Page 50 of Snowflakes Over Micklewick Bay

‘Ah, an ulterior motive,’ said Maggie, giving Hannah a jokey knowing look. ‘I’d hang around only I’ve got a bear I need to finish for Monday, but do call up for a cuppa before you head off.’

‘Are you sure you wouldn’t mind, Bear?’ Hannah quite liked the idea of having a wander round the place on her own but wanted to be certain she wasn’t going to put him out, that he wasn’t just being kind by offering to stay with her car.

‘’Course he doesn’t mind. Him and Jace can talk about Landies till the cows come home given half a chance.’ Maggie hooked her arm through her husband’s and smiled up at him affectionately. ‘Come on, you, let’s leave Hannah to her exciting new thoughts for a bit.’

With everyone gone, Hannah enjoyed a slow wander around the building, taking a closer look at the wainscotting that lined the lower half of the restaurant walls. She imagined it stripped back to its original wood, the floorboards sanded and polished, huge panoramic windows framing the stunning views. And she could make a feature of the two chunky iron posts that appeared to have supported a first floor at some point. Would it be worth replacing the extra floor? she wondered. She set the thought to one side for later consideration. A rustic yet contemporary meets high-end vibe was what she could envisage for the restaurant. It wouldn’t be easy to pull off, but she could always enlist the help of an interior designer; she had the funds to cover the cost. And then there was Nate’s upcycling business the lasses kept enthusing about – Hannah had reconciled herself with the fact that Lark’s boyfriend had family connections in Beckinthwaite. What she’d learnt recently had given her a whole new perspective on how she was viewed by the folk of Micklewick Bay. She wasn’t the bad guy! If she was to go ahead with her aunt’s wishes, there’d be no more hiding away.

Her mind teeming with ideas, she stepped outside, locking the door before she headed around the building and ventured onto the pier, the breeze hitting her square in the face. ‘Brr!’ She shivered, shoving her hands into her pockets as she walked on. It was hard to believe how far she’d come in a short space of time. Her grief that had gripped her every waking moment just over a week ago still lurked, but it lay beneath the surface now. Just as her aunt had hoped it would.

‘You’ve got a heck of a lot to tell Birdie when you get back to Beckinthwaite today,’ Hannah said quietly to herself, her eyes straying to the Jolly and last night’s unexpected encounter with Lachie. He’d sneaked into her thoughts at times when her guard was down that morning, but her mind had been too full of the café to let them take hold. And that’s how it’s going to remain, she told herself firmly as she turned and headed back towards the café.

At the entrance, Hannah checked her phone to see if she’d heard from Bear and was glad to see there were no messages. She wanted to take one last look inside the building before she headed home; wanted to confirm her thoughts.

She quickly checked around her before putting the key into the lock, still anxious that Darryl could appear out of nowhere. Stepping inside she felt a thrill rush through her once more. This opportunity combined with the warm welcome she’d received in Micklewick Bay added strength to her growing enthusiasm to take the plunge and tackle the café renovation project. It was exactly what she needed and she felt ready to take on the challenge.

She was taking a closer look at the Formica tables, wondering if they were salvageable when the door creaked open, startling her. Darryl flashed into her mind, setting her pulse racing. She looked up and gasped.

‘Lachie!’

THIRTY-TWO

Seeing Lachie in the doorway, looking impossible handsome in his kilt, his dark auburn hair ruffled by the breeze, made her heart twist with longing. She noted he was wearing a waxed jacket to keep the wind and rain at bay, and boy, did he look good in it.

‘Why are you here?’ she asked, her words coming out more bluntly than she’d intended.

‘I’ve come to see you.’ He took a step towards her and she instinctively took a step back, triggering a look of hurt in his eyes.

‘I’ve no idea why you’d want to see me.’ Her feelings of rejection he’d created last year pushed forward, sending her walls shooting up around her.

‘I want to talk to you; explain why I didn’t come back last spring.’ The uncertain look in his eyes tugged at her heart, but then she reminded herself that he was probably an old hand at this sort of thing. Quite by chance, he’d spotted her in town at the same time he was there. It was an easy opportunity for a bit of flirtation, of working the old charm. She wasn’t going to be a fool for that again.

‘There’s honestly no need, I hadn’t noticed. We get so many customers, it’s impossible to keep up with what everyone does.’

There was that hurt look again. She winced inside.

He ran his hand down the side of his face. ‘I thought I was more than just a customer to you.’ His voice was soft, his gentle Scottish tones curling around her heart.

You’ve no idea. All she could think to do was give a shrug of her shoulders.

‘I’m so sorry about your aunt,’ he said, the look in his eyes appearing to be genuine. ‘I saw the announcement in a newspaper. I went to where you used to park Bougie Bertha, but she’d gone – went back a few times, actually. Didn’t know where to find you, then I remembered you saying you had connections to Micklewick Bay, which is why I’m here.’

She stood quiet, letting his words sink in. He remembered that? Could she believe him?

‘It’s true. I’ve been asking around but all I got told was that you’d left town sixteen or seventeen years ago, that you had a… That you had a difficult home life so you ran away.’

Hannah felt heat burn in her cheeks.

‘You might be surprised to know we have more in common than you think. It’s why I’ve been travelling this last year and a half, trying to escape all the hassle and pressure back home.’ He ran his fingers through his hair.

The sound of Hannah’s phone ringing from her pocket spliced through the awkward atmosphere.

‘I need to take this,’ she said, seeing Bear’s number on the screen, glad for the time it would allow her to process Lachie’s words.

She’d expected Lachie to take that as a hint for him to leave and was surprised to see he remained, glancing around the space as she listened to Bear explaining her car was ready.

‘Is this place yours?’ Lachie asked when she’d ended the call.

Hannah nodded, suddenly suspicious. ‘It is.’