Secrets at the Loch (Loch Lannick #5) - Hannah Ellis Page 0,55

without you,” she insisted. “There’s no way I’d have gone all the way to the top if you hadn’t been with me.”

“Right. So it’s my fault?”

“No. But don’t act like I put us in danger when I didn’t. If you’d have said we should turn back before the summit, I’d have done it. I didn’t insist on going up there.” When he didn’t reply she took it as disagreement. “I really didn’t do anything wrong. Unless you count stopping to tie my shoelace.”

“I realise that.” He straightened up and hauled his backpack onto his shoulders. “You wanted to see the top of the mountain. And I went against my better judgement because I have a problem saying no to you. That was my fault. But I’d rather we stopped talking about it now and keep walking. We’ve still got a long way to go.”

She almost pointed out that he hadn’t had much of a problem saying no to her the previous evening, but decided it would be better to bite her tongue. It took a great effort for her to get moving again. She followed Nick in silence. When they reached the loch at the halfway point, he didn’t seem as though he was keen for a break. Lexie’s feet were killing her and every step was excruciating. She had to take a few deep breaths to stop herself from crying.

“I need to stop for a minute,” she called as she rooted in her bag for plasters. She should have stopped ages ago, but she’d been too focused on her goal of getting off the mountain. Plus, she’d been concerned that if she took her boots off, they’d feel even worse when she had to put them back on.

“Are you okay?” Nick asked as he lingered on the path a little way ahead.

“I’m fine,” she said, fighting off tears. “You go on. I’ll catch up.”

Sitting at the side of the path, she eased a boot off and cried out at a sharp pain.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, crouching in front of her.

Carefully, she peeled her sock off, grimacing as the fabric pulled dried blood from the wound at her heel. Her little toe was also missing some skin.

“Ouch.” Nick took hold of her foot to inspect it. “That looks painful.”

Lexie bit down on her lip and nodded. “I’ve got plasters,” she said, holding them out and hoping he’d patch her up.

“Why didn’t you say something earlier? This must have been hurting you for ages.”

“I’m stubborn. I’ll put the plasters on and we can get going again.”

“I’ve got better plasters,” he said, turning to rummage through his bag.

“Of course you have,” she said under her breath.

He raised his eyebrows. “Don’t you want my better plasters?”

“I want them,” she said. “You’re just a bit like Mary Poppins with that bag.”

“It’s only essentials,” he said, retrieving a small first aid kit. His plasters really did look more robust than hers. “I’ve got painkillers if you want?” he said after both her feet had been patched up and eased back into the boots.

“Yes please.” She swallowed them with a few gulps of water, then let Nick help her up.

“Are you going to be able to walk?”

“What are you going to do otherwise?” she asked as she set off hobbling along. “Carry me?”

“I’d probably just leave you at this point,” he said, pulling a face at her. “You’re a pain in the arse!”

She beamed at him. “I really hope you haven’t only noticed that today.”

They walked on in silence, slowing their pace as Lexie struggled along. Nick’s phone beeped as soon as the signal came back and he moved away a little to call his dad and check how his mum was doing.

“Sorry for keeping you out all day,” Lexie said when he ended the call.

He shrugged. “It was actually really good to think about something else for the day. And it sounds as though they managed fine without me.”

Finally, they reached the footbridge which brought them back to the visitor centre and the road. There was still a little way to go to get back to the holiday apartment but the end was in sight.

“Do you plan to return to Skye then, if they’re okay without you?”

He nodded. “I have to be at work on Monday, so I’ll drive back on Sunday afternoon.”

“That’s good,” she said quietly. It was actually a huge relief that he planned on going back. She’d been telling herself his mention of staying in Fort William was just stress, but it