Page 17 of Summer in the Scottish Highlands (The Scottish Highlands #5)

They continued through the forest, the silence only interrupted by their bicycle tyres crunching softly on the gravel path. Jake kept his eye on the map as they reached a fork in the path. ‘Natty, we’re going to turn here.’ He put his arm out to indicate they were turning right on to another track.

‘Hey!’ Faye shouted, ‘are we having a driving lesson?’

Jake heard Natty giggling, and he smiled. The air was cool but filled with the fresh scent of pine trees, which stretched high above, casting long shadows over the trail.

‘I think we’ll have to cycle one behind the other now,’ said Jake realising that the trail was slightly narrower there, with more twists and turns, which meant it wasn’t really advisable to cycle in pairs just in case someone on a bike whizzed round a bend from the other direction.

Natty started pedalling eagerly ahead. ‘Can I take the lead?’ Natty asked even though she was already ahead of Jake.

Jake glanced at the trail map. The obvious route continued now until a loch, so Natty could easily take the lead and they wouldn’t get lost. Even so, Jake glanced over his shoulder at Faye to check that was okay.

He didn’t want to make the mistake this holiday of stepping on Faye’s toes when it came to her daughter.

As much as he would have loved to be, he was not Natty’s dad.

Right now, he was a family friend who did not want to mess things up with Faye.

‘Is it okay if she takes the lead?’ Jake called over his shoulder.

‘She already has!’ Faye called out, but there was no sarcasm in her voice. ‘Don’t go too fast, please, Natty.’

‘Don’t worry, I won’t!’ she called back.

On a straight stretch, Jake dropped back to cycle next to Faye, Natty in front of them. ‘Are you enjoying it?’ Jake asked, even though he could tell she was.

‘Oh, the scenery is amazing. And this is so much better than walking. We’re seeing so much more of the forest.’

‘Yes, and it won’t be long to the loch where we can stop for a break, before heading back.’

‘Sounds like a plan.’

Jake grinned as they cycled on together in silence, Jake keeping an eye out for any bends in the trail and oncoming cyclists in case he needed to quickly change position.

Faye seemed to read his mind. ‘If we see anyone, I’ll slow down, and you can go in front of me behind Natty.’

‘Sounds like a plan,’ Jake said, repeating what Faye had said a moment ago.

They exchanged a smile, their eyes lingering on one another.

He thought about how, if he wasn’t riding a bike, and they didn’t have cycle helmets on that would clash, he could just lean in and kiss her.

He suddenly wished they weren’t on bikes, but walking together instead – a romantic walk through the pine forest. Then, maybe …

Jake thought of arriving at the loch. Perhaps a little walk there. Would they hold hands, perhaps kiss?

That lovely thought was interrupted by Natty shouting out, ‘There’s someone on a bike!’

Faye slowed down, and Jake sped up to get in between Faye and Natty.

They all stayed in a line on the right as several cyclists, teenagers in mud-splattered cycling gear, whizzed past them at speed.

By the state of their clothing and their bikes they’d clearly been mountain-biking proper and had just come down to join the easy meandering family-friendly forest trail.

Jake glanced over his shoulder and saw the four young men disappear off the trail into the forest.

‘Well done, Natty, for spotting them!’ Jake called out.

‘I heard them first.’

‘Well, you make an excellent cycle trail leader. Keep it up.’

‘I will.’

Jake rejoined Faye, cycling beside her, and saw her smiling at him. He wondered why. ‘What?’

She nodded in Natty’s direction. ‘It’s great, you’ve given her some responsibility.

It’s great for me too. I find it …’ she paused.

‘Being an only parent, raising her on my own, I know I find it hard to let her go, be her own person. That does sound silly, I suppose. It’s not like she’s a teenager yet.

She’s only nine, but I sometimes wonder when I’ll ever let her spread her wings a little.

Obviously, though, when she skipped school and scared the life out of me by trying to get to Scotland, that was just a step too far. ’

‘Sorry about that.’ Jake still felt he was to blame. After all, it had been him she was trying to find.

‘No, don’t apologise. I want to say thank you for this. It’s the little things, like today, building her confidence – and mine, that I can give her a little independence and responsibility. And that’s all because of you, Jake.’

Jake didn’t know what to say. Does that mean I’d make a good dad?

That was what he wanted to say. But of course, how could he?

The first thing he needed to know was whether their relationship could go to the next level.

Did Faye think he’d make a good partner, a good husband?

He presumed she did, otherwise why would she be there?

Deep down, Jake was aware that wasn’t really the issue.

Was she ready for that sort of commitment?

That was the question. He suspected that was what she was there to find out.

They rode on in silence, passing dense clusters of ferns and wildflowers, their vibrant colours brightening the woodland.

Jake thought he’d spotted something in the forest. He had told Natty that if they were lucky, they might see a red squirrel darting through the branches or catch a glimpse of a deer through the trees.

Jake was beginning to feel quite warm, with the mid-morning sunshine filtering through the dense pine trees either side of the trail.

Although he cycled to work and back every day, this was different.

The route, which was on a gentle incline, needed more effort than the tarmacked roads in London.

The mountain bikes were also quite heavy, the wide off-road tyres slowing their progress on the gravel bike trail.

He glanced at Faye, whom he noticed had dropped back a little.

He imagined she was starting to find it an effort too.

The only one who wasn’t was up ahead, the distance between Natty and the two of them growing bigger.

Faye noticed too. ‘Natty!’ she called out breathlessly. ‘Please slow down a bit, darling, and let us catch up.’

Natty braked and came to a halt at the side of the trail, waiting for them.

Jake cycled at Faye’s pace for the hundred yards to Natty. Faye came to a halt behind her. ‘Oh, thank you, Natty. Mummy is getting a bit tired.’

‘I’m not!’

‘I gathered that,’ Faye replied as she turned to Jake. ‘Is it far now – the loch?’

Jake handed her a bottle of water and shook his head.

‘We’re nearly there.’ He’d chosen the route to Loch an Eilein, originally intending to stop for a picnic and a walk around the loch afterwards, but the lovely picnic hamper that Gayle had packed was too big to carry with them.

And besides that, they only had the bikes for half a day, which meant that even if he’d taken all the packed lunch out of the hamper and packed it in his backpack, there would not be time for a leisurely lunch.

It was better this way, to do the cycle ride with a pitstop at the loch, and then return the bikes, leaving them free for the rest of the day to enjoy a leisurely lunch at Loch Morlich beach, and then pop into the visitor centre.

Faye put the cap back on the water bottle and handed it to Jake. ‘Right, let’s set off,’ she said. ‘The sooner we get to the loch …’ she trailed off, avoiding Jake’s gaze.

Jake eyed her. He imagined what she was thinking – the sooner we can get back and ditch the bikes.

‘Let’s go!’ said Natty.

They set off again, Jake beside Natty. He didn’t want her sailing past the sign for the loch.

Natty spotted the sign first. ‘Race you to that sign!’ Natty shouted as she pumped the pedals, moving ahead of him at a speed.

Faye shouted out, ‘Be careful – not too fast!’

Jake noticed Natty was now mastering her gears as he caught up with her. She was waiting by the sign. ‘Can I be the leader on the way back?’ Natty asked when Jake came to a halt beside her.

He smiled. ‘I don’t see why not. We’re returning the route we came. Do you think you can remember the way?’

She nodded.

Even if she didn’t, Jake would still let her stay up front, keeping an eye on the route himself.

They both stood by the sign, astride their bikes, holding on to the handlebars, waiting patiently for Faye to join them. ‘Is it much further?’ Faye asked when she stopped by the sign too. ‘My arse needs a rest from this saddle.’

‘Mum, you just said a naughty word!’ Natty remonstrated, giving her mum a stern look.

‘Oh, I um, meant bottom.’

With a wisp of a smile, Jake pretended to look at his map, not wanting to be caught laughing at Faye being told off by a nine-year-old.

Natty said, ‘You don’t need to look at the map. The sign points down there.’

Jake folded the map away before they set off.