Page 10 of Highlands Summer Wedding

I sighed. “These mysterious midges again. Everyone keeps mentioning them like they’re Scotland’s national monster instead of Nessie.”

“They are their very own sort of monster. Awful. You’ll need this.”

Melissa handed me the bottle as if it were a sword and she was knighting me. I took it with reverence and pretended it was a microphone. “I’d like to thank the Academy… and my friend, Melissa, who’s always prepared for anything.”

Melissa laughed and shook her head at my antics. “Now, let’s organize a trip for you three to the Isle of Skye.”

CHAPTER 5

With Angus at the wheel, Caitlin chattered on about bridesmaid dresses and menu ideas, but I had trouble focusing. I was calculating how far away we might have to get in order to escape the best film locations in the area and still have a place worthy of a wedding. Then as the car turned, an ancient stone castle came into view. It sat on its own strip of land, nearly an island, rising straight out of the loch. Something nagged at me. It looked familiar. “That’s not?—”

“The Highlander castle? Aye, lass. THERE SHALL BE ONLY ONE!” Angus said with a grin.

“Can we stop, Angus?” asked Caitlin.

“Of course. I’d hoped it would be open.”

“This is amazing!” I said, my mouth agape at the reflection of the castle in the water.

“The original castle was built in the 13th century… er, I guess the first settlement dates back to the 6th century? I mean, everything around here is old.”

“Angus, you’d never make it as a tour guide,” teased Caitlin.

“I could write you a song about the castle or name a drink after it,” he said.

“What about a wedding here?” I asked.

Angus looked skeptical. “It’s a popular site. Probably booked.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “We don’t know until we ask.”

We parked the car and walked toward the gleaming castle on the small island. It was majestic, cinematic—a perfect location for a wedding… or a movie.

As we reached the front gates, I put on my most winning smile.

“Hello! We’re interested in booking the castle as a wedding venue,” I said confidently to the man at the entrance.

“Lovely. When were you thinking? We’re booking into next summer…”

“Perfect!”

“Next summer, meaning the one coming up? Or meaning it’s May now, and soon it will be summer, followed by fall, winter, spring, andthen…?” asked Caitlin awkwardly.

“The second one,” said the keeper of the castle.

Caitlin let out a deep sigh and walked back to break the news to Angus.

I dug my heels in.

“What about photo shoots?” I asked. They could get married at whatever the Scottish version of the justice of the peace would be as long as they had amazing photos.

“Yes, we do photo shoots. We have some openings this week and then we’re booked until October,” he said, whizzing his finger across an iPad calendar.

“This week?” I asked hopefully.

“Yes. We’re open today, tomorrow and Thursday. Of course, it’s supposed to rain.”

Of course it was.