Page 23 of Summer Escapes on the Scottish Isle (Coorie Castle Crafts #2)

Oh, well, the GP must know what they’re doing , she thought, and if taking this many cholesterol tablets meant that her dad could enjoy his fish and chips, she was all for it.

‘I haven’t seen you in the byre yet,’ Mack said, as they tucked into their food.

Vinnie glanced up from his plate. ‘The byre?’

‘I’ve offered Freya the use of it while she’s in Duncoorie,’ Mack explained. ‘For her to make her pots in.’

Vinnie asked, ‘What pots?’ He turned to Freya. ‘Why are you making pots?’

A finger of fear trailed down her spine. ‘That’s what I do, Dad. I’m a potter.’

‘I know that ,’ he snapped, ‘but why are you making pots in Mack’s cowshed?’

Oh, that’s what he meant! For one awful second, she’d thought he was having trouble with his memory and the spectre of dementia had raised its head.

She said, ‘I’m not. Not yet, anyway. But when you’re more mobile, I’m going to do a bit of hand building.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I don’t have a wheel. I didn’t bring it with me.’

Irritably, Vinnie shook his head. ‘You won’t be here long enough to make anything.’

‘I’ll be here for a couple of months, Dad,’ she reminded him yet again. ‘Maybe longer. We’ll have to see how it goes.’

‘I can manage fine on my own.’

‘Not with a broken hip, you can’t,’ she argued. Were they destined to have this same argument every day until she left? She bloody hoped not, because she was tired of it already. ‘Anyone would think you didn’t want me here,’ she muttered.

Vinnie put his fork down. ‘I don’t. You’ve got your own life to lead. There’s no need for you to be stuck here with me.’

‘I don’t look at it as being stuck here. I look at it as helping my dad because he needs it.’

‘I don’t.’

‘Will you stop it! I’m staying and that’s final. It’s the summer holidays so I don’t have to be in college until September, so please don’t worry that I’m having to take time off work. And being here has given me some real inspiration, so you’re actually doing me a favour.’

His glare was, unsurprisingly, disbelieving, but everything she’d said was true. Technically.

‘What about that boyfriend of yours – Hadrian? What does he say about you being so far away?’

‘He understands,’ she replied. Even as she said it, she didn’t believe it, but she wasn’t going to tell her father that she and Hadrian were over in front of Mack.

Anyway, she owed it to Hadrian to tell him first, before she told her dad, who would probably be pleased, because he didn’t seem keen on him, despite never having met him.

Maybe that was the reason? Freya always visited her dad alone, because Hadrian invariably had other plans whenever Freya mentioned going to Skye.

Vinnie grumbled, ‘You should be there with him, not with me.’

Freya pressed her lips together and focused on her plate. Goodness knows what Mack is making of this , she thought, embarrassment heating her face.

Mack changed the subject. ‘I’m taking my first Colours of Skye trip out the week after next,’ he said, then went on to explain to her dad what that meant and what it entailed, giving Freya time to compose herself.

She didn’t know whether that had been his intention, or whether he’d felt uncomfortable being on the outskirts of a family spat, but she was grateful to him, nevertheless.

‘I thought it was next week?’ she said.

‘So did Mhairi, but I managed to push it back a week. She’s persistent, I’ll give her that.’ Mack chuckled. ‘I’ve never known anyone so determined to get her own way.’

Vinnie snorted. ‘You have, you’ve met my daughter.’

‘Dad!’ Freya turned to Mack and mouthed, ‘Sorry.’

Mack merely smiled and changed the subject again, but this time the topic wasn’t such a welcome one.

‘Have you made a decision about New York yet?’ he asked, and Freya flinched.

Closing her eyes briefly, she drew in a slow breath, opening them to find both men staring at her.

Mack looked stricken, and she guessed he’d realised that she hadn’t told her dad. She’d wanted to wait until he was stronger before she mentioned anything.

Confused, Vinnie said, ‘New York?’

She decided it was best to tell him now, and she hoped he wouldn’t be too upset at the thought of her living on the other side of the Atlantic.

Hesitantly she said, ‘I’ve been offered a job as course director at the Black and White Art Academy in New York.’

‘Is that a promotion?’ His eyes were bright, and to her relief a smile lit up his face.

‘It most definitely is! I’ll be heading up their ceramics department, and when it comes to ceramics, the academy is one of the best.’

‘Better than where you are now?’

She nodded. ‘I haven’t agreed to it yet and I haven’t even seen a contract, so it’s not definite, but I’m tempted.’

‘And so you should be! Aw, hen, I’m so proud of you! And your mother would be too, if she were alive.’ There were tears in his eyes, which made her own fill up.

‘I’ll still see you regularly, Dad. I’ve checked flights and—’

‘Don’t mind me, you have to do what’s best for you and your career.

’ Vinnie beamed at Mack. ‘Who’d have thought that my wee girl would be working for a New York academy, eh?

Didn’t your mum always say that you can do whatever you set your mind to?

Of course you have to go. I’m chuffed to bits, lassie, and I’m so proud of you. ’

Freya hadn’t been aware of how tense she was, until she heard her dad say he was proud of her, and having his approval meant everything.

It made saying yes to Jocasta Black that much easier.

New York, here I come!