Her heart continued to thump. ‘I think so. You?’
‘I’m good,’ he said against her cheek.
Liv turned her head slightly and his beard grazed her lip. This was really quite erotic. ‘Fraser?’
‘Yeah?’
‘Do you think there’s any chance, despite everything, that we could—’
‘I am soooooo sorry,’ said Effie, opening the door and making Liv fall backwards out of the cupboard with Fraser virtually on top of her.
‘Ah,’ yelped Liv.
‘You made up,’ said Effie clapping her hands together. ‘I wasn’t expecting you to be getting it on in there. But yay! Whatever works for you. Shall I shut the door again?’ she asked whacking Liv in the head as she tried to hastily close it.
‘No!’ they both said together.
‘And we weren’t getting it on…’ said Liv scrambling backwards as her eyes adjusted to the light.
‘Looks that way to me,’ said Effie putting her hands on her hips.
‘I sort of fell on top of her,’ said Fraser, looking embarrassed.
‘But you’re friends now?’ asked Effie, looking apprehensively between them both.
‘Fine. We’re fine. Right?’ Liv looked Fraser square in the eye.
He nodded. ‘Yeah we’re good.’
34
Liv was about to head upstairs to bed when Dolly and Jock’O wheeled in front of her. Liv readied herself for an attack.
‘Can I speak with you?’ asked Dolly.
‘Dolly, you can but I think it’s probably best for everyone and Scottish and English relations if maybe I just go to bed, and tomorrow I’ll be out of your hair and we can all go back to our lives. What do you say?’ Liv looked hopefully at the older woman.
‘I think it’s better to speak out,’ said Dolly.
Liv had feared that might be the case but didn’t interrupt.
‘I don’t know what you came here to achieve and I certainly don’t understand the ghost hunting aspect of it.’
Liv decided it was best to let that go than try to explain what ghosting was.
Dolly continued. ‘But I do know you are a canny lassie with an infectious energy and you have brought out the best and the worst in my grandchildren. I’ve not seen Effie this engaged for such a long time. She retreated into her shell after her father’s untimely death and has been closer to the dead than the living, but with you I’ve seen glimpses of the old Effie. Maybe there’s a chance that she can get over this and eventually live out her dreams of travelling. Perhaps a visit to Blackburn might be a start?’ Dolly tilted her head forward.
‘Err.’ Liv was a little taken aback at Dolly’s words. ‘Thank you, I think. You know Effie is a truly lovely person. She’d be welcome at mine anytime. It’s been a long and weird day, so if that’s all, I’ll say goodnight.’ Liv went to go past Dolly and her scooter but Dolly didn’t move and Jock’O barked as if to tell Liv to stay where she was.
‘There was one other thing,’ said Dolly.
Oh great, here we go,thought Liv. ‘What was that?’ she asked, emphasising a yawn in the hope that Dolly would keep it short. It had been an emotional few days and she really was ready for her bed.
‘You’ve stirred something in Fraser,’ said Dolly. Liv couldn’t help her eyebrows rising. ‘Not in a sexual way,’ added Dolly quickly.
‘Good, that’s good,’ said Liv although on one hand she had to admit she was a little disappointed but on the other she did not want to have any level of discussion about Fraser’s arousal with his grandmother.
‘Fraser is a deep thinker. But when he thinks, he shuts others out. He broods. But with you he gets cross.’
