Chapter Sixty-Six
That evening, Flora waited on the bench by the jetty, watching the gentle ripples in the loch and people walk past; there were some with dogs, others on their own and an elderly couple who strolled hand in hand.
Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Brodie walking towards her, his hands deep in his pockets, his expression uncertain. He stopped hesitantly by the bench.
‘Hey,’ he murmured.
‘Hi.’ She stood up and gave him a small smile. The pull of physical attraction she felt towards him whenever they were close still shocked her. They stood awkwardly for a moment before Flora gestured towards the beach. ‘Shall we walk?’
He nodded, falling into step beside her.
She led them in the opposite direction to the sauna. Things were awkward enough without adding in Emmet.
‘Thanks for meeting me.’ His voice was quiet as he walked alongside her.
‘That’s okay.’
Brodie cleared his throat. ‘I want to apologise, Flora. I am so sorry for the way I’ve acted.
I can’t believe what a dick I’ve been.’ He spoke quickly and his voice shook as the words tumbled out.
‘I know I’ve cocked everything up. I know I don’t deserve you.
I just need you to know how sorry I am and that I got it wrong. Really wrong.’
Flora didn’t reply, instead allowing a silence as she waited for him to continue.
‘I got scared that day of the rescue. I was already freaked about the way I was starting to feel about you. And I knew you’d be leaving the village at the end of the summer.’ He stopped and looked at her, raw angst in his eyes. ‘I finished things because I was afraid of being hurt.’
She looked at him and shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, but why didn’t you just talk to me? Why did you make assumptions without even asking me how I felt or what I wanted. Brodie, you dumped me after everything we had done together. After we slept together. How do you think that made me feel?’
‘I know, I know,’ he said, lowering his eyes to the ground.
‘And that makes what I did even worse. I messed up and it was wrong to think pushing you away would make it easier . . . It just made it all worse and it made me realise how much I have loved having you in my life. And . . . how much I love you.’
She gulped, feeling her resolve tremble. He loved her. Did he realise what he had just said? His eyes searched hers as he waited for her to reply. She frowned, wondering if she had misheard his words, and planted her hands on her hips. ‘You really hurt me, Brodie.’
‘I know,’ he whispered, his voice hoarse. ‘And I am so sorry. I just wish I could make it right. I wish I could turn the clock back . . . I wish I hadn’t made any assumptions about how you might feel.’
Flora paused while she looked at Brodie. His face was drawn and she hated seeing him so sad. ‘I just want you to be honest with me.’
His eyes were earnest as he looked at her. ‘Honestly, Flora, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. I can’t stop thinking about you. And I am so, so sorry and will never behave like that again . . . That’s if you’ll let me make it up to you.’
Flora felt her guard softening, especially as she looked into his dark eyes. ‘So, where do we go from here?’ she asked softly, trying to pull her eyes away from his but failing.
He reached for her hands and pulled her towards him. ‘Give me another chance to make it up to you for as long as you are here.’
She smiled. ‘That sounds like a huge promise given that I have no plans to leave.’
‘You’re staying here in Rowan Bay?’ His eyes widened in surprise.
‘Yes. I’ve rented out my flat in Edinburgh and I’m going to stay here.’
Brodie’s eyes were smouldering with longing and he leaned in to kiss her.
The tension that had been between them quickly melted away and when he pulled back he was looking intently at her.
‘I promise you won’t regret staying on.’ He moved in again to kiss her and Flora raised an eyebrow mischievously, putting her hand on his chest.
‘Not that fast,’ she said smiling at him. ‘You don’t get to smoothly waltz back in and pick up where we left off.’
There was a glint in his eyes. ‘Really? You’re making me beg?’
‘Yup.’ She had no intention of making him beg, but she wanted to tease him.
Brodie raked his hand through his hair. He looked at her, something unreadable in his eyes. ‘Okay. For you, Flora, anything.’
She felt her heart do a little flip. ‘How about we start with a drink then? At the Rowan Bar?’
‘Only if I’m buying.’
‘Maybe,’ she said, smiling as he grabbed her hand.