Page 82 of The Highland Fling

Surprise registers in his expression, his brows rising. “What do you mean?”

“I know you well enough now to tell when things aren’t quite right. Out with it!”

His forehead wrinkles, and he absent-mindedly rubs his arm. “Wow, you’re like a mind-reader. Hmm . . . how to put this? I realise you’re keen to keep the mood light, and I get that, but . . . fuck, this is hard. Lass, there’s something I need to say before I go back up to Bannock. It’s . . . about your maw.”

A queasy sensation settles in my stomach.

“I don’t want to bad-mouth her, especially with her being ill, but—”

“Then don’t,” I say, an edge to my voice.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the room changes. I swallow a lump in my throat.

What the hell? What exactly is his complaint against my mum? That the timing of her cancer is inconvenient for us? Jesus! I thought Aidan had matured, become less selfish, but this . . . this is unbelievable.

I sit up, pulling the duvet up too. I’m still naked under the covers, and a sudden wave of self-consciousness washes over me.

“You’re right,” Aidan says stiffly. “This was a bad time to raise it. Sorry. You should be focusing on her health at the moment.”

“Absolutely I should!”

He nods, his expression inscrutable. An awkward silence falls.

“Would you mind . . . er . . . while I go for a shower?”

My request isn’t particularly well formulated, but Aidan understands and looks away as I slip out from under the covers and head to the bathroom. I desperately need some space from him.

In the shower, my head spins. What the hell was he thinking? I don’t know why he’d ever want to “bad-mouth” my mum—that’s hardly going to get me on his side—but to do it now? I mean, what planet is he on? That’s not okay.

I wash myself quickly. When I emerge, wrapped in a towel, he’s already dressed. There’s no kilt today—he’s in jeans and a smart sweater, with a shirt underneath. His bag is packed, and only his toothbrush, toothpaste, and winter jacket lie out.

“Grace . . .” He takes a step towards me.

I fix him with a steely stare, and he freezes, sighs, then casts his gaze downwards.

“I’ll . . . brush my teeth while you get ready.”

I pull on some clothes but don’t spend long on my appearance—I just want to go. Once I’m decent, I tell Aidan he can come out again, and he exits the bathroom with a solemn expression. Obviously, he’s aware he’s messed up. That’s something, at least.

“I’m going to head to Mum’s and have breakfast there,” I announce.

Normally, I enjoy the morning offerings at a hotel, but I’ve been away from Mum long enough. Besides, I need some space from Aidan.

“Oh. I can see you to your maw’s?” His eyes are dull, lacking their usual spark.

I shake my head. “No, I’ll make my own way there. I could do with some time to myself.”

“Right.” He scratches behind his ear and offers a strained smile.

This is the worst. I glance around, checking I’ve not left anything, then close over my bag. I’ve not even brushed my teeth yet, but I need to get out of here. First, though, there’s something I have to say, and this is not going to be easy.

“I was thinking . . . with my mum and the baby, my head is all over the place, so maybe it’d be good for us to put the brakes on for a while. There’s only so much I can focus on.”

He draws a sharp breath. “Fuck.”

“I’m not ending things! I’m just saying . . . let me concentrate on my mum for a while, then we can pick this up again later.”

Aidan gives a small nod. “If that’s what you need to do.”