Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
W e got back into the truck.
Logan gazed ahead, out of the windscreen.
‘So, what are you thinking about doing? About Campbell Adams, I mean.’
He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I know this is going to sound crazy, but I kind of feel like I owe him.’ He gave a small, embarrassed smile. ‘Like I said to you just now, he motivated me to become a geologist. He made me realise that what I wanted to do—what I wanted to be—wasn’t worthless.’ Logan’s eyes locked with mine. ‘Does that sound stupid?’
‘No, not at all.’ My heart took off at a gallop as he continued to look at me. ‘It’s admirable,’ I reassured him. ‘You think he might need help and you want to do something.’
Logan pulled his attention away from me. It was like the air in the truck was holding its breath.
I tried to lighten the mood by arranging my face into a cheeky smile. ‘So, you were a skinny Minnie at school?’
‘Like a pencil.’ Logan laughed.
‘Hard to believe now.’ I allowed my gaze to linger on Logan’s solid thighs.
‘I’ve got the hills and the local gym to thank for that.’ He waggled one brow, reverting back to flirty mode.
My cheeks scalded. I let out a weird cough. ‘Back to Campbell Adams. What’s the plan?’
Logan’s mouth twitched with amusement.
I prickled. ‘What?’
‘Anytime our conversation hints at something more personal, you either make a joke out of it or change the subject.’
‘No, I don’t,’ I blustered, fixing my attention on the hazy afternoon light.
‘Yes, you do. You’re doing it now.’
I was relieved when the buzz of Logan’s phone interrupted our conversation.
Logan took the call and immediately pulled an irritated face. ‘Iona, I’ve only just answered my phone and you’ve mutilated my right ear.’
I could make out the incessant buzz of his infuriated sister talking to him.
Logan looked exasperated as he clutched the phone. ‘Can’t we talk about this another time?’
‘No, we bloody can’t,’ I heard her erupt down the line. ‘I know the shop is ticking along but you need to be more ambitious. You aren’t giving it enough of a push. You need to run with the times, Logan. Your problem is, you spend so much of your day focusing on bones and rocks and things in the past, you don’t give any thought to the here and now.’ I heard her sigh with frustration. ‘Look, I know I’m still trying to get my PR business off the ground, but let me give you a hand.’
Logan let out a snort. ‘PR business? Oh, come on! It’s your latest fad, little sis. You’ll soon get tired of it like you do everything else.’
Iona gasped. ‘How dare you!’
‘Logan,’ I ordered, shuffling round in my seat. ‘Logan.’
He cupped one hand over his phone. ‘What is it?’
‘Let’s go and see Iona.’
‘What?!’
‘One of you is going to end up saying something you’ll regret in a minute.’
His mouth flatlined.
‘You know I’m right.’
Logan remained silent for a few moments, still gripping his mobile in his hand.
I could make out Iona’s irritated voice. ‘Logan? Logan? Are you still there?’
He gave me a grudging nod, before turning his attention back to his sister on the other end of the phone. ‘I’m with Darcie at the moment. We’re just leaving Sligachan Bridge. I take it you’re at the shop now? Right. OK. See you in about twenty minutes.’
* * *
No sooner had Logan and I stepped inside Rock God , with its faint traces of bagpipe music, than Iona came barrelling out from behind the counter. She shoved her loose, blonde hair out of her eyes. ‘This has to stop.’ She blushed with temper.
Logan didn’t reply. He cast his eyes around his shop. ‘Where’s Rhona?’
‘I sent her home. Och, there’s no point the two of us standing here like two useless bookends.’
‘I bet she was delighted about that,’ he grumbled under his breath. He turned to me. ‘She isn’t the most conscientious of people, is Rhona.’
‘Yes, I got that impression from what you said before.’
Iona slid me an awkward smile. ‘Hi, Darcie. How are you? How’s the book research going?’
But she didn’t allow me to answer.
Instead, Logan’s sister planted her hands on her hips, taking a pointed gaze around at the silent shop with its glittery, encrusted rocks and shiny pebbles on the shelves. Frustration bristled out of her. ‘I’m not asking you, Logan. I’m telling you. I’m sick of this place being a ghost town and I’m undertaking a public relations programme. You don’t have to thank me.’
Logan eyes widened with alarm. ‘Like hell you are!’
Iona was unrepentant. ‘I’ve just heard that Vincent Meiklejohn asked his grandson to set up social media accounts for him. They’re even talking about recruiting a marketing manager.’
‘What? For a fish farm?’ Logan half-laughed.
She pushed out her determined, pretty, pointed chin. ‘At least he’s realised that getting their business in front of the public is a must. That’s why I’m going to come up with a plan to improve the fortunes of this place.’
Logan rubbed at his forehead in desperation. ‘Look, Iona, I don’t mean to sound rude and I know you mean well, but you aren’t qualified in PR.’
Iona looked indignant. ‘But I came up with those leaflets for The Old Dog and Duck.’
‘The Old Dog and Duck?’ I repeated, confused.
‘Local pub,’ answered Logan. ‘Iona produced leaflets about their Friday night pub quiz.’
‘Ah. OK.’
His younger sister carried on, undeterred. ‘And don’t forget the public relations drive I did for the town hall Christmas Fayre last year.’
‘Public relations drive?’ barked Logan with incredulous laughter. ‘You walked up and down Portree High Street, wearing a sandwich board and tinsel!’
Iona stuck out her bottom lip. ‘Now you’re just being pedantic.’
‘No, I’m stating facts.’ He closed his eyes for a few seconds. ‘I know you’re doing this with the best of intentions, and I appreciate it, but the answer’s “No, thank you”.’
Iona looked like she was ready to combust.
I gave Logan a brief dig in the ribs. ‘Look, I’ve got a suggestion to make. Iona, why don’t you come up with a few ideas on how to promote this place and Logan can take a look at them?’
Logan looked stricken. I popped my eyes at him in a meaningful way, as if to say, ‘For goodness’ sake, she’s only trying to help! Placate your sister.’
After a few more moments, he gave a reluctant nod. ‘Aye. OK. Sure.’
Iona’s bitter expression relaxed. ‘Oh. Er. OK. I’ll pull together some proposals and we can take it from there.’
She bustled back behind the counter, snatched up a notebook and began scribbling in it with relish. She looked up from her notes and waggled her pen. ‘Perhaps we could have a singing dinosaur stationed outside the shop.’
Logan cringed. I snatched his arm and tugged him away before he said something rude.
I waved at her. ‘Bye, Iona. See you soon.’
No sooner had we reached the street outside Rock God, than Logan let out a howl of frustration. ‘See what you’ve done? You’ve created a monster! Singing bloody dinosaurs? Over my dead body!’
I tried not to laugh. ‘She thinks she’s helping.’
He let out a grunt. ‘Making me a laughing stock in Portree, more like.’
‘Just wait and see what she comes up with. You might be pleasantly surprised.’
‘I won’t hold my breath.’ Logan rubbed his forehead in frustration.
As Logan moved to unlock his truck, I remembered yesterday morning’s boat trip with Robbie. ‘Oh, sorry, Logan. Hold on a sec.’
I darted back into his shop.
Iona jerked her head up from her notebook. ‘Hi again. Everything OK?’
‘I think I might’ve left my phone here on the counter?’
Iona cast her eyes around. ‘No, it doesn’t look like you did. Where did you last have it?’
At that moment, my phone, stuffed in the back pocket of my jeans, let out an indignant message ping. I slapped my forehead in a dramatic fashion. ‘Silly me! Sorry, Iona. I’ve got it on me. Must’ve forgot.’
I hovered for a second. ‘Did Logan tell you we had a boat trip out with Robbie yesterday?’
‘Aye. He did.’
I nodded, scrambling for the right words. ‘He’s a nice guy, Robbie. Attractive too.’
Iona set her pen down and propped her pointed chin on her hand. ‘He is.’ Her face carried a faraway look. ‘I’ve always thought so. He’s got a great sense of humour too.’ She realised I was watching her and snatched up her pen and straightened her back. ‘He’s never given me so much as a second glance though.’ She flicked her hair away from her face. ‘Not that I’m bothered though.’
Yeah, right.
I hesitated. ‘He seems rather keen on you. Robbie, that is.’
Iona jerked her head up from her notes. ‘Are you joking? He barely talks to me.’
I shook my head. ‘I’m not joking. Logan said the same. Apparently, Robbie’s carried a torch for you for years, but he’s been too shy to do anything about it.’
Iona snorted with derision but stopped when she saw my expression.
She fell quiet. ‘Aye. Well. After what happened with my marriage, I’m off men.’ But her face was flushed as she said it.
From outside, Logan blasted his horn.
‘Sorry, better go. More mud to walk through and muscles to pull with your impatient brother.’
Iona waved and called after me. ‘Have a great time with Indiana Jones. Maybe you could talk some sense into him about trying to promote this place?’
‘You too. I’ll do my best.’
‘What were you talking to Iona about just now? Not more ideas about PR for the shop, I hope?’ Logan asked from behind the steering wheel, as I jumped in beside him. He shoved a hand through his hair. ‘I’ll be coming back to circus performers, mime artists and dancing girls.’ His mouth twitched. ‘Mind you, I might not object to the dancing girls so much.’
I offered him a withering look. ‘I’m sure you wouldn’t.’ I shrugged. ‘I thought I’d left my phone in the shop, but it turned out I had it on me.’
Logan gave me an odd look. ‘OK. Not like you to misplace that. You’re permanently attached to the thing.’
I gazed out of my passenger side window. At least I’d planted a seed in Iona’s mind about Robbie.
Logan flicked his truck into first gear. ‘Let’s drop you back at The Gorse. Then I thought we could meet up again later. I need to show you more of Skye for your book.’
But there was a sudden, distant look in Logan’s eyes, which made me think he wasn’t about to drop his idea for tracking down Campbell Adams any time soon.