Caitlin leaned her head back on the headrest and smiled. ‘Me too.’
‘I think I’m going to whisk you away to Glencoe for real in the near future. It could be a delayed honeymoon,’ he whispered with a brief glance over his shoulder, but the girls were still whispering.
‘I think I could be easily whisked away, given the right amount of notice to cover the bakery.’
‘It’s a date. Whatever date it turns out to be. Let’s see when Isla and Dex are free and if Jules and Reid will take the girls for a night or two.’
‘If they’ll even speak to us when they find out what we’ve done.’
A look of concern crumpled Archie’s brow. ‘Hey, you don’t regret it, do you?’
‘No, not at all. I just hope they’re not too upset.’
Archie shook his head. ‘Nah. They’re good friends. They’ll understand why we did it this way.’
Caitlin turned to look out of the window at the passing scenery and hoped Archie was right.
32
At six-thirty, a text came from Jules that worried Caitlin.
Hey Cait. What time will you be home from Glencoe? I need to speak to you urgently. Don’t call though. Just tell me what time and I will meet you. J x
She had shot back a reply.
Probably half seven. Is all okay? Should I be worried? C x
It took a while for a reply to come back and when it did it was vague.
Will explain all when I see you. J xx
When she relayed this to Archie, he sucked in air through his teeth. ‘Do you think they’ve sussed us out and she’s upset?’
‘Oh, don’t say that. What happened to “they’ll understand”?’
‘You’re right, sorry. Ignore me. I’m sure it’ll all be fine.’
At seven-thirty, they crossed the Skye Bridge and took the turning for Glentorrin. Caitlin’s knee bounced up and down as she wondered why Jules had sounded so serious in her text message. She loved Archie and wanted to be married to him but didn’t want to lose friends over her decision to run away to get hitched.
‘She’s there!’ Grace said as she pointed to Jules standing by the outlet.
Caitlin tentatively raised her hand to wave and Jules waved back, although there was no smile on her face.
They parked the car outside the bakery and Caitlin glanced down at her dress. ‘Oh god, she’s going to think I’m rubbing it in by wearing my dress. I should’ve got changed.’
Archie kissed her forehead. ‘Hey, stop worrying. Just hear her out. It could be nothing at all to do with us.’
She opened the car door and reluctantly climbed out.
Jules walked towards her, a serious expression on her face. ‘Thank goodness you’re back. Can you come with me, please? We can’t start the meeting without you.’
‘Meeting? What meeting?’
‘Just hurry up, Cait!’ Jules said as she dashed towards the village hall, neither seeming to notice Caitlin’s attire, nor wanting to comment on it.
‘But what about Archie and the girls? And the dogs?’
‘Bring them too! Come on! You’re late!’
