Page 10 of Highlands Homecoming

“So you jumped ship immediately?” asked Thomas.

“I’m sure Emma has told you I’m pretty impulsive. But what else was I going to do? Dave was getting the house, and I just … didn’t want to be here. No offense.”

“We totally understand,” said Emma.

“Then I met Colin in line for coffee at the airport.” As Melissa gestured toward Colin, their hands brushed, and she felt gooey inside again. “He had this fantastic accent, and he defended me when the barista messed up my order. So that was nice. But then I kept running into him—at the train station and in Inverness,” Melissa continued.

“When she finally showed up at my dad’s croft for firewood, I started feeling like this wasn’t a coincidence,” said Colin.

“You knew she was stalking you, eh?” said Emma.

“I was not!” said Melissa in mock offense.

“I think it was meant to be,” said Colin, planting a kiss on her cheek. Melissa’s face suddenly felt very warm.

“And then Caitlin set off to ‘rescue me.’ We got separated, and somehow, she found herself snowed in with a handsome musician!” laughed Melissa.

“Do tell,” said Emma.

“His name is Angus. I ended up going off with Melissa’s friend, Lindsay, after Melissa decided to run off with her new boyfriend.”

“I didn’t decide anything! But you might say I fell for him,” said Melissa, taking Colin’s hand.

“We fell for each other,” said Colin, laughing.

“And it landed us in urgent care!” said Melissa.

“So how did you end up with the musician?”

“Long story, but we thought we’d meet up with Melissa and Colin later, so we went sightseeing on Loch Ness.”

“As one does,” joked Emma.

“Well, I do …” said Melissa.

“Of course you do,” teased Emma.

“And we met Angus and Drew, who warned us about the impending storm, and we ended up staying at Drew’s Inn,” finished Caitlin.

“And that’s when she fell for Angus,” said Melissa.

They stayed late into the night, chatting by the fire, catching up. At first, Melissa felt guilty about leaving home for Inverness, but as the evening went on, it became clear that she was only a plane ride or a phone call away. They really had started up right where they’d left off. And with Colin living in Boston, there would be multiple reasons to come back.But … then why live in Scotland?The guilt came flooding back, and she felt the little pit in her stomach again.Or maybe she was just tired?

Caitlin noticed her friend was losing steam. “You must be so jetlagged.”

“I didn’t even think of the time difference,” said Emma.

“It’s all good. But I do think the travel, shopping, and then skiing is beginning to catch up with me. We probably should get going,” Melissa said as she hoisted her sore body from the comfortable chair. “Thanks so much for everything, Em,” said Melissa.

“Thanks to you for coming over, M,” Emma said, getting up to see them all out.

Melissa turned to Colin. “We wereM&Min middle school.”

“Eminemin high school,” laughed Emma.

Melissa gave her sister a long, warm hug. “So good to see you,” said Melissa. “I really hope you can come in the summer. There’s so much I want to show you.”

“I’ll be there with bells on,” said Emma.