And we want to update it seein’ as it’s been hit by the ugly stick in every single room.

I mean, I hated the seventies when we were in ’em, but that place looks like the seventies threw up all over it. Literally.’

Bella laughed. ‘I can totally understand. I’m not a fan of seventies décor either.’

‘Well, that’s a relief to know. Anyhow, I emailed you the brochure we got before we put a bid on the place with the real estate agent, did you get a chance to look over it?’

Bella nodded. ‘I certainly did. I didn’t even know the place existed before now so it’s an exciting prospect.

It’s a stunning building. I think it would look amazing if the interior was taken back to something close to what it would have been like when it was built, but with the addition of all the mod cons and today’s luxuries. ’

‘I’m liking the sound of that. Tell me more.’

‘Okay, so just as a brief overview, I’m thinking William Morris for the soft furnishing and wallpaper prints, rich colours and sumptuous fabrics, velvet and damask, but juxtaposed with more modern furniture so it’s not twee. How does that sound for starters?’

‘It sounds wonderful, honey. I’ve had a good look at your portfolio on your website, and I love the schemes you’ve already created for other folks, I loved the apartments at Drumblair Castle, very fresh and modern but classy, so I think you’re the right person for the job.

You’ll definitely need to go along and have a look around when the purchase completes.

It’s going to take a while yet because it’s going through probate, or I think they call it confirmation in Scotland, and we know these things can take time.

They’re a pain in the derrière . But as soon as it’s all gone through, I’ll be in touch again.

My son, Carlton, will be managing the hotel once it’s up and running and we’d like him to be involved from the get-go, so he’ll be the one you’re dealing with once we own the place outright. ’

‘Sounds good. In the meantime, I’ll put some mood boards together and email them across, so you have an idea of what I’m thinking for the place.

Of course, once I see it in person it may change a little but that will only be the prints on the wallpapers and fabrics so we can make sure they fit the space we’re working with. ’

‘That sounds good to me, honey. I’ll wait to hear from you.’