Chapter 24 #2
Her stomach twisted. They looked so happy, so together – and suddenly she felt ashamed. They’d been a team, until she and Jed had married and started lying.
‘Is it okay?’ Quinn asked, taking a step forward. ‘You look upset.’
‘Of course I’m not,’ Mairi croaked. ‘It’s wonderful. So thoughtful of you.’ She swallowed.
‘It’s perfect,’ Effie gushed. ‘Three of my favourite people.’ She glanced at the frame Douglas had given her. ‘I’ll put it beside the rest of my family. It’s so rare I get to have you all together at the same time.’
When Mairi looked at Jed, he was staring at the picture, his mouth set in a grim line. Was he feeling guilty too?
‘I have something for Jed,’ Scott said, rising from the chair and handing him a parcel. ‘I’m sorry, apart from the present I gave Da this morning, I didn’t get anything for anyone else.’ He looked around.
‘That’s okay, lad,’ Effie said kindly. ‘No one expected anything.’
They all watched as Jed slowly unwrapped the gift to reveal a small notepad with a picture of a skier drawn on the front.
‘Open it,’ Scott ordered, sounding excited. Jed did as he was asked and his lips twitched. ‘Read it aloud,’ Scott said.
Jed sucked in a breath. ‘Courage is knowing it’s going to hurt and doing it anyway. After all, you’re not going to win if you don’t try.’ He sighed. ‘I said that, didn’t I?’ He rolled his eyes.
‘Aye – the book is filled with your quotations,’ the boy said excitedly. ‘I wrote them down. I thought it might help if you remembered them. You could read some tonight, think of it as training, preparation for tomorrow.’
‘Thanks, lad. I’ll do that,’ Jed said, his voice emotional as he put the book into the pocket of his jeans.
‘I’ve got a gift too,’ Greer said suddenly. She flipped her blanket aside to reveal a large, A4-sized package wrapped in white paper. ‘It’s for Kenna,’ she said grandly. ‘I printed it out last night.’
‘For me?’ Mairi’s friend’s eyes widened, and she looked worried. ‘But you don’t even know me,’ she said as the older woman presented her with the bundle.
‘Open it and you’ll understand,’ Greer said eagerly, wringing her hands.
‘Maybe you should?’ Effie said, her tone conciliary.
Kenna frowned, but began to unwrap it and Quinn went to hover behind, perhaps so he could protect Kenna if the gift turned out to be something sinister. ‘An unsolicited manuscript,’ Kenna said finally, letting out a long breath. ‘What every agent dreams of getting.’ Her tone was wry.
‘It’s my manuscript and it’s going to be a bestseller,’ Greer said proudly.
‘I’ve been working on it for a long time.
It’s the story of a hotel that’s about to go out of business.
I made some tweaks since staying here.’ She let her gaze slowly circle the room, her meaning clear.
‘There are some interesting characters and when you read it, you can tell me what you think. I’m looking for an agent.
My last one decided we should part ways.
’ Her mouth pinched. ‘She said I was difficult to work with.’
‘Imagine that,’ Kenna said, folding the white paper and placing it on the top of the pages before putting the gift on a nearby table.
‘So… you’re not a hotel reviewer?’ Effie asked tentatively.
‘Of course I’m not.’ Greer frowned. ‘Wherever did you get that idea?’ She shook her head.
‘It’s good for you that I’m not, because I’d have given you a one star.
It’s been nothing but stray animals, orgies and power cuts!
’ She pointed to the manuscript. ‘I’m a writer.
Although, I haven’t had anything published for a couple of years.
’ She picked a piece of black fur from her skirt and frowned before dropping it on the floor.
‘I think this book will do really well with the right representation.’
‘So, who’s the mystery reviewer?’ Effie looked around the room, her eyes narrowing. ‘I’m sure someone was supposed to be coming to the lodge?’
‘Maybe she went to another hotel, lass,’ Douglas said, and the rest of the guests nodded in agreement. Mairi looked around the sitting room, taking a moment to study each guest properly. When her gaze rested on Margo, the older woman met her eyes for a moment – then she flushed and looked away.
Mairi stared at the picture Quinn had given her as she waited for the kettle to boil.
She’d offered to make hot drinks so she could escape the sitting room and have a few moments alone.
Her stomach churned as she took in the photo, imagining how upset he was going to be when he found out she and Jed had been lying.
She’d known all along that he’d be annoyed, but until this moment she hadn’t appreciated how hurt he’d feel. She heard the sound of footsteps behind her and felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle.
‘It was a sweet gesture,’ Jed said quietly, coming to stand beside her, the same framed photo clutched in his large hands.
‘We’ve got to tell him tomorrow,’ Mairi said without looking at him. ‘I can’t lie to him anymore.’
‘I’ve told you,’ Jed said quietly. ‘If I win or place well, everyone’s going to know. I promise.’
‘And if you don’t?’ Mairi asked, turning to face him, feeling a hard jolt in her chest when he gazed down at her. She could see love in his eyes, could feel the emotion coming off him in waves. But it wasn’t enough. Not anymore.
His lips twisted. ‘If the race doesn’t go well, then I’ll just keep trying until it does. There’s another competition in February, I’ve already entered.’ He reached out a hand to cup her cheek, but she batted it away as her chest contracted.
‘I’m not going to wait past tomorrow,’ she said, her voice tight, remembering what Effie had said to her in the kitchen.
It was time to demand and insist, to tell Jed exactly what she needed and risk everything.
‘I’ll wait until the competition’s over, but I’m sorry, Jed, if we don’t tell my brother that we’re married afterwards, I’m going to want that divorce. ’
With a heavy heart, she grabbed the picture from the counter and left.