Chapter Fifty-Six
The following morning, Brodie forced himself out of bed, knowing he had to get on with things but feeling utterly wretched.
Finishing off the sitooterie in Iris’s garden was a priority, especially as Flora was away.
It would make things less awkward. Guilt gnawed at him for what he’d said to Flora in his flat, even avoiding interest in why she was leaving Rowan Bay or where she was going.
He thought he had done the right thing by cooling things with her, but right now he felt hollow inside and worse than ever.
When he opened the boathouse gate, he saw Iris pottering about the patio, tending to her plants. ‘Good morning, Iris.’ He raised his hand in a half-hearted wave.
She turned round and smiled at him. ‘Brodie! I didn’t expect to see you here today. How are you feeling?’
‘Much better,’ he said, although it was a lie, realising his heart actually ached. ‘I had a nasty cold.’
‘Or man flu?’ Her eyes twinkled with mischief.
He shrugged, grateful she was being so kind and assumed that Flora hadn’t said anything to her gran about what happened yesterday when she’d visited. ‘Maybe.’ He forced a smile. ‘Ross will be here soon and we should get the sitooterie finished off today.’
‘Smashing. That will be a nice surprise for Flora when she gets back.’
‘Aye, she said she would be away for a few days.’
Iris nodded. ‘She’s got that job interview in Aberdeen. Then she’s popping back to Edinburgh to see her friends.’
Aberdeen? A job interview in Aberdeen? That was miles away.
And she hadn’t said anything to him about it.
Then a very loud voice in his head reminded him he was the one who wanted to take a step back and wanted some distance.
And that he was the one who didn’t ask her where she was going.
A cold knot twisted in his stomach. He’d made a mistake.
A massive one. ‘I’d best get cracking,’ he said, indicating the sitooterie.
‘Of course. I’ll bring you boys out some coffee in an hour or so.’ Iris picked up the watering can and took it over to the outside tap to fill up.
‘Thanks, Iris.’ Brodie walked to the bottom of the garden, glad to have some time alone to think before Ross arrived.
How had he managed to mess things up so spectacularly?
Who was he kidding thinking that he could just get on with things and forget all about Flora?
He was an absolute idiot! A cowardly eejit who had run away rather than face how he really felt about her.
He felt sick at the prospect of Flora moving to Aberdeen.
And he only had himself to blame. But isn’t this what he’d always feared would happen?
After the summer? What he’d been determined to protect himself against?
He threw himself into the job of finishing off the gazebo, the hammering and banging drowning out the voices inside his head, reminding him what a fool he had been. But not knowing what the answer was.
‘Hey, Brodie,’ shouted Ross as he walked down the garden towards him.
He downed tools and looked up. ‘Sorry, I was miles away, mate.’
‘You feeling better, then? It’s not like you to ever be off work.’
‘Yeah, I know. Which is why it would be good if we could get this done.’ He hoped Ross got the hint that he didn’t want to make small talk.
‘No worries. Let’s get cracking.’
After a few hours of intense work, they were finished and put their tools down. The sweat was pooling on Brodie’s back and he felt drained but glad Iris’s project was now complete. He nodded at Ross. ‘Thanks man, I couldn’t have done this without you.’
‘Nae problem at all. You know I’ll help out any time. And thanks for putting the tree house my way.’
Brodie smiled. ‘Lily is delighted with it. I had a look at it last time I was there. Looks brilliant.’ His heart sank, thinking about that night at the inn when he and Flora had kissed for the first time.
‘Well,’ said Ross. ‘Give me a shout and I’ll take you for a beer to say thanks.’
‘Sounds a plan,’ he replied with a nod.
‘Right, if you don’t mind, I’ll get tidied up here and head off.’
They worked side by side, clearing things away and when Ross left, Brodie took some final photos of Iris’s transformed garden. When he knocked on her door to let her know he was finished, she gave him a hug and the wide smile on her face told him she was delighted.
‘I can’t thank you enough, Brodie. You have done an amazing job.’
He was pleased with the results and yet couldn’t muster up the enthusiasm he usually felt when a project had gone well. And he knew why. There was one aspect of the garden that was missing. Flora. He smiled at Iris. ‘It was a pleasure to work on. Give me a shout any time.’
‘I will, dearie. Don’t be a stranger. And let me know if you need anything from me.
Well, apart from a payment for your gardening services.
’ She laughed softly. ‘And thank you for patching up Frank’s old rowing boat.
Flora told me what you did and that was so thoughtful of you.
I never got a chance to thank you properly. ’
‘I was happy to do it. I know how important it was to you both. Well . . .’ Brodie looked over at the water, ‘I might just have one last wee dip in the loch before I go.’
‘Of course. I’ll leave you to it.’ She turned to walk away. Then she stopped. ‘I mean it, Brodie. Remember that you’re welcome here at any time.’
He nodded, her words going around his head and he wondered if she knew that he and Flora had paused whatever had been going on between them. That he had backed off. ‘Thanks, Iris.’
He slipped into the water. It was completely still today and the surface reflected the blue sky which was a huge contrast to the storm that had raged at the start of the week.
The cold water embraced him and seemed to wash away the noise from his head.
‘It’s like champagne for the brain,’ he heard Flora say, which felt like a bruise on his heart.
It was just one of the small things he missed about her and it had only been a day.
He shook his head in regret. Why had he been so stupid? What had he done?