Page 71 of Chasing a Highland Dream

‘It’s around 7 a.m. But there should be someone on the desk if you want to put your mind at rest.’

She climbed from the bed in her old sleep T-shirt and knickers and picked up her phone. Her heart hammered as she waited for her call to be answered.

Once she had spoken to the nurse and had been assured her granny had had a good night’s rest and had already eaten breakfast, relief flooded her body and she slumped back onto the bed. ‘Don’t you need to leave to get ready for work?’ she asked but realised it sounded like she was trying to get rid of him. ‘Not that I want you to go, of course.’

Harris sighed but kept his gaze fixed on her. ‘I do really, but at this precise moment I’m too busy thinking how beautiful you are when you’ve just woken up.’

She smiled. ‘Oh yeah, with my bird’s nest hair and dog breath.’

‘To me you’ve always been beautiful.’

Half an hour later, Harris glanced at his watch. ‘I really do need to go,’ he said before gulping down the rest of his coffee. He was still fully dressed and Bella had slipped on some yoga pants. They were in the kitchen and had just finished eating some of Isla’s pastries, the French ones she called crescents. Bella had welled up as she had put them onto plates and when Harris had seen her wipe at her eyes, she had explained all about her granny’s name for croissants.

‘She’s quite literal without realising it,’ she said with a smile as she finished her explanation and wiped her nose with a tissue.

Harris held one aloft. ‘From hereon in, they will be forever known as crescents.’ Bella had loved that. She wasn’t quite ready for him to leave and was almost regretting her decision to keep things PG the night before. But she needed to get ready herself and deep down she knew it had been the right way to go.

‘Can I see you tonight?’ he asked. ‘Although I don’t get off until 11, all being well, but I could come here after.’ He placed down his mug and then his eyes widened. ‘I-I don’t mean for sex; I don’t want you to think that. And I know it’ll be late and you’ll probably be asleep by the time I get here but I’d… I’d like to fall asleep with you again.’

She stood and snaked her arms around his neck. ‘I’d like that very much. And I may not be that tired.’

He smiled and kissed her but then she watched as his jaw ticked under his skin. ‘What about Aiden? Does he still think he has a chance of something with you?’

Guilt niggled at Bella, and she took a step back. ‘I honestly don’t know. I’ll have to speak to him. Make sure he realises whatever it was, it’s over.’

‘I think he’ll be hurt, Bella. Be careful, okay?’

She nodded. ‘I will.’

‘I presume you’re going to visit Isla today?’

Bella picked up his mug and her own and took them to the sink. ‘I am. Olivia wants to come too so we’re going together. Which is good because we can go in her car.’

‘That’s good.’

Harris walked over and slipped his arms around her waist. ‘I’ll see you tonight then. Walk me to the door?’ He bent and kissed her neck, sending shivers throughout her body and she had to resist the urge to stop him from leaving. He took her hand.

When they reached the door, she opened it and he stepped outside. She followed and he turned and pulled him to her. He kissed her one last time, a long, lingering kiss she didn’t want to end. When the kiss ended, she spotted Aiden at his front door in his jogging gear.

‘Oh, h-hi, Aiden,’ she said as she felt the colour drain from her face.

Harris stepped in front of Bella. ‘Aiden, mate, before you go jumping to conclusions, I was here to comfort Bella over the situation with her granny.’

Aiden folded his arms across his chest. ‘As opposed to what, exactly?’ Neither of them answered. ‘Right, nice. Very classy. Good to know where I stand. And I knew you were playing us both, Bella the innocent. Pfft.’

Bella stepped around Harris, determined, as always, to stand up for herself. ‘That’s not true, Aiden. I wasn’t playing you both. Harris and I only slept together…’ Realising what she had said, she shook her head. ‘I mean actual sleep. I’d had an emotional day and he understood that. And anyway, I wanted to speak to you first about us… and I’m sorry, but you and I were never going to work, you must know that.’

He sneered. ‘No, but what I do know is you have double standards. You wouldn’t sleep with me but clearly couldn’t wait to get PC Plod into bed.’

‘Hey, come on, Aiden, don’t be crass,’ Harris said with a step forward. ‘You heard Bella say that’s not what happened.’

Aiden smirked. ‘Oh and of course we alllll believe everything sweet Bella says, don’t we?’

Harris held up a hand. ‘Aiden, I suggest you get back inside and calm down, pal.’

Aiden snorted. ‘Or what? You’re going to resort to police brutality, is that it?’

Harris shook his head. ‘Just leave it, eh. I’m sorry you found out this way but it’s for the best.’