Secrets at the Loch (Loch Lannick #5) - Hannah Ellis Page 0,48
to think of an excuse. And it was probably better not to spend so much time alone with him. She was torturing herself.
Finally, he messaged back just as she reached the shops, saying he’d come over at six. Lexie felt a rush of anticipation. Even if she wasn’t sure if it was a good idea or where it might lead, she couldn’t deny how excited she was at the prospect of seeing him.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“You’re late,” Lexie chastised lightly when she let Nick in.
“Sorry.” He glanced at his watch but seemed distracted. After beginning to think he might have stood her up, she wasn’t too concerned by him being half an hour late. She was just glad he’d turned up at all.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said, ushering him inside. “I hope you’re hungry.”
He shrugged his jacket off. “A bit.”
With a tip of her chin, she indicated he should follow her to the kitchen.
“What’s that?” he asked, peering at the dish in the middle of the table.
“Meat and potato pie.” She knew it was one of his favourite dishes because he ordered it at the pub frequently.
“Isn’t it supposed to be browned on top?”
“The top was a lovely golden brown,” she said. “Unfortunately it had gone slightly past that when I took it out of the oven. I had to get rid of the top layer. But I thought it wouldn’t matter because I was sure you’d be too polite to mention what a disaster it looks.”
“Sorry,” he said with a hint of a smile. “I’m sure it tastes great.”
“Well, it’s got to taste better than it looks.”
“I really hope so,” he said as he took a seat at the small table in the kitchen.
“Do you want a beer or anything?”
“No thanks.”
Lexie felt oddly self-conscious as she dished the pie and veg onto their plates.
“I hope the weather clears up,” she said between mouthfuls. “I really need to put my boots to use.” She stuck a foot out to show off her sparkling new hiking boots.
“You like them so much you’re wearing them around the house?”
She shook her head. “Wearing them in. But they’re really comfy so I think I’ll be fine.”
“How long are you staying around for?” he asked as he pushed food around his plate.
“Until Friday I think. I’m going up Ben Nevis tomorrow, if the weather’s decent. Then I’ll drive back to Skye on Friday morning. I think that’s the plan anyway.”
He nodded and kept his eyes on his plate.
“How about you?” she asked cautiously.
“I’m not sure.” He stabbed a piece of meat and chewed slowly.
“Elspeth was saying you didn’t want to go back to Skye?” She paused but he didn’t comment. “I know you’re worried about your mum and this might just be me being self-centred … but was part of the reason you said you didn’t want to go back because of me?” Apart from him having a go at her outside the pub when she’d arrived in Fort William, there’d been no real mention of what had happened between them. Lexie was torn between wanting to know his thoughts and not wanting to be reminded of how callous she’d been.
He put his fork down and finally met her gaze. “Yes. Partly.”
It was more honest than she’d expected. Her throat tightened and she was sure she wasn’t capable of speaking even if she could think of something to say.
“It’s also that mess of a house I bought.” He pushed his chair from the table and dragged his hands through his hair. “Mostly I don’t know how I can leave my mum at the moment.”
“Is there anyone who can help? Nurses or someone?”
He nodded. “She has carers coming in every day. And a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist. Dad’s taken leave from work and my brother’s there a lot.”
“So she has a lot of support?”
“Yes,” he snapped. “But she’s my mum. How can I carry on as normal when she’s going through all this? I can’t just leave her.” He stood and paced the kitchen. Lexie had never seen him so volatile, and she had no idea what to say or do. “She doesn’t want me here,” he said, slumping against the counter. “But I feel guilty even thinking about leaving.”
“Skye’s not that far,” she said gently. “You could go back to work next week and come back on weekends if you feel you need to.”
“That’s what my family keep saying.”
“Do that then. It looks like you need a break at least. You seem very stressed.”