Page 25 of Summer in the Scottish Highlands (The Scottish Highlands #5)

Jake stared at her. He couldn’t believe his ears.

He silently cursed himself for not having had the guts to ask her himself.

He knew why that was. He was still afraid she’d back off, retreat back to her life as soon as they returned to London, back to those casual flings, refusing to commit to a relationship.

Faye dropped her eyes from his gaze. ‘Look, we don’t have to if you don’t—’

Without thinking, Jake reached over and gently lifted her chin. ‘Of course I want to go out with you! I’ll book a restaurant when we get back.’

Faye put a hand on Jake’s arm and smiled. His hand crept to her cheek as she moved closer. He leaned in. Jake’s heart was thumping in his chest in anticipation of their first kiss. He couldn’t believe this was really happening. They were going out on a date – a proper date, and they were about to—

‘I’m bored! When are we going?’

Jake’s shoulders sagged as he dropped his hand from Faye’s face. Completely caught up in the moment, they’d both forgotten they weren’t alone. They did exchange a smile when Faye nodded her head, indicating Natty in the back, and whispered, ‘I don’t think this was the right moment.’

‘The right moment for what?’ Natty asked in the back seat.

Jake replied to Faye, ‘I agree.’ They both ignored Natty’s question.

Natty unclipped her seatbelt and sat forward in her seat. ‘Were you going to smoochy-smoochy?’ Natty asked.

Jake looked at Faye, and grinned. Her daughter didn’t miss a thing.

Faye turned in her seat. ‘Never you mind. Now get that seat belt back on. We’re going now.’

Natty eyed them for a moment longer.

‘Natty.’

Natty sat back, clipped in her seatbelt, and picked up the castle guidebook. ‘I want to see the dungeon.’

Jake felt relieved when Natty changed the subject. He didn’t know what she might have come out with next after the smoochy-smoochy comment. He switched on the car engine. ‘Well, I’m sure Braemar Castle has a dungeon – most castles do.’

‘Okay.’

Jake exchanged a smile with Faye. ‘Right, let’s go.’ He was just putting the car into gear when Natty said, ‘Are you getting married? I want you and Mummy to get married because then you can be my daddy.’

Jake stole a glance at Faye. She turned in her seat, staring at her daughter.

He knew her golden rule – she’d had relationships in the past, but she never brought men home or introduced them to her daughter for fear the relationship could break down, and Natty would have formed an attachment she’d lose.

Faye did not want that for her daughter – father-figures flitting in and out of her life – even though by the sound of things, it was Faye who broke up her relationships if things were getting too serious.

But Natty had already formed an attachment to Jake during the many months he’d been her babysitter.

The thing that Faye had tried to avoid had happened right under her nose.

Of course, Faye and Jake hadn’t been in a relationship; she could have suspended babysitting duties and just removed him from their lives at any time.

But once they started dating, Natty’s expectations, not to mention his own, regarding where it would lead – to marriage, and the wonderful idea of his being Natty’s dad – were obvious.

He just hadn’t expected Natty to come right out and say it.

The timing couldn’t have been worse, just when they were planning their first date.

He closed his eyes, wondering if date night was off. He’d rather know now if that was the case. He wouldn’t know how to get through the rest of the holiday if that was the end of the chance to start a romantic relationship with Faye. He gulped down a breath and said, ‘Shall we cancel our date?’

‘You’re going on a date?’ Natty asked.

‘We’re having dinner together this evening, just the two of us,’ said Faye.

Jake thought, did I just hear her right? ‘The meal is still on, then? I can still book a table at a restaurant?’

Faye turned to him and smiled. ‘Of course it is – why wouldn’t it be?’

‘Because Natty just said—’

Faye put a finger to his lips. ‘It’s all right.’

Jake took her hand and kissed her palm.

‘Smoochy-smoochy,’ said Natty, giggling.

Faye looked over her shoulder at her daughter. ‘So, Gayle has agreed to babysit. Are you okay with that, Natty, staying at Lark Lodge this evening while we go out?’

‘Oh, yes. I love it there. I can play with Olive, and sit in Gayle’s library in her comfy chair, and read a book. Then I can play board games with Gayle, Doris, Marty and Nick. I like monopoly.’

‘Sounds as though someone already has the evening all planned,’ said Jake as they set off.

Natty said, ‘Do you think Evie could come for a sleepover?’

‘I don’t think there will be time to organise that for this evening – perhaps another time. ’

‘When, though?’

‘Well, I do want to visit Aviemore again and look in the souvenir shop. Perhaps Evie will be there in Robyn’s outlet, and we can ask her mum. How about that?’

‘All right.’

Jake glanced at Faye. It seemed peculiar, still calling it by that name. He said, ‘By the sounds of things, Bonnie won’t be returning to work this week, so I expect you’ll see Evie and her mum when you visit next.’

Faye nodded. She asked him, ‘Have you been to Braemar Castle before?’

‘I’m not sure. I think so. I would have been quite young. I don’t remember much.’

‘What do you remember?’

Jake drove through Aviemore, passing the long stretch of shops either side of the road until he passed the train station and approached the roundabout that led out of town.

‘When I was looking up the castle opening times yesterday evening, and the directions to get there, I did have a vague memory.’ He remembered a long drive through stunning mountain scenery until they had eventually arrived at a turreted castle.

Faye said, ‘Such a shame that you obviously wouldn’t remember the route your parents took from Aviemore.’

Jake glanced her way and grinned.

Faye knitted her brows. ‘Don’t tell me you do remember.’

‘Nah, of course not. I was too young.’ Jake had done a journey planner online too and had discovered there were two routes to the castle from Aviemore.

Jake thought they might as well make the most of the journey and enjoy some amazing scenery on the way.

That was the reason he’d chosen not to take the A9 via Pitlochry, the main road and the most direct route.

They were in Scotland. It was summer, and the weather was fantastic, with sunshine forecast for most of the day.

Jake had decided to make the most of the drive and take the very scenic route through the national park – especially as he was quite sure that, even though he hadn’t known it at the time, it was the road he’d been taken on as a child.

It would take longer. He estimated it would add at least another half an hour or even forty-five minutes, depending on whether they stopped to take photos, but they had all day.

So far, they had stayed quite local, visiting the nearby lochs and forests and venturing into Aviemore. That day, Jake wanted to take Faye and Natty on a scenic drive and see the wild beauty of the national park, as well as the castle.