“You’re probably right, though,” Eliza continued. “About this being a place to come for a visit, not to live. Isn’t it ironic that we run off to all these far-flung exotic places to get away, when really, we should just come to the Highlands as a balm for the soul.”
“What are you running from?”
But she shook her head instantly. “Nothing in particular. I’m just…” She frowned, searching for the right word. “Questioning what I’m doing with my life. Wondering if Michelle was right,and I might wake up one day and realise I’ve wasted it on people and things that didn’t really matter.”
I laughed. “She didn’t mince her words, your ex-wife.”
“Not known for it.” Eliza smiled. “Plus, do I want to work for my dad forever? I’m at a crossroads if he wants to stop and hand over the keys. Roger’s not interested. He always assumed I was. Am I?”
She didn’t wait for an answer. “It’s probably just cold feet. Plus, we’re a little on top of each other. Living together isn’t helping.” Eliza paused. “It’s nice to have a bit of a break from him. The irony is that it’s with you.” She winced. “And that came out wrong.”
She gave me an apologetic smile. “You know what I mean. We used to be friends. There’s been a lot of water under the bridge since then. You’ve been through unimaginable pain, I’ve had a horrendous breakup, but we’re still here, and beneath it all, we’re still friends. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’m glad my dad put me on this project in the end. It’s good that this is not just work. It’s good that we’re friends again.”
CHAPTER 9
We wandered back along the loch’s edge towards the town centre, our earlier formality abandoned for loose limbs and the occasional shoulder bump.
We passed the cottage that we’d both dreamed about owning when we were young. It was a lot more run-down and overgrown, but it still had the perfect view across the water. The sign outside told the world its name: Loch Cottage. Outside, there was a For Sale sign.
Eliza nodded towards it. “Remember we always said we’d love to live there?”
I smiled. “I do. Someone else is going to get that chance now. It’s still got the world’s best view.”
“The loch never changes.”
She stopped and stared for a moment, then we pressed on.
“So,” I said, kicking at a loose stone, “what did you think of the factory on the surface? You’ve got way more experience with this sort of operation than I do.”
Until she died, my mum always kept me up to date with Eliza’s job, whether I wanted to hear it or not. I knew it included touring factories and assessing what they needed to work better.I used to scoff at her job. Now, it was her expertise I was looking for.
My eyes saw the business built by my family, laden with nostalgia and memories. Hers would see how the business ran, what we could do better, and how we could make it more efficient. One thing I knew: I wanted to do so without denting headcount or morale.
Eliza was quiet for a moment, her eyes fixed on the water. “Honestly? I was impressed. Fiona and Ronnie run a tight ship. Everyone we met knew their stuff and cared about what they were doing. You can’t fake that kind of investment.”
That was good to hear, but I also detected a hesitation in her voice.
“What’s the ‘but’?”
She glanced at me sideways, and her sapphire-blue gaze pierced my defences. I gulped as my pulse raced, willing myself to think business only.
“But if we’re serious about expanding sales, we’re going to need a bigger premises. That’s my main concern. The business is chugging along fine as Fiona said, but it’s already running at capacity. We either build, or we go elsewhere.”
I stopped walking. “You’re not suggesting we move production completely?”
Because if she was, it was a big fat no.
A no so fat, you could see it from space.
I couldn’t do that. We’d shaken hands with the staff, looked them in the eye, assured them we were on their side. That I was one of them, and not simply a nepo baby who didn’t care at all. I’d put a couple of grand behind the bar for a Friday night pint after work as a thank you for the latest launch and whatever came next.
“I’m just saying—”
“Because we can build. Extend. The council would approve it in a heartbeat. They’re desperate to keep businesses here.” The words came out sharper than I’d intended, but the thought of uprooting everything made my stomach clench. Voss Watches was started here, and it needed to stay here.
“We’re not there yet, so don’t panic. We need to prove there’s demand for growth before we act.” Eliza’s voice was gentle but firm. “If the company ends up being sold, new owners might decide it’s more profitable to rip the whole operation out of Goldloch and move it somewhere more accessible and cheaper.”
Of course a new owner would do that. They didn’t have the ties that our family did. Fresh dread ran through me. Was my mum shaking her head somewhere on a cloud above me? Was she tutting and giving her a disappointed face, the one I knew only too well?
