‘Working in different kitchens, mostly,’ he replied as I inhaled my dessert. ‘Few bar jobs here and there, a couple of bakeries. I went wherever they would pay me to cook, ridiculous hours, worked for pennies.’
‘You must really love it,’ I said as I scraped my spoon along the bowl to secure the last precious bit of toffee-laced custard.
Callum beamed, genuine happiness shining through him.
‘I do. I used to bake with my granny when I was a kid. There’s nothing like putting something you made yourself in front of someone and watching them enjoy it. Take that pudding, for example, it’s good, yeah?’
‘There is no more pudding to take.’ I presented my clean bowl. ‘And yes, it was good. I will not hear a word against it.’
‘But I could make you a sticky toffee pudding that would make you scream,’ he said, leaning forward and lowering his voice in a way that made my toes curl inside my shoes. ‘And don’t get me started on proper custard. Double cream and egg yolks from the farm, my own personal stash of vanilla. One taste and you’d never go back.’
All of a sudden, my mouth was very dry.
‘We should go over our plan,’ I said, abruptly changing the subject as I abandoned my empty bowl and reached for my wine. ‘We’ll be there before you know it and I really should have the full lie of the land before we arrive.’
‘Aye, right you are.’ His smile fell away and his sensible, serious expression returned.
‘We get into Inverness station tomorrow morning,’ I started, waiting for his confirmatory nod. ‘What’s the drill after that?’
‘Someone’s picking us up at the station. Braewick’s about an hour’s drive from there.’
‘Is it near Loch Ness?’
‘Near enough.’
‘Will we have time to visit?’
‘No.’
‘Have you ever seen the—’
‘Don’t,’ he interrupted. ‘Do not ask that question.’
I leaned all the way forward with bright eyes.
‘Because you think it’s a stupid question or because you have seen it?’
‘Because it’s a stupid question and I’ve been asked it more times than you’ve had hot dinners.’
‘I think Caroline believes in the Loch Ness monster,’ I said archly, attempting to toss my hair but only managing to get it snarled up in my chair’s headrest. ‘I think she’d probably really like to go and see the loch.’
‘I thought we’d agreed Caroline would mostly be staying in her room and reading when we weren’t showing my family what a terror she is?’
‘Can’t stay locked in a room for five whole days, now can I?’ I bounced back. ‘Surely there’s time for a quick visit? So I can take a photo?’
The sigh that issued from Callum’s lips was so weighted, you’d have thought I’d just asked him to slice open his abdomen and show me a kidney.
‘I’ll see what I can do,’ he relented, elbows on the table, face in his hands.
‘So, we arrive tomorrow,’ I went on brightly, saving my questions about kilts and Highland cows for later.‘We’re being picked up at the station, we get to the farm, then what?’
‘Food, knowing my mother, then hopefully nothing. I’ve told them we’ll be wanting to take it easy for the first day.’
‘I probably didn’t sleep well on the train,’ I reasoned. ‘On account of the night terrors.’
He pointed my way and dipped his chin in agreement. ‘So, an easy afternoon then I’m taking you to the pub for dinner. After that, we’ll work it out as we go.’
The train tilted slightly to the left, one of the grapes on his plate rolling away across the table. I cupped my hands to catch it as it made a break for freedom.
