Page 7 of Summer in the Scottish Highlands (The Scottish Highlands #5)

Jake glanced at Rose and then at Faye, hoping she would help him out.

But as they all squeezed out of their seats, leaving him to entertain Rose, he felt a sense of an impending interrogation coming his way.

But then again, Jake felt he might learn a little bit more about Rose’s friend, Robyn – or rather, Bonnie.

Although he could just up and leave the train too, he sat back down opposite Rose, wondering what was on her mind – he was sure there was something.

Whatever it was, he thought perhaps it was best said out of earshot of the others.

‘I want to offer my condolences.’ She paused, studying him intently.

Jake avoided her gaze. Eleanor wasn’t dead, but he wasn’t about to correct her on that score.

‘But I am surprised to see a Ross back in Aviemore after …’ she trailed off.

Jake slumped in his seat. ‘After last Christmas.’ He thought he might as well spit it out.

She wouldn’t. Rose was obviously trying to be diplomatic, although he was annoyed she had brought it up.

He had a feeling this was going to be a long ten minutes.

He hoped the others were quick taking their photos.

He didn’t want to be rude to Rose, but he also did not want to volunteer the reasons he was back in Scotland.

He looked out of the window at his primary reason for being there, and smiled at her. Faye. Unfortunately, Rose followed his gaze. ‘She’s very pretty.’

Jake pursed his lips and turned to face Rose.

‘I know what you’re thinking: it’s not even been a year since I lost my wife in that skiing accident …

’ Nobody outside the family really knew if she was alive or dead.

They’d kept the truth of her condition from the press, from everybody.

Only immediate family, and now Faye, knew.

Rose surprised him by reaching out and placing a hand over his.

‘Everyone deserves a second chance at love and happiness. Look at Robyn … Bonnie. There’s a case in point.

She’s found her happy place, and happy person, at the boathouse, although I’m sure she’s going to be a lot happier when she ties up loose ends and deals with that unfinished business. ’

‘What unfinished business?’

‘You know, finding Robyn.’

Jake nodded. ‘Yeah, of course.’ He was thinking of his own unfinished business there in the Cairngorms.

Her eyes flickered out of the window to Faye. ‘Sounds to me as though yours is with Faye, at The Lake House.’

Jake followed her gaze. ‘Huh?’ He’d lost the thread of the conversation.

‘She’s your happy place. They both are – Faye and Natty. You’d make a lovely family. Have you proposed? Are you engaged?’

Jake shook his head. ‘I was hoping that coming here …’

Rose smiled. ‘Well, you’ve certainly come to the right place. It’s quite romantic, this part of Scotland, you know. I bet this was where your parents met.’

Jake nodded. It was.

‘You know I can just imagine you all at The Lake House.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘If you don’t mind me saying, and I really wouldn’t be offended if you told me to shut up and keep my nose out of your personal affairs, but why sell The Lake House?’

Jake thought, do I have to spell it out?

The place reminded him of Eleanor and what had happened at Christmas.

Before he had a chance to be rude, and tell her to keep her nose out, she added, ‘You’re having the place redecorated.

I can just imagine, after all these years, it could do with a remodel.

I bet the place will look unrecognisable, in a good way, when Robyn …

I mean Bonnie – goodness, the change of name is going to take some getting used to.

But I digress. What I’m trying to say is, have you thought about starting a new life here, with Faye and Natty? ’

Jake was already shaking his head.

‘As Natty said, you were born here. If your parents had still been alive, you would have grown up here. Wouldn’t it be rather fitting – coming home to Aviemore?’

Someone banged on the window, startling Jake.

Natty was at the window. ‘Jake! Jake! Come outside. I want to take your photo on my phone,’ she shouted. A moment later she was running up the train carriage, Faye following in her wake. They both grabbed his hands, and pulled him up.

‘Come on!’

As Jake followed them down the carriage, he glanced over his shoulder at Rose. She sat there, nodding her head and smiling knowingly.

Faye took his arm as soon as he stepped off the train. She whispered, ‘I hope it wasn’t a problem, me and Natty being here in Aviemore. ’

He furrowed his brow. ‘Why should it be?’

‘You know, with your wife, um … word might get around that you’re here with … well, with me.’

Jake caught Faye nodding at Rose, sitting in the train carriage window, staring at them.

She was right, tongues would wag. Not Rose’s, though.

She’d made her opinion clear – that Jake deserved to find happiness again.

She just didn’t realise his wife, Eleanor, was still very much alive.

It would mean he’d have to divorce her – something he felt terribly guilty about.

But the doctors had told him that there was no possibility of a future together as husband and wife.

Even though Eleanor wouldn’t understand, he knew he had to see her face to face and tell her himself.

‘Come on, Jake – I want to take some photos!’ exclaimed Natty, grabbing his arm.

Jake was rather enjoying standing on the platform with Faye’s hand on his arm, leaning close. Even so, he smiled at Natty as she led him away to the front of the train to take a selfie of the three of them by the locomotive.

It wasn’t long before he was back, with Faye and Natty in tow, boarding the train as the steam whistle blew for the return journey. George was already on board, taking his seat next to Rose.

‘Are you all right?’ Faye asked in his ear as they waited for Natty to take her seat by the window. ‘You’re awfully quiet.’

Jake cast his gaze over at Rose. Of course it had crossed his mind, a fairytale ending, coming home to Aviemore with Faye and Natty.

But it was just that – wasn’t it? A rather lovely dream.

There were so many reasons why that wouldn’t happen – Natty in her school, Faye in her job – not to mention his teaching post. And overshadowing all that was Eleanor.