“He sounds like a dick.”
He huffed a laugh. “Aye, well, it doesn’t matter now. As soon as Kinleith Surgery sells, I’ll be out of here.”
“Where will you go?”
“I don’t know yet. Down south maybe.” Alistair straightened the blanket over my shoulders. “Now I’m going to tell you something else, okay?” I nodded as he held my eyes. “Everyone’s a mess, and we’re all just praying we make it through the day without people realising. I think you’re doing fucking perfect given the circumstances.”
I think you’re doing fucking perfect given the circumstances. The words rang through me like a bell’s chime, filling every corner of my brain.
The words shouldn’t have held so much power, but I couldn’t control my smile, something warm beginning to simmer in my stomach. For the first time, I felt like I was seeing him clearly. Past the bluster and slick image he presented to the world.
“You’re actually kind of nice, Dr Macabe, despite the rumours.” His gaze drifted to my lips. I wasn’t sure he was even aware of it.
The images of the afternoon came flooding back, and somehow I knew he was remembering it too. His breath on my neck, the words he’d murmured in my ear.
We hadn’t spoken about it . . . and as I watched the teasing edge creep into his eyes, I knew we wouldn’t. “And you’re really small. How did you get so small?”
Following his lead, I thumped my fist off his shoulder. “Lack of vegetables, probably.”
“That explains it.” He stood and took a step back. “Now, time for bed. You should get inside before it gets any colder.”
He was probably right.
Pulling the blanket off my shoulders, I folded it andhanded it back to him. “Thank you . . . for that,” I said, a little embarrassed. “You’d make a good friend, Alistair.” I don’t know why I said it, maybe because he needed to hear something good about himself too.
I watched his shoulders tense, his thumb flicking over that crooked little finger. “Please . . . don’t count on me. I’ve never been good at being anyone’s friend.”
I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t see themselves clearly. “I think you might be better than you think you are. Goodnight,” I said and turned, slipping inside the cottage without waiting for an answer.
The door was almost shut when I heard him say, “Goodnight, Isla.”
18
Alistair
Isla: Guess what?
Alistair: Jess got arrested for arson?
Isla: Nope. But frankly, that could be any day now.
Alistair: CamCam paid the money for Teddy’s school trip?
Isla: No. But I’m definitely wearing him down.
Alistair: Don’t keep me in suspense, Lang.
Isla: Drum roll . . .
Alistair: Nope.
Isla: So boring!
Isla: We are officially participants in this summer’s Cairn & Crust!
Isla: Come over later. We need to practise!!!
“Earth to Alistair!”
