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“Why do you think you’d have to come up with a completely new business? You could teach yoga here too.”

“Oh, yeah? And where would I do that?”

“Have you forgotten about the function room I basically bullied Ally into finishing? That would be the perfect spot.”

I tap a finger on the table, considering this. “True, but would anyone actually come along?”

“Yes! Trust me, the people of this town love any sort of social event. I guarantee if you put on classes, they’ll be filled. Sure, some folk will mainly show up for a chat and to get out of the house, but they’ll still take part.”

I laugh. “Do you really think so?”

“I do. Things are different here to how they are down south. In London, there’s so much competition that at times it can feel like everyone is constantly vying against each other. Here, though? People want local businesses to succeed. No one is going to see you as their enemy, only as someone to support.

“There’s also the Glen Garve Resort. Ally and Aidan are working with them—you could work with them too. I bet they have guests who’d love nothing more than to attend a yoga class while their other halves are out doing a round of golf. Then there’d be couples who’d want to participate together, plus the resort gets some solo travellers, and it’s also a popular spot for corporate retreats. All of them would be potential clients for you.

“I’m sure it’s an idea the Glen Garve would be interested in. If only you had an in with them. Oh, wait a minute! Your twin brother is dating and lives with Johnny MacDonald, whose dad is the manager there—and Johnny works at the resort as well. You’re also currently staying in Johnny’s cottage. I reckon you could easily wangle your way into the Glen Garve’s leisure schedule.”

Smirking, I polish off the last of the scone. “You may be right, but would there be enough work around for me to make a living?”

“I think so. There’d be other opportunities to explore too. Bannock is the biggest town in the area, but there are little villages dotted all about, and pretty much all of them have a church hall that can be hired out for classes.

“If necessary, there’s also Inverness—it’s forty minutes away. You could do a day or two there every week to top up your income, but that might not even be needed. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were able to drum up a decent amount of business locally. In fact, it could be a really flexible lifestyle that’d work well around having a baby.”

The thought is tempting. I’ve been worrying recently that, thanks to my ever-increasing overheads, my rates are pushing away clients who just can’t justify the expense. Up here, though, my costs would be a lot less than in London, and that’d allow me to price my classes at a level that should be more affordable. I like the sound of that.

Emily’s voice rises in pitch as she excitedly adds, “And we could help each other out! If you’re doing a class in the function room, I could look after the babies, then when I’m putting on an event, you could return the favour. Oh, please, Grace! It’d be so great to have you here. Bannock is almost perfect, but the one thing it’s missing is you. Please, please, please say you’ll at least consider it.”

“You’re doing a very good job of selling the idea to me,” I admit, chuckling. “Let me have a chat with Aidan. And, oh yeah, there’s something else I’ve not mentioned yet. After showing me the house, he told me he thinks he might love me. He then clarified that maybe he just really likes me—he wasn’t sure. It caught me off-guard anyway. I didn’t know what to say.”

A sly smile forms on Emily’s lips. “I was so right about you and Aidan. I knew you’d win him over.”

“But isn’t it too soon for him to be talking like that? We’ve not spent that much time together yet.”

“Hmm, well, I’ve got a really good feeling about you two—always have—but to play devil’s advocate, let’s say it doesn’t work out. I’m not saying that’s what’s going to happen; I’m just saying let’s consider all possibilities. In that scenario, I reckon you’d both be mature enough to stay friends and raise your girl amicably.

“It’s not as though, if you give things a shot and they don’t go as hoped, that’s it, everything is over, and you’ll be passing her between you without so much as exchanging a word. In a way, you’ve got nothing to lose. If it works out, great, and if not, well, you’re still getting a wonderful baby out of this whom you’ll love and cherish.”

I nod, absent-mindedly tracing patterns on the tabletop. “You make it sound so easy. I do like Aidan, and maybe we could have a future together, but I’m bothered by his reputation. Given how he was, has he really got it in him to be a loving boyfriend and father?”

Emily squeezes my arm. “I think so, but as I say, what have you got to lose? There might be a house in the town itself you and him could move into, and you could see how things go? Ideally, it’d be somewhere you could rent—buying a property together is a strain you could do without, for now at least. I can picture you being happy here, though, Grace. Bannock is very you.”

“It is, isn’t it? All right, I’ll have a conversation with Aidan, and we’ll take it from there.”

Her eyes sparkle with glee, and she comes around the table and wraps me in a hug. Just then, my phone goes. Breaking apart from Emily, I check the name on the screen.

“It’s Mum,” I say, then I tap to answer it. “Hi, everything okay?”

There’s a pause on the other end. “Hello, Grace. And . . . no, everything is not okay.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

AIDAN

At an ad break in our Christmas TV viewing, Maw mutes the sound then stands. “Well, I’ll pop the kettle on and make us all some more tea.”

“No, Maw,” I say. “You sit. I’ll do that.”

“I could do with stretching my legs,” she insists. “All this sitting in a chair relaxing . . . my body is going to seize up!”