Page 57 of Highlands Summer Wedding
“Oh, I love painting,” said Elspeth, reaching over to squeeze Sydney’s arm.
“You love everything.” Sydney rolled her eyes but covered Elspeth’s hand with her own.
Kara leaned forward, grabbing a biscuit. “So if we go with some kind of organization, it should be a company or an ideal we really support and something we all really want to do.”
Melissa continued her never-ending internet search, fingers tapping rapidly across her keyboard. She suddenly slammed her palm on the table, rattling the teacups. “Aha!”
“What?” I asked, nearly spilling my tea.
“What about a Highland coo experience?” she asked, practically bouncing in her seat.
“Is that a euphemism?” Kara asked with a suggestive eyebrow raise that sent Melissa into a fit of giggles.
“God, I hope not.” I gave an exaggerated shudder.
“Get your minds out of the gutters, lassies. You just go and get to pet Highland cows and take photos. It would be fun. We could add in some other activity like mani pedis, maybe with wine or something, and call it done,” Lindsay suggested, her eyebrows arched expectantly.
Caitlin’s brow furrowed. “I don’t want this to be work for you.”
“Cait, it’s just a matter of finding something that we all think would be fun—and would feel good about doing,” I said.
“Why don’t you two plan the Highland cow thing, and I’ll plan the second half,” said Kara.
I was already too engrossed in photos of shaggy brown cows with enormous horns to ask what the second half was.
“Great,” Melissa said, the blue glow of her laptop reflecting off her glasses as she hunched forward, clicking rapidly through search results.
“Perfect. You schedule the cows, and I’ll schedule the surprise,” Kara said, twirling a strand of hair. “Bring a change of clothes. Something smart. Isn’t that what they say?”
“I did mention Kara’s a party animal, right? She’ll have us in every pub in Inverness,” said Melissa with a laugh.
CHAPTER 24
We all piled into a rented limo. We were dressed for mud and Scottish rain and cows—rubber boots, jeans, flannels, and rain coats. Nevertheless, Kara, who had rented the limo, made sure there was a flashing disco light overhead and that there were drinks for everyone. Everything from champagne to whisky to red wine, Irn Bru, or Diet Coke, she had it. And she had her wildly inappropriate tight silver sequined dress and heels.
“Well, it’s your one and only bachelorette party. I know you’re settling down, but you’re not dead!” said Kara with a laugh.
Kara revealed the accessories—a “Bride to Be” headband for Caitlin and sashes for the rest of us. Caitlin immediately grabbed “Party Animal.”
“Nope,” said Kara, swapping it for “Bride to Be.” “That one’s mine.”
Lindsay took “Dancing Diva.” Melissa, after a moment’s deliberation, settled on “Bad Influence.” Sydney took “Total Diva.” And Elspeth took “Wild Child.”
I looked at what was left: “Hot Mess.”
“Lately that has been my life, so I guess I’ll take it,” I said, with a little more grumble than intended.
“What’s going on with you and Max?” asked Caitlin.
Excellent question.“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him. I honestly don’t know if he went to Edinburgh or Glasgow to talk production, if he flew back to LA… or if he’s away with the fairies.”
“It would make a great movie if he was…,” said Melissa.
“Hold that thought! We’re here!” said Lindsay.
The Highland Coo Experience was a mid-sized farm nestled in the Highlands. Fluffy white sheep dotted the rolling green hillside alongside wildflowers. Beyond them stood wooden stables, their time-worn doors hanging slightly open. The scent of hay and manure mingled with the Highland air.
A weathered man in an olive green rain jacket, worn jeans, and mud-speckled boots greeted us. “Welcome to the Highland Coo Experience. We don’t have a Disney-style ride like the Edinburgh Whisky Experience had, but you will get to meet some of the gentlest beings you’ll ever meet. Everyone got their mud-gear?”
