I need a change of subject. I nod at her engagement ring. “Anyway, congrats. Emmy is a lucky girl.”
She stares at me for a second. Then she picks up a dish towel and snaps it at my face.
I sputter on my beer. “What?!”
“That’s all you have to say?” she hisses. “Congrats? We got engaged six months ago, shithead!”
“Didn’t you get the champagne I sent?”
“Aye, we got your champagne. You’re meant to be my friend, Alec. You live a ten-minute drive away. You really couldn’t find the time to have a drink with me in person?”
She’s right. I owe Isla that. She’s a good friend. Back when my dad pulled me out of school, she used to loan books for me out of the library and give them to Fraser and Cameron to pass along.
“Sorry,” I say gruffly. “I’ve been busy.”
Hell, I shouldn’t even be herenow.What would my father say if he knew I was here on a Friday night, drinking with friends instead of working?
Isla narrows her eyes. “I see that,” she says cryptically. “How is Lochview? Any updates?”
Across the room, Summer reappears. She’s fixed her makeup, but her cheeks are still flushed, and her collarbone is wet, like she tried to cool off in the bathroom sink. My eyes follow her as she goes to rejoin her crowd. “Fine,” I say evasively.
“Aye? Council isn’t buying up the land, perchance?”
My attention snaps to her. “What? You know about that?”
“I was suit shopping in Edinburgh last week. Saw this on a notice board in the shopping centre.” She pulls a glossy leaflet out of her pocket and slides it across the bar to me.
HIGHLAND RESORT OPENING SOON!screams the title.Plan your dream wedding, honeymoon, or getaway at one of our luxury cabins deep in the heart of Scotland.
Underneath it is a computer-generated image of rows of glassy cabins lined up on a very familiar hillside.
My stomach goes cold. There’s no way.
“That’s Lochview land,” Isla says flatly. “What is wrong with you, Alec? You’reselling? Without even talking to the villagers first? A resort up here would affect all of us. What, has the farm gone under or something? If you’d told us, we could’ve helped?—”
“I’m not selling,” I say, flipping the leaflet over. On the back is a map of the proposed resort drawn out on my land. At the bottom of the leaflet is the logo of the local council.
I’m so angry I’m shaking. “They keep calling,” I grit out. “Asking for me to sell the land. I’ve refused every time.”
“Wait, seriously?” I nod, and Isla whistles. “Shit. Sounds like they’re going to force you to sell.”
“They can’t do that.”
“They can.”
I slam down the leaflet. “They’d need to survey the locals first. No one would agree.”
“Aye.” She crosses her arms. “Want me to kick up a fuss, then? Put a call to arms in the village group chat? The stitch and bitch club will probably storm the council headquarters themselves. You know how rowdy that lot get.”
I’m already shaking my head. I don’t want it getting out that I can’t keep hold of my own land. “I’m dealing with it. I don’t need help.”
Isla stares at me. “Why are you so thick?” she demands. “Genuinely. Did you get headbutted by a lot of sheep as a kid or something?”
“I don’t need help,” I repeat. “Lochview is my responsibility. No one here can help me?—”
“No one here can help you?” Isla repeats incredulously. “There’s not one person in this room who doesn’t know you, you absolute weapon. Half of them probably helped tie your shoelaces when you were a bairn. Dalbrae would drop everything to lend you a hand. That’s how thingsworkaround here, and you know it.”
“I can handle it myself,” I repeat stubbornly, sliding the leaflet into the pocket of my jeans. “Please don’t tell anyone about this.”
