Highland Fling (8 page)

It couldn’t be Jack. He’d asked who Max was when Max had called last night, so who was it and did he know about
that woman
? Was that why he hadn’t acknowledged the connection? A sudden thought flashed across her mind. Had Max asked him to “keep an eye on her”?

No. Why would he? It wouldn’t even occur to Max that Lizzie might be interested in someone other than him. Max had made it abundantly clear he was certain Lizzie would go back to him – it was just a matter of time. And Max seemed happy to give her time.

She wondered, as she fed the animals, if Max was seeing other women and she almost laughed out loud. She could be such a fool sometimes. Of course he was seeing other women. This was Max. Why hadn’t she let herself think about this before?

Alastair came bounding towards her from behind a hedge. She had just left the small barn, where the chickens were deciding whether or not to venture out into the snow, and he nearly knocked her over as he raced up to be stroked.

She bent down and tickled him behind his ear and he barked appreciatively.

‘Good morning,’ a voice said from behind her, making her jump and she turned so abruptly that she lost her balance and tumbled from her bending position on to her side.

Jack was next to her in an instant and was helping her to her feet.

‘Are you okay?’

‘Why must you keep making me jump?’

‘Ah. Um. Sorry. Should I cough loudly in future or whistle or something so you’ll know I’m approaching?’

‘That might help.’ Lizzie brushed the icy snow from her coat. ‘I’m fine thanks. You can let go of me now.’ That sounded far sharper than she’d intended it to.

Jack hadn’t realised he was still holding her arm and quickly dropped his hand from her. ‘Sorry,’ he said.

Silence hung between them and Lizzie wrapped her scarf tighter, just so that she was doing something.

Alastair leapt up at Jack in a friendly greeting. ‘Good morning boy,’ Jack said. ‘Are you always this lively in the morning? I wish I had your energy today.’ He rubbed Alastair’s fur playfully and Alastair wriggled contentedly.

‘He wasn’t drinking nearly all day yesterday,’ Lizzie said trying to sound light-hearted.

‘Um. Yeah. About yesterday ... ’

Lizzie held her breath and waited.

‘Did I ... well, I had a hell of a lot to drink and it’s all a bit hazy. I ... I hope I didn’t do anything I shouldn’t have.’

Lizzie was taken by surprise. So, that was how this was going to go. Either he really couldn’t remember or he was going to pretend he couldn’t. None of it. Not the being naked and her ogling him, not all the meaningful looks. Not that kiss. Fine.

‘Like what?’ Lizzie gave him her most innocent look.

Jack’s cheeks reddened – but that could have been from cold, she reasoned.

‘Um ... like ... like ... just anything.’

She smiled at him but he was trying to avoid eye contact.

‘Not as far as I’m aware but perhaps you’d better check with Jane. I’d better get back and start breakfast. Are the others up?’ She started walking towards the house. She had to get away from him; tears were pricking at her eyes. So that was the end of that, she thought, irritated that she cared so much.

Jack fell in step beside her. ‘Lizzie I –’

‘Alastair! Come on boy. Sorry Jack. I must dash. I’ve just remembered my husband said he’d call again this morning.’

She quickened her step but she needn’t have bothered. Jack had stopped in his tracks.

Chapter Five

‘Morning!’ Jane danced into the kitchen.

‘Well. You’re certainly in a good mood. What’s brought this on?’

Lizzie was baking again. She started as soon as she got back after talking to Jack. She needed to take her mind off that particular subject and baking helped. It always had. Whenever she’d been miserable or worried in the past, she’d baked. Why on earth she’d followed her father into his Law firm and not her mother into her restaurant, was still a mystery to her.

‘It’s a lovely day! Have you been out?’ Jane dropped her overnight bag on the floor and took her coat off, hanging it on the rack beside the kitchen door.

‘Yes and it’s freezing.’

‘Certainly is, but I love days like this. Cold and clear and sunny. Feels like spring’s coming. Oh. I saw Jack on my way over. He seems to be going for a rather long walk. He had almost reached my place. Hope he doesn’t get lost.’ Jane strolled over to Alastair who was in his basket as usual, and tickled him behind his ear.

‘I rather hope he does.’ Lizzie banged the tray of cheese straws she was making for the ceilidh, on to the table.

‘Oh dear. What’s happened? Wait. Let me make coffee first. I’ve got a feeling we’re both going to need it.’

‘Perhaps he really doesn’t remember,’ Jane said fifteen minutes later when Lizzie had told her about last night and this morning. ‘He must have had loads to drink yesterday. Pete told me they started drinking as soon as they left the office then drank virtually all the way up here, with hardly any sleep. Then they spent a couple of hours in the pub and they were pretty hammered after that, believe me. They had wine with dinner and then liqueurs. It was a wonder Jack could stand up let alone kiss you!’

Lizzie frowned. ‘He didn’t seem that drunk. He wasn’t slurring or anything.’ She sieved flour into a large ceramic mixing bowl then added a slab of butter, some baking powder and a pinch of salt. Lizzie rarely weighed her ingredients; she was an instinctive cook and judged everything by eye, by taste or from memory.

‘Some people don’t. You think they’re stone cold sober but they can’t remember a thing!’ Jane said, passing her the jar of sultanas.

‘That’s true I suppose. Oh, I don’t know. It’s just this morning, when he asked if he’d done anything. I just got a feeling that he knew exactly what had happened and wanted to pretend it hadn’t!’ She began rubbing the butter and sugar together with her fingertips until it had formed a breadcrumb-like consistency then she added the sultanas. ‘Pass me the sugar too would you, please.’

‘You should have told him,’ Jane said, handing her the jar of sugar.

‘Yeah right! And how would that have gone. Actually Jack I saw you naked and ogled your body then later you kissed me and the Earth moved – for me at least. Oh sorry, you don’t remember?’ She tossed some sugar into the mixture and stirred it.

‘Well you wouldn’t have said it like that, obviously but you could have said something. You could have said he kissed you at least. Then you would have known if he was pretending by the way he reacted to that.’

Lizzie shook her head. ‘Too late now. Better to act as if it didn’t happen anyway. I was so confused by it all. Couldn’t think straight. It would have been so awkward for the next few days. Especially if he did know what he’d done and regretted it. He’s engaged after all!’ She added a few dribbles of milk, mixed it all up then passed the bowl to Jane.

‘I guess so.’ Jane dusted her side of the table with some flour and turned the mixture out on to it. She began lightly kneading the dough. ‘Oh well. We’ve got the ceilidh to look forward to tonight. What are the plans for today?’

‘No idea. Jack’s the only one up so far and as you know, he’s gone walkabout.’

Lizzie prepared a baking tray for the small rounds Jane was cutting from the dough. She placed them on the tray, brushed them with a little milk and egg and popped the tray in the oven.

‘I thought we’d do some more food for this evening and depending on what the guys have planned, we’ll either have a late lunch as a main meal and skip dinner ‘cos there’ll be food at the ceilidh or have an early lunch and light supper. They might go somewhere for the day I suppose, so we’ll have to wait and see.’ Lizzie started preparing another batch of scones, this time without the sultanas.

As if on cue, there was a tap on the door and Pete poked his head in. ‘Morning,’ he said rather sheepishly. ‘Don’t suppose you’ve got any 'eadache tablets?’

Lizzie smiled and Jane went to the cupboard to get some. She handed him two with a glass of water.

‘Cheers,’ he said. ‘Anyone else up?’

‘Me,’ Phil said from behind him. ‘How’re you feeling mate?’

‘Like death warmed over.’ Pete swallowed the tablets with a sip of water.

‘Jack about? He’s usually an early riser.’

Pete shrugged.

‘He’s gone for a long walk,’ Jane said as both Pete and Phil came in and sat by window on the window-seat. ‘Not sure when he’ll be back. Apparently, he’s suffering from mild amnesia this morning.’

Lizzie threw her a ‘don’t you dare’ look.

‘I bet!’ Pete said. ‘Jack doesn’t usually drink much and 'e was really putting it away last night. In a right mood 'e was. Couldn’t sleep or something so 'e came back down and played poker. We went up about two but Ross and Jack looked like they were staying up all night. Think we’ve probably emptied your booze cabinet. Phil’ll settle up today.’ Pete rubbed his aching forehead.

Phil nodded. ‘Glad I went to bed early,’ he said, watching Pete.

Lizzie’s eyebrows shot up and she realised her mouth was open. ‘Jack came back down?’

Pete threw her an odd look. ‘Yeah, not long after 'e went to bed. Couldn’t sleep.’

Lizzie and Jane exchanged brief glances.

‘No wonder he’s got memory problems,’ Jane said.

‘Breakfast anyone?’ Lizzie suddenly felt decidedly more cheerful.

‘I think I can hear the others,’ Phil said, ‘and look, there’s Jack.’

Jack’s memory was starting to return but it wasn’t making anything clearer. He thought he remembered Lizzie as being friendly, very friendly but she seemed rather distant today. Something she had said though, about her husband calling had triggered something in his mind – he just wasn’t sure what it was.

Last night he’d dreamt he was outside in the snow, kissing her and that she was kissing him back and when he woke up, he thought it had really happened but it must have just been a dream.

He also thought he remembered something to do with him being naked and Lizzie staring at him but maybe that was part of the dream too. If only he had gone to bed at a reasonable time last night instead of staying up with the guys to play poker and drink until the early hours of the morning with Ross.

It hit him like a snowball in the face. He had gone to bed! He remembered! He’d gone upstairs but gone back down again. Why? He racked his brains. He hadn’t dreamt about being naked with Lizzie in his room. That had happened.

So why hadn’t she mentioned it? Perhaps she was trying to save him the embarrassment. He could see that.

And he had kissed her last night – and she’d kissed him back. That’s what had triggered his memory. Her husband had called last night when they were kissing!

Oh Shit! No wonder she’d been off hand with him this morning. Not very complimentary to say you can’t remember kissing someone. And she would hardly remind him of something like that. Especially as he was engaged and on his stag do.

She must think he was an absolute prat. He’d have to sort things out with her, and he’d have to sort things out with Kim too. That’s one thing he remembered quite clearly. Somehow, he’d have to call off the wedding.

He could see Phil waving at him from the kitchen window and as he got closer, the smell of bacon hit his nostrils. Nothing like a cooked breakfast to make everything seem right with the world. It would all work out. He was sure of it.

‘So what d’you want to do today?’ Phil asked, sticking another sausage on his plate.

‘It’s too icy for climbing,’ Jack said ‘and to be honest, I think my blood alcohol level would make me a danger anyway. I’d quite like to take some photos. Some of the scenery around here is breathtaking.’ He didn’t mean his eyes to settle on Lizzie but somehow they did.

Phil shook his head benignly. ‘I think I get the picture. Are these sausages from your own pigs Lizzie?’

‘Oh no! I’m a hypocrite I’m afraid. Can’t kill anything but I still eat meat. My pigs are pets. They’re very intelligent – and better behaved than some men I know.’

Jack choked on his bacon.

‘You all right mate?’ Pete said, slapping him on the back and causing Jack to lurch forward with such force his chest landed on his plate and egg yolk covered his beige sweater.

‘I am now thanks mate,’ he said, casting Pete a sardonic look.

‘Take that off and I’ll wash it,’ Lizzie said.

‘Now Lizzie!’ Pete joked, ‘you 'ad your chance to get Jack’s clobber off last night and you passed. Don’t start this morning!’ He had no idea why Lizzie, Jack and Jane all stared at him as if he’d conjured up the devil. ‘What? You didn’t want to play strip-poker!’

The relief was almost audible and as Jack caught the expression on Lizzie’s face, they both knew what had gone through their own minds. His eyes held hers until she looked away.

‘Seriously Jack,’ Jane said, ‘you’d better take it off before it stains.

‘Jack stood up and pulled the sweater over his head. Underneath he wore a plain navy blue T-shirt. I’ll go and get another one. Thanks for this.’ He handed the sweater to Lizzie who had risen from her chair to take it.

Jack followed Lizzie into the hall but instead of going upstairs to get another sweater he went into the kitchen behind her.

‘I think we need to talk,’ he said.

Lizzie was flustered. This was an unexpected development.

‘Oh. What about?’ She tried to sound calm but her heart was pounding in her chest as she turned to face him.

Jack raised his eyebrows and slowly a devilish grin spread across his face. ‘You suffering from memory loss now?’

Lizzie’s eyes shot to his. Why did he have to be so damned handsome? And that grin ...!

‘I ... I don’t know what you mean,’ she lied.

Jack sighed deeply. ‘Okay. Fair enough but that walk helped my memory and I realised that what I thought I’d dreamt, actually happened.’

Lizzie blinked several times. ‘Oh.’

His brows knit together above confused sapphire eyes but his voice was gentle when he spoke. ‘Is that it? Oh.’

‘Well what do you want me to say?’

‘That you didn’t mind me kissing you, for a start.’ Jack took a step closer.