‘Bye, Archie, be good, Grace.’
Grace rolled her eyes. ‘I always am!’
When they had left, Caitlin stood at the door of the bakery looking out across the inlet. The sky overhead was a beautiful cornflower-blue, and the air was still and warm. Seagulls were hovering over a couple who were sitting on the bench with the cakes they had purchased from her half an hour earlier. One landed and dared to hop closer, almost begging for a morsel to be dropped. A family were leaving Morag’s shop complete with ice creams that were already melting and Caitlin smiled to herself. Next door, the tables outside Tea For Two were all full of people eating and drinking as they chatted and soaked up the sunshine.Such a wonderful place to be, she thought.
She returned to her spot behind the counter and replayed what Archie had said. Relationship. Didn’t he mean friendship? Although she knew a friendship was also a relationship, she usually felt the R-word held more romantic connotations, although that was clearly not the case here.
How the hell was she going to survive a camping trip, surrounded by nature and the romance of the starlit sky, with the man who she now knew was perfect for her, when he had just found another woman? She had no clue. What was the point on wishing on stars anyway?
Friends was good. Being friends with Archie was lovely. But now she knew she wanted more; she would struggle to get past that. Especially if she saw him around Glentorrin with his new girlfriend. No doubt he would want his new love to meet his friends, too, how would she handle that? He deserved to be happy. He deserved to be with someone who gave him all her attention, unlike Wozadeath who seemed to flirt with anything that had a penis. Archie was a lovely guy, incredibly sexy in that unkempt, just-got-out-of-bed way that she never even realised she liked, but now she knew it, she couldn’t unknow it. And he was such a good person. Such a kind, generous, caring person.
* * *
‘Hey, lovely! Long time no see. How goes it?’ Jules asked as she walked into the bakery and pulled Caitlin away from her thoughts. They were doing her no good anyway, so she was grateful for the distraction.
‘All good thanks, you?’
Jules narrowed her eyes. ‘Caitlin Fraser, I know you well and you don’t seem right. What’s up?’
Caitlin sighed. ‘Oh, it’s nothing. Well, nothing you can help with anyway.’
‘Might it help to talk about it? Even if there’s nothing I can do to actually improve things?’
Caitlin did want to talk. She wanted to cry and eat ice cream too. But she had work to do. ‘Honestly, it’s fine.’
Clearly not convinced, Jules asked, ‘Have you had a lunch break?’
Caitlin glanced at her watch. It was already two o’clock. ‘Not yet, it’s only just quietened down so I haven’t had a chance.’
She knew Jules wasn’t going to give in. She was a good friend and would always drop everything to help if she could.
‘Right, get the closed sign on and let’s go have a cuppa. I’ve closed the museum for an hour, so we’ve got time.’
Caitlin did as instructed and they went through to the back room.
‘Come on, out with it,’ Jules said as Caitlin placed two steaming mugs of tea on the table.
Caitlin wondered where the hell to start. She huffed out through puffed cheeks and tried her best to gather her thoughts. ‘You know how a while ago we were talking about Archie, and you were all saying how attractive he is?’
Jules tilted her head. ‘I remember, yes.’
‘I’d never really looked at him that way. Not in all the years I’ve known him. He’s always just been Archie – decent, upstanding, fun Archie. But since that day… I’ve looked at him differently.’
Jules’ face lit up. ‘You have?’
She nodded. ‘I’ve noticed him more. How lovely he is. How sweet. How he’s always there for me and Grace… And annoyingly how bloody attractive he is. It’s like a light bulb has flicked on and won’t bloody go off again.’
Jules’ smile widened. ‘Eeek! This is so exciting.’
Caitlin frowned and shook her head. ‘No… it’s not.’ Her throat restricted and she had to pause before clearing it. ‘Even Bram pointed out that I like Archie and he said he could tell Archie likes me.’
Jules appeared confused; a crinkle appeared between her brows. ‘Well, if you like each other where’s the problem?’
Caitlin stared at her mug. ‘Because I didn’t act when I should have. I said absolutely nothing and now… he’s met someone.’
‘Ah. Are you sure? It seems rather fast.’
Caitlin nodded. ‘I saw them together at his house. She’s a very pretty blonde. Far classier than Wozadeath. She looked like just the kind of woman he should be with. And you should’ve seen the way he hugged her, Jules, there were definitely feelings there. He clearly thinks a lot of her even after only a few days. And now I feel… well… a bit lost, to be honest. And annoyed with myself for not realising or acknowledging how I felt sooner.’
