The Little Gift Shop on the Loch Read online

  Lily wondered if he just happened to be passing again, given that it was only a matter of days since he’d last been here. Physically they were different but something about him reminded her of James she realised. He’d want to discuss business and money, things she didn’t want to think about right now. She briefly considered ducking behind the counter but it was too late, he’d already seen her. With a silent sigh, she opened the door. Without waiting for an invitation, Finlay stepped over the threshold leaving Lily little choice but to move aside and let him in.

  He removed his sunglasses, turning to smile at Lily with a small courteous bow of his head. ‘Good morning, Lily.’

  The charm he’d displayed so readily on their first meeting was still very much in evidence but Lily detected a slight change in his demeanour today, a more determined air and businesslike manner. ‘How are you today?’ he asked, his eyes flitting to the jewellery laid out on the counter and then back to her.

  Lily took a couple of quick steps to lean her back against the counter, a futile gesture given that he’d already had an eyeful of the jewellery.

  ‘Good, thanks,’ she replied breezily. ‘I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon.’

  There was a fraction of hesitation before he appeared to decide to cut straight to the chase. ‘I wanted to see if you were ready to discuss putting the place on the market yet?’

  Clearly he wanted to try and secure the property on his books, she understood that. She also knew how easy it would be for her to say the word and Finlay would take care of it all. The irony wasn’t lost on her that her mother had probably bought the property without too much thought to its value or the profit it could make but now that Lily had seen how busy the village was, she knew the shop would be an attractive proposition to many people looking to run a small business.

  Lily knew she could leave Carroch today if she really wanted, she could be on a train and back in Edinburgh within a few hours. But somehow it didn’t feel as simple as that. All the stock felt like a weight around her neck, a symbol of how unfinished everything felt, as if her mother had started something and now she needed to finish it.

  Suddenly she wasn’t in the mood for this conversation. What she wanted was to get back to what she’d been doing. Some of the jewellery had come with velvet display trays and she’d love to see how the pieces of silver and enamel would look in the display cabinet.

  ‘The thing is,’ Lily started. ‘I don’t want to rush into anything—’

  ‘Of course,’ Finlay interrupted, his tone slightly condescending. ‘But its best to strike while the iron’s hot and I do have clients who are interested. And of course, it’s really not ideal to have the property lying empty for too long, especially with the winter season ahead of us.’

  Lily nodded, knowing she had no argument against what he was saying. She tried to ignore her unease as his eyes roamed the interior almost if he was calculating the square footage and how much it would be worth.

  Thinking about the story of Alice and how her mother had come to acquire the shop from her, the money side of things seemed to poison the air in some way. She felt as if she was letting everyone down in some way – she knew that was silly she knew, it was bricks and mortar. But even in the short time she’d been here, Lily had learnt so much more about the shop and her mother’s life and she knew she was beginning to feel differently about it. She could no longer deny there was an emotional attachment. It wasn’t just the business side of the shop. There was a feeling, one she couldn’t easily put into words, but it felt like some sort of connection to her mother that she hadn’t expected.

  Even the shop looked different. The hobby room, as she had taken to calling it, had undergone a small transformation. Now all freshly painted, the shelves were up and lights fixed – all things Jack had helped her with – so that it was a bright and functional space and she couldn’t wait for the knitting ladies to see it.

  She faltered, beginning to feel uncomfortable, not least at Finlay’s presumption that she would sell with him. She hadn’t had the chance yet to consider other agents nor had she spoken to her solicitor, Mr Bell in Edinburgh. Her head was swimming slightly and she massaged her temple. Perhaps it was the paint fumes lingering, or was it Finlay’s aftershave? Either way she was beginning to wish he would just leave.

  ‘I could give you a valuation, take some measurements and photos,’ Finlay pushed, misinterpreting her silence as acquiescence.

  Lily glanced up at the sound of laughter as people passed by the shop, her heart beginning to thump at what she was about to say. She realised now that an idea had been circling in her head for a while, growing on some subconscious level but now that she was about to articulate it, she hoped she sounded more confident than she felt.

  ‘Actually I’ve decided to stay on for a while and open the shop for a short time so I won’t be selling immediately.’ She blurted it out quickly, the words almost seeming to form themselves.

  He gave her an astonished look. ‘Your idea is to actually open?’

  ‘Only for a little while. There’s enough stock to make it viable to open for a few weeks and as you pointed out, I don’t have any accounts to show.’

  ‘Of course, but—’

  On a roll and not giving him a chance to respond, Lily carried on. ‘This way I’ll be able to provide at least some figures, even if it’s just a snapshot at what could possible in terms of trade. The village appears to be quite busy so I’m fairly confident I’d be able to catch the last of the summer trade.’

  He seemed a little speechless and gave an odd sort of chortle. ‘Well, I’ll admit I certainly wasn’t expecting that.’

  There was an awkward pause. Lily was sure he was about to point out the follies of her plan wouldn’t be difficult.

  But instead, he dipped his head. ‘Of course, it’s entirely your decision,’ he said smoothly. ‘I’m not sure it’s at all necessary but you know where to reach me.’

  ‘Yes, of course.’ She opened the door with shaky fingers. ‘And thank you.’ She closed the door with a sigh of relief, glad to be on her own to mull over what had just happened. But within moments of Finlay leaving, the door opened and Jack appeared, so that her solitude lasted no more than seconds.

  She was getting used to his visits – perhaps too used to them – and although she could feel her heart do that little jump whenever she saw him, she really wasn’t in the mood for company right now. She might have just told Finlay she was going to open the shop, but she needed to live with idea for a while, think it over properly. She wasn’t ready to share her decision with anyone else yet.

  Lily watched Jack close the door behind him, the shop instantly appearing smaller with him in it.

  ‘See you had a visitor,’ he said, throwing a glare in the direction of Finlay who was climbing back into his car.

  Lily tilted her head, wondering what it was between those two. ‘Not your favourite person, I take it?’

  ‘You could say that,’ he muttered darkly.

  ‘Yes, well estate agents aren’t on everyone’s Christmas lists but they have a job to do,’ she pronounced rather tartly. Okay, she’d admit Finlay might be a tad ingratiating but he was a professional and she of all people could respect that.

  ‘Did he say if he had a buyer?’ Jack asked.

  Lily turned, surprised by the question. ‘He didn’t give me the impression it would be difficult to sell.’‘I bet he didn’t,’ Jack mumbled. ‘Did you ask who his clients were?’

  Lily frowned. ‘No.’

  Lily wasn’t sure if she should be touched by his concern or annoyed at his interference. She had enough to sort through in her own head just now and while she was grateful for Jack’s help, his barbed comments weren’t helping her.

  ‘I appreciate your concern but I think I might have more experience than you in dealing with matters like these so with all respect, please don’t worry on my account. I’m quite capable of handling things.’

  A muscle twitched on hi
s jaw. ‘I have no doubt you can handle yourself. Just be cautious.’ He rubbed a hand round the back of his neck. ‘Don’t let him pressure you into anything, okay?’

  Lily shook her head, feeling irritated. ‘Look, if there’s something you think I should know, perhaps you’d care to enlighten me?’

  Jack studied the floor for a moment as if considering what to say and then lifted his eyes to meet hers. He let out a sigh and then spoke. ‘You remember the old boat place – how it used to be when you came years ago?

  ‘Of course,’ Lily nodded.

  ‘It was just a small set-up – Alistair had owned it for years. I’d helped out there since I was a boy, working at the weekends, taking tourists out and fixing the boats. For a few years after I left school, I did some labouring and bar work but I always carried on helping Alistair whenever I could. As long as I was near the water, I was happy.’

  ‘Then for a couple of years I got an office job, working for an insurance company based in Inverness.’ He paused, scoffing. ‘Let’s just say things didn’t work out.’

  Lily chewed her lip, listening carefully.

  ‘I still went to see Alistair regularly at the old boat place and by now he was getting on a bit and struggling. Told me he might have to sell up.’ Jack shook his head. ‘I couldn’t stand the idea. So I did a bit of research and it didn’t take much to see the tourism sector in Scotland was really taking off. The new section of motorway to the north had recently been completed and believe it or not—’ he flashed her a quick smile ‘—the mobile coverage had become much better. I could see there was a real opportunity for something more at the loch.’

  He let out a long breath. ‘Basically, Alistair and I went about setting up a whole new business. We got a loan and applied for grants. There was a tonne of stuff to get our heads round. We had to be fully licensed to operate, there was first aid certificates to deal with, rescue training, hiring staff. We applied for a grant for new equipment – canoes, paddle boards, mountain bikes and so on. I became a qualified instructor and soon we were able to employ four full-time and six part-time staff.’

  Lily opened her mouth and then closed it, finding herself speechless. She was totally shocked. She’d had no idea that Jack was behind the activity centre. He’d never said anything and to be honest, his laidback demeanour gave absolutely no hint of it.

  ‘It was hard work but it paid off. Soon we were fully booked and doing so well we were able to give local kids free sessions. Then one day, Sonny Jim turns up.’ He hooked a thumb in the direction of the door Finlay had recently exited. ‘Says he has clients interested in buying over the boat centre and the bit of land that went with it. I did a bit of digging about and it turns out the clients were developers who wanted to build a retail and leisure development by the loch.’

  Lily let out a small gasp.

  ‘They tried to spin it saying it would become a major tourism destination with huge economic potential and provide hundreds of jobs … they started talking about a million visitors a year as if that was a good thing.’ He shuddered. ‘Can you imagine?’

  ‘I don’t think I’d like to,’ Lily replied truthfully. She of all people knew that jobs and business were vital but not at any cost. ‘Surely that would ruin the uniqueness of this place?’

  ‘Exactly. If they had gone ahead, God knows what would happen to the ancient woodland, not to mention the pollution in the water.’

  ‘So what happened?’

  ‘We saw them off. Even when they started offering silly money, we refused to sell.’ The casual shrug he gave belied the steely glint she saw in his eyes and left Lily in no doubt how much it all meant to him.

  ‘And that’s why the village is so much busier then,’ she said almost to herself.

  ‘Yeah, and it’s good to see the place thriving. I’m not saying all business is bad, of course not. But it’s about balance. For me, the loch and all this—’ he swept his arm expansively ‘—isn’t a playground for some rich developers. It’s about allowing people to enjoy the loch but keeping the peace and tranquillity.’

  ‘And do you think it’s the same developers who would want to buy the shop now?’

  ‘Probably not. I doubt they’d be interested in a small property like this. But when they weren’t above resorting to a few underhand tricks, all of which our local estate agent friend was quite happy to be party to.’

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me – that you owned the activity centre?’

  He shrugged. ‘What difference would it have made?’

  She swallowed. ‘None. I just thought—’

  ‘You thought?’

  Lily lowered her eyes, not sure how to admit to herself or to him that she’d made assumptions about him that were way off the mark. What could she say? That he didn’t look the business type, that she thought his skills started and ended with boats? Clearly, she was wrong on all accounts. In fact, she found it appealing that he was so astute and driven yet didn’t have all the normal trappings that so often went with it. ‘You surprised me, that’s all.’

  He was staring at her as if he could see her thoughts and she blushed. The moment lasted but then his face broke into a wide smile. ‘I’ll take that as a good thing then.’

  Lily let out a breath of relief.

  ‘Listen,’ Jack continued, ‘it’s all history now and I know it has nothing to do with you. I don’t trust him and my instinct was to warn you. Just don’t let him put you under any pressure. Make the right decision for you.’ His hand balled into a fist by his side. ‘But it still makes my blood boil to think what might have happened. Every time I see him I want to punch his lights out.’

  Lily pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh.

  ‘Not that I would obviously,’ he added sheepishly.

  ‘Actually,’ she said, a tentative smile making its way onto her lips, ‘I have made one decision. At least I think I have.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘I was thinking of staying around for a bit.’

  He regarded her. ‘O-kay,’ he said slowly.

  Lily swallowed. ‘That’s what I just told Finlay – that I’m opening the shop.’

  Now it was his turn to look shocked.

  ‘Only for a couple of weeks at the most,’ she hastily clarified.

  ‘Isn’t it a lot of bother to go to if you’re going to be selling anyway?’

  ‘Not really. It makes sense from a business perspective. There’s all this stock lying around and hopefully I can catch the last of the summer season. I’d like to be able to sell Beth’s products, I’m sure they’ll sell easily.’ She took a couple of paces. ‘And Mum had clearly intended to do all these jobs so I wanted to finish them for her …’ Her voice faded on a wobble.

  Jack was by her side in an instant. ‘Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.’

  ‘No, no you didn’t.’ She shook her head, not sure where that had come from. There was no room for sentimentality, she reminded herself, clearing her throat. ‘I mean, it’s a business decision pure and simple. And it’s only for a couple of weeks at the most.’

  He touched her hand with a gentle squeeze and then let it go again. ‘I think it’s a great idea.’

  Her skin tingled from touch and she tried to distract herself with practical matters, thinking about what she’d need to do. The place would need a good clean, a few decorative touches and it would be perfectly presentable for the public.

  She became aware of Jack looking at her. ‘What about your job?’

  Her mouth tugged downs at the corners. ‘I haven’t heard anything back yet and as I say, it’ll only be for a few weeks at most.’

  Jack waited a couple of moments and then spoke, his voice hesitant. ‘So if you’re going to be here for a while, why don’t we make the most of it?

  Lily blinked. ‘Sorry?’

  ‘Well,’ he began, ‘how about we do something together – you and me?’

  ‘You and me?’

  ‘You don’t need to sound q
uite so horrified.’

  ‘Sorry, it’s just …’ She stalled, questioning the wisdom of spending time with Jack. ‘I won’t be here that long and I’ll probably be quite busy.’

  ‘Exactly, so why not make the most of it? I’ve not had a day off in a while. You know, all work and no play … It’ll be nice to do something different for a change.’ His eyes met her with a mischievous glint. ‘And I can prove to you it’s not all rain and midges.’

  ‘You make it sound like a challenge.’

  ‘I’m always up for a challenge.’ He kept his eyes firmly on hers. ‘And who knows, you might even fall in love.’

  ‘Sorry?’ Lily spluttered.

  ‘With the place, of course.’

  ‘Of course.’ Lily gulped, her mind and body shooting into panic mode for some reason. She wondered if she could spend more time with Jack, her hesitation proving to her just how isolated she’d let herself become. But she felt something stir within her. Like swimming in the loch, she felt herself stepping out of the confines of her usual life. She had to admit she was beginning to relax more with Jack and he was being friendly, that’s all – it wasn’t as if he was asking her on a date or anything. Was it?

  ‘But just to be clear, it’s not a date. Just so there’s no mixed wires,’ she blurted out suddenly, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. ‘I’m not really looking for anything … not that you are either.’ Oh God, shut up.

  Jack rubbed his jaw, looking amused. ‘Not a date then. Now that we’ve got that cleared up, how about a boat trip on the loch? How does that sound?’

  A boat trip sounded all right actually, and she did love the water.

  ‘And this way,’ he carried on, ‘you can create some new memories of Carroch while you’re here.’