Instinctively, he reached for his phone, before remembering he hadn’t brought it with him. Then he wondered who he would possibly call, if he had. Who would he tell who’d be interested? Not his mother, that’s for sure, nor any of his mates.
I would tell Giselle, though, he thought.
Sighing, he scrambled to his feet. He needed to have a shower, eat some breakfast then pack. And before he left, he wanted a quick word with Cal. Then it was back to real life.
Unfortunately, the thought failed to infuse him with joy.
Giselle pushed the poached eggs and salmon on sourdough around her plate in a desultory fashion. Unlike Avril, who was tackling her halloumi salad with enthusiasm.
‘Well, he’s gone, then,’ Avril declared around a mouthful of food. ‘Cal doesn’t seem to think we’ll see him again,’ she continued. ‘Aren’t you going to eat your salmon?’
They were in the cafe having brunch, since Giselle hadn’t had breakfast yet and Avril was on her break.
Giselle pulled a face. ‘I’m not hungry.’
‘Can I have it?’
‘Go ahead.’ She pushed her plate across the table.
‘How was your picnic yesterday?’ Avril arched her brows.
‘The sandwiches were cheese and pickle, my favourite.’
‘That’s not what I meant.’
‘It was fine.’
‘Then why are you looking so glum? Rocco looked as pleased as—’ Avril gasped. ‘Youdidn’t! Did you?’
‘Didn’t what?’ Giselle reached for the iced coffee and sipped it as she stared through the cafe’s window. She’d watched him get in his car and leave earlier. Oddly, she’d felt melancholy.
‘Kiss him!’ Avril’s fierce whisper made her jump.
‘No, I did not,’ she replied hotly.
‘What then?’
‘Nothing. We had a nice walk and chatted a bit. That’s all.’
‘What about?’
‘Mhairi, places to visit on Skye, the pub… Just, stuff. Nothing exciting. Nothingpersonal.’
Avril looked crestfallen. ‘You spent God knows how many hours alone with a hot guy in one of the most beautiful places on earth, and all you did was chat aboutstuff?’
‘It wasn’t like that,’ she protested. ‘He wanted to know where I collect sea glass, so I— Why am I justifying myself to you?’
‘Because you still fancy him.’
Avril’s comment took the wind right out of Giselle’s sails. It was true; she did still fancy him. ‘You said yourself that he’s hot. I betyoufancy him as well,’ she countered. Wasn’t attack the best form of defence?
‘I do, but I’m not the one who hashistorywith him.’
Giselle shrugged. ‘It doesn’t matter whether or not I fancy him. He’s gone and you and Cal seem to think he’s not coming back, so I’ll probably never set eyes on him again.’
‘All the more reason to have snogged him yesterday. I bet you wish you had, now.’
‘Actually, I don’t.’ Giselle stuck her nose in the air. If she had, she wouldn’t have wanted to stop at kissing. The thought of what she would have liked to do with him made her face flame. Thank goodness he’d left, otherwise…
