It would be the hardest thing I’d had to do since watching them bury Connor.
But there was no other way.
I tucked a strand of hair behind Amelia’s ear, gently tracing her cheekbone with my thumb, then kissed her forehead. She blinked her eyes open and then peered up at me. I leaned down and kissed her lips.
Which took longer than I expected.
“Good morning,” I said when we finally parted. “How’d you sleep?”
“Really well, actually,” she said. “I think you wore me out. I can’t believe I slept outside.” She looked down and tugged up the top of the sleeping bag. “Naked, no less. Carrie will never believe this.”
“Not much of an exhibitionist, are you?”
“Ha. No. Carrie was forever trying to get me to go skinny-dipping with her, and I could never do it.”
“When she wakes up, you should both do it.”
“Maybe,” she said.
“Well if you do, take a picture and send it to me. Otherwise I’ll never believe you did it.”
“What? No! I’m not taking nude photos, and if I did, I certainly wouldn’t send them to anyone. That’s how people get in trouble.”
“Maybe I’ll come to Miami, and you can take me skinny-dipping.” The words fell out of my mouth before I realized what I was saying. And then I held my breath waiting for her reply.
“I’d like that,” she finally whispered.
We both knew it wouldn’t happen. We were heading into the busiest time of year for me, and it would be months before I could even consider asking Scarlet for time off. And by then, Amelia would be settled into her new job and her new life, and she would have moved on.
But we could hold on to the illusion for a little while longer.
After our last breakfast of porridge, cooked with the last bit of fuel, we broke camp. I took a final look around, my eyes landing on the place where we’d made love under the Northern Lights. I glanced at Amelia, whose gaze was fixed upon the same spot. Our eyes met, and she smiled sadly.
I took her hand, and we started up the trail.
Chapter Forty-Three
Amelia
A few hours later, after a relatively easy stroll past the remains of an old marble quarry, we approached the outskirts of Broadford. The road dead-ended at the main street running through town.
It had been a quiet walk, for the most part, with both of us lost in our thoughts. But as we reached the main road, Rory laid his hand on my shoulder and turned me to face him. “We’re almost done. It’s just a bit farther to the officially unofficial endpoint of the trail.”
“Okay. Let’s do this.”
“Is this a private group, or can anyone join in?” said a familiar male voice from behind me.
I turned to see laughing blue eyes under a shock of blond hair. “Tommy!” I exclaimed, a huge grin stretching my cheeks.
He pulled me into a crushing embrace. “What are you doing here?” I asked when I could breathe again.
“We were waiting for the rest of the group—meaning you two—to finally get here, so we could finish together.”
We?
“Well done, Amelia,” said Scarlet, stepping out from behind a pole with a huge smile on her face. She gave me a hug while Rory and Tommy man-hugged a few feet away. I guess Rory had texted them to let them know when we’d arrive.
A chorus of female shrieks had me whipping around to see Molly and Megan. On their heels were Pat and Linda, with two men who had to be their husbands. They’d stayed to wait for me?
Tears ran unchecked down my face as I was enfolded in one hug after another.
“I can’t believe you’re all still here. You finished three days ago!”
“We wanted to finish with you,” said Molly.
“Besides, it wasn’t exactly a hardship to spend a few extra days on Skye,” added Linda. “The others had to catch flights back to the States, otherwise they’d have been here, too.”
“Shall we?” asked Tommy.
Rory took my hand once more, and together with the whole gang, we turned right onto the main street and then left into a car park. The sea was right in front of us, shining in the sun.
Rory turned to me. “Welcome to the end of the Skye Trail!”
I burst into tears, my poles falling to the ground as I covered my face with shaking hands and sobbed.
I’d reached the end.
I’d hiked up mountains, slogged through bogs, picked my way along cliffs and crossed rushing rivers. I’d seen eagles and whales, sunrises and sunsets, starry skies and the Northern Lights. I’d been in the sea.
I’d walked tens of miles in bright sunshine and under storm-swept skies, through driving rain and terrifying fog. I’d done it all with the unwavering, unselfish help of an incredible man, who’d been a stranger barely more than a week ago, but was now the man I loved.
It had taken ten days instead of seven, had caused me excruciating pain and emotional anguish. It had been the most amazing ten days of my life. And now it was over.
I wasn’t ready for it to be over.
Rory pulled me into a crushing hug, pack and all. “Congratulations, sweetheart,” he whispered in my ear.
When he pulled back, Scarlet pulled out a piece of paper and pen from her bag and handed it to him. He scrawled something on it, and then held it out to me, his eyes crinkling as he smiled.
It was a certificate of achievement from Scotland By Foot for completing the Skye Trail, signed by Rory Sutherland.
One by one, they all hugged me as if I’d just scored the winning goal in a playoff hockey game. Tommy gleefully showed me a photo he’d snapped of me bawling. “I got video, too,” he added. “I’ll email it to you.” I punched him in the arm, but I was actually thrilled that he’d thought to capture the moment so I could share it with Carrie.
Then, while Rory conferred with Scarlet and Tommy, the ladies surrounded me.
“Don’t think we didn’t see Rory holding your hand, missy,” said Pat.
“Yeah, we’re going to need details,” added Megan. “You and that braw lad, alone on the trail together. We’re going to want to know everything.”
I was too thrilled that they were all here to be embarrassed by their teasing. “I’m not going to tell you everything,” I said. “A girl’s got to have some secrets. But first, can you excuse me a second?”
I extricated myself from the group and pulled out my phone. Helen picked up on the first ring. “Amelia, it’s earlier than your usual time. Is everything okay?”
“I’m fine. I finished the trek, and I wanted to tell Carrie. Is there—there’s no change, is there?”
“No change, but congratulations, honey, that’s wonderful! Let me bring the phone to her.”
A moment later, she told me Carrie was on. “Hey, Ree. I…I did it. I finished the Skye Trail. It was so much harder than I expected, and it was more beautiful than I could ever have imagined.” I started to cry again, unable to help myself. “And it sucks so much that you’re not here. I just…I just wish you were here. I’ll be home in a few days, and I’m going to tell you everything, okay? I love you, and I’ll see you soon.”
The thought of leaving Rory made me cry even harder, and when I finally conveyed to Helen that I was done talking and ended the call, I was sobbing once more.
My phone was gently extracted from my hand, and I was folded into Rory’s arms. He just held me, not saying anything, not trying to stop me from crying, just letting me get out all the emotion that had been building over the course of our journey.
When I’d finally cried myself out, I slowly raised my head from his chest, not wanting to face my friends. But when I opened my eyes, it was just Rory and me. “Where is everyone?” I asked hoarsely.
“They headed to the chippie to get a table,” he said, referring to the fish-and-chips place by the waterfront. “I knew you needed some time alone, so I sent them ahead.”
“Thank you. And thank you for—God, for everything, but
specifically for the group meeting us here.”
“That was a surprise for me as well. I had texted Tommy this morning with our ETA, and he told me to give him a heads-up when we were almost finished. I figured he’d be here—that buffoon has nothing better to do anyway—and I thought Scarlet might be here, too. But I didn’t expect the lassies. That was really nice of them.”
“It was the perfect way to finish the trek,” I said. “And, by the way, the lassies, as you called them, all saw you holding my hand. They’re expecting details. Lots of details.”
“Oh, aye?” he drawled. “Well, don’t be stingy with those details. Tell them how I brought you to heights of passion you’d never even dreamed were possible. Titillate them with details of my manly prowess, and feel free to embellish. My ego could use some stroking,” he said with a wicked grin.
“I wouldn’t need to embellish to have them fully titillated and green with envy.” I leaned close to whisper in his ear. “And I’ll save the stroking for later tonight.”
We commandeered two waterfront tables and had a long, loud, boisterous lunch of fish and chips. Rory and I regaled the group with (some of) the anecdotes from our adventure. But I was starting to crash and trying to think of a polite way to excuse myself for a little while. I didn’t want to be rude after they’d all stuck around for days waiting for me to arrive.
Scarlet must have seen the look in my eyes, because she made a show of gathering up her trash. “Amelia, you must be knackered and dying for a hot shower. Your room at the B&B should be ready.”
“Oh God, yes. I could hug you right now,” I said.
“Shall we do a ladies’ dinner and drinks later?” asked Linda. “It’s three now, so maybe at like five?” She named a pub up the street. “That should give you time for a shower and a lie-down.”
“Perfect,” I said. “Scarlet, will you come, too?”
“Thanks, but I have a ton of paperwork to do, and I need to sit down with Rory and Tommy for a while. Besides, I think you guys might like to catch up and chat about the trek without me keeping you from speaking freely,” she added with a smile.
“Not true at all, but I get it,” I said. “You know where we’ll be, so if you change your mind, please come join us.”
“Okay, thanks. Before I forget, when do you fly out?”
“The day after tomorrow,” I said, hoping I sounded casual and not like I was dying inside.
“Are you taking the train down to Glasgow?” she asked.
“I, uh…” I wasn’t sure if Scarlet knew that Rory and I were—whatever we were. And whether that was kosher.
“I’m driving her,” Rory said. “Tommy’s going to bring us to Sligachan first thing tomorrow, and then I’m borrowing Gav’s car.”
“Oh?” said Scarlet, casting a look at Rory. He met her gaze steadily, but there was definitely an undercurrent there. She turned to me, her usual smile in place. “It will be a nice drive. Just ignore Rory’s road rage. It’s a lot of driving on winding roads behind tourists, and our lad here isn’t a fan.”
Apparently, the subject of Rory and me would be brought up privately. “I remember that from when he picked us up at Fort William.” A hundred years ago.
“Well, then. I’ll say goodbye to you and get back to work.” She gave me another hug. “Brilliant job, really. I hope you plan to see a doctor once you’re home, get that knee checked out?”
“I will, and thanks for everything. I hope our paths will cross again,” I said, swallowing back the lump in my throat, the first of several I anticipated over the next two days.
…
After a shower and a nap—and a phone call to my parents—I met the girls at the pub. Rory and Tommy had said they’d join us later on.
We grabbed a round table at the back of the bar, and Megan brought over a bottle of white wine and five glasses. “Honey, I hope that wasn’t their last bottle,” said Pat. “We’re going to make short work of this one.”
“Don’t worry, that was the first thing I asked them. The bartender promised me they have a case of it. We should have enough to get all the details from the Yank.”
“The Yank is sitting right here,” I said, feigning offense.
“Brilliant! Then you can start talking,” said Molly. “And remember, no detail is too small.”
“Especially that one,” Megan said, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.
“I’m not discussing that one,” I said.
She shrugged. “We’ll see. The night is young, and there is much wine to be had.”
“First, we should toast, don’t you think?” asked Linda.
Molly poured the wine, then held up her glass. “To Amelia, who finished the Skye Trail with a bum knee—a nearly impossible feat—and landed the complicated, mysterious, capable, and sexy-as-hell Rory Sutherland in the process, perhaps an even less possible feat. We’re so proud of you.”
We drank, but although I plastered on a smile as big as theirs, all I could think was that I hadn’t landed him. I’d caught and held him briefly, but would be throwing him back the day after tomorrow. (And it was really weird to think of Rory as if he were a salmon.)
“Now will you start talking?” asked Molly.
They all leaned forward at once, looking at me like a litter of puppies waiting for treats. This time, my smile was real.
Over the course of juicy burgers and several bottles of wine, amusingly replenished by the cute bartender, I gave them details. Not all, not even after consuming more wine than I’d ever had at one time, but enough.
After all, it was my womanly duty.
Chapter Forty-Four
Rory
While Amelia was meeting the girls for dinner and drinks, Tommy, Scarlet, and I ordered in takeaway and planned out the next few weeks of treks. The whole time, I was braced for her to say something about me getting together with Amelia. She hadn’t seemed too upset when she asked if I was going to drive Amelia to the airport, but now that it was just us, she kept looking at me with an unreadable expression in her eyes.
When we were done with what we had to do, I told Tommy I’d meet him out front, and I turned to her. “Just say it, Scar.”
She raised her eyebrows. “What should I be saying?”
“That I shouldn’t have hooked up with Amelia, a client. I’ve known you a long time, and I can tell that you’re not thrilled about it.”
“You’re right, we have known each other a long time. And I’m not thrilled about it, though not for the reason you think.”
When I just stared at her, she sighed. “I could see from the way the two of you were acting around each other that this isn’t just some ‘hookup,’ to use your phrasing. The way you gazed at each other, the small touches, all of it. You looked happy. And for as long as I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you look happy, and God knows you deserve to be.”
I didn’t know what to say. She’d never spoken to me this way before—we were friends in the way of colleagues who’ve worked together for a long time, but she and I weren’t confidantes like Tommy and I were. And now she was talking to me like a big sister might, and it totally left me speechless.
But she wasn’t speechless. She laid her hand on mine. “But Rory, she’s going back to the States. And that’s why I’m not jumping for joy to see you guys together. She’s going to break your heart—and you’re going to break hers. How can I be happy about that?”
I swallowed hard. “I’m not sorry,” I said hoarsely. “For a few minutes the other day, I was sorry. I regretted ever agreeing to a casual fling with Amelia, knowing it was going to kill me to say goodbye to her. But now? I can’t regret even one minute I’ve spent with her. She brought me out of the darkness, Scar. And it is going to be awful to say goodbye to her, but it’s not going to kill me. I’ve survived some pretty bad shit, and I’ll survive this, too.”
I got up to leave, not wanting to waste any more of these last few hours I’d have with Amelia.
Scarlet got up, too, lookin
g almost as miserable as I felt. Impulsively, I wrapped my arms around her, and after a startled moment, she hugged me back.
“Thank you for caring. It means more to me than you can imagine.”
She pulled back, a sad smile on her face. “You’d better go find Amelia before those troublemakers get her utterly pissed. They looked pretty determined earlier.”
I grinned. “This could be amusing to see.”
We said goodbye, and I met Tommy outside. “All good with Scar?” he asked.
“Aye, it’s fine.” Maybe I’d tell him about our conversation, but not tonight. We headed up the street to the pub.
We were not prepared for the scene that awaited us there.
The table was strewn with—was that five?—empty bottles of wine, wine glasses, and half-full water glasses. There was a mostly-empty basket of chips and some picked-clean dinner plates—at least they’d eaten—and the five of them were giggling like schoolgirls.
The door closed behind us, and as one, they turned to look, their eyes glassy, their cheeks red. There was a chorus of overly loud hellos.
“Holy shite, they’re all sloshed!” exclaimed Tommy.
“Aye, they are,” said Liam, the bartender, with a grin. “But I’ve seen worse. I kept their water glasses topped off and brought out the extra chips a little while ago.”
“Cheers for that, mate,” I said, grateful he’d kept an eye on them.
Pat’s and Linda’s husbands arrived a few minutes later, and then it was time for the goodbyes, which were soggier than they might otherwise have been.
Email addresses were confirmed. There were promises to share photos and stay in touch, with the possibility of a reunion trip somewhere down the line. There was another round of hugs and tears. And all of them told Amelia to “have fun tonight,” accompanied by giggles and winks. What was that about?
Tommy insisted on walking Molly and Megan to their B&B, and the husbands were seeing to Pat and Linda. And then, finally, Amelia and I were alone. I handed her the trekking pole she was using as a cane, tucked her hand into my elbow, and we walked to the B&B.
Under a Storm-Swept Sky Page 26
