Secrets at the Loch (Loch Lannick #5) - Hannah Ellis Page 0,85
adopt her, everything felt a little different. It wasn’t as though she didn’t have happy childhood memories, or that her home life hadn’t been warm and loving, but she’d always had the niggling thought they were a family thrown together by necessity rather than through any kind of plan.
A crane swooped down over the loch, breaking the water surface and Lexie’s thoughts simultaneously. She watched as it strode in the shallow waters, searching out breakfast.
When she set off again, she glanced towards the pub.
“Hi,” she called to Meghan, who was sitting at one of the picnic tables, staring into space. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Just waiting for the pub to open.”
Lexie smiled and walked towards her. “That’s pretty hardcore.”
“Not for a drink.” She grimaced and looked slightly green. “I think I left my phone. At least I hope I did. Otherwise I’ve no idea where it is.”
“I can have a look for you.” Lexie pulled her set of keys from her pocket and indicated for Meghan to follow her to the side door.
“I drank far too much,” Meghan said as they went inside. “I hope I didn’t make a fool of myself. The end of the night is a bit of a blur.”
“You did well at the quiz,” Lexie said. “Won the vouchers … but I think you also used them all immediately.”
She moaned. “I should have gone home after the quiz.”
“I presume this is yours,” Lexie said, spotting a phone on the shelf behind the bar.
“Yes.” Meghan let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness for that.”
“Have you got plans for the day?” Lexie asked.
“I’m going back to bed.” They wandered back the way they’d come and out into the cold air.
“How’s it going with sorting through the house?”
“It’s almost done.” There was a flash of sadness on Meghan’s features and Lexie felt sorry for her. “To be honest, I’m really only dragging it out because I don’t want to leave. And I don’t want to have to decide what to do with my life.”
“That must be hard.”
“I’ll figure it out.” She held up her phone. “Thanks for this.”
“No problem.” Lexie took a couple of steps away, then turned back. “This will sound weird … but I really like Nick.”
Meghan’s features morphed to confusion. “He’s a sweet guy.”
“I just don’t want things to be awkward.”
Meghan opened and closed her mouth a couple of times. “Sorry, I don’t follow.”
“I know you like him … and Elspeth’s been trying to get you and him together …”
“No.” She shook her head. “I don’t like him in that way. We’re just friends.”
“That’s not what Elspeth thinks.”
“Elspeth knows how I feel about Nick. She’s asked me a couple of times and I was very clear that I only see him as a friend.”
“I don’t think she believed you.” Lexie hesitated. “Do you really only see him as a friend?”
“Yes. And even if I didn’t, all he ever talks about is you so it’s pretty obvious no one else stands a chance.”
“Really?”
She nodded. “Every conversation comes back to you. It’s actually a little annoying!”
“Sorry,” Lexie said, smiling.
“It’s very sweet really. And it’s great that you like him too.”
“I have to go,” Lexie said. “I’ll see you around.”
“Thanks again for finding my phone!”
As Lexie made her way back to the path around the loch, she felt a little lighter. At least Meghan would be happy for her and Nick. If everything else went wrong, she’d just have to make friends with Meghan.
Her optimism remained until she reached the Mackenzie house. The property had been gradually restored over the years. When they were kids, the cottage by the water was completely rundown. They used to peer in the dusty windows, talking about it being haunted. The house by the gate had been in a similar state of disrepair, but now both houses looked stunning in their different ways.
The main house had changed too, mostly by the addition of the conservatory which was home to Elspeth’s cafe. The garden in front of the house was neat and tidy with several picnic benches for customers to the cafe. Logan’s dog, Jasper, lay under one of them. He raised his head and looked at her but didn’t get up.
Lexie’s pulse was racing as she knocked on the kitchen door. When Keith’s voice bellowed for her to come in, she pushed the door and took a step over the threshold.
“Sorry,” she said as everyone looked up from their breakfast. Isla was missing but otherwise the whole family was there.