30. Chapter 30
The rehearsal dinner was in a pub in Drumnadrochit, down the street from the MacAlister Inn.
It was a cute little stone building across from the Loch.
Angus stood in the old wooden doorway in a suit with tartan accents, while Caitlin stood beside him in a navy dress, his tartan sash draped across her shoulder.
“This was where we met!” Caitlin said gleefully. “We sat right there.” She pointed to a corner table by the window.
Angus smiled down at his fiancée. “We met on the boat, actually—but we came here afterward, yes.”
“Oh, right. The boat.” Caitlin lightly thunked her forehead.
They had specialized drinks available at the bar.
Angus’s Iron Brew was in a cauldron with dry ice.
Irn-Bru—Scotland’s other national drink—was day-glow orange, fizzy and sweet, and mixed with enough alcohol to make me nervous about my speech.
I walked right past the cauldron to the wine glasses of Caitlin’s Caledonian Chardonnay, each garnished with a lovely sprig of lavender.
We mingled and drank and ate appetizers as the rest of the guests trickled in. Kara made an entrance in a stunning tartan dress along with a dashing date. Lindsay and Drew came in with Melissa and Colin, and then Angus’s sister Sydney joined us with Elspeth.
I was scanning the room when the door opened and Max came in slightly wind-blown. He wore his good jacket, but his hair was doing what it usually did in Highland weather. He caught my eye and came straight toward me.
“You look beautiful,” he said softly, almost a whisper in my ear.
I looked down at my deep jade green dress. “Everyone looks great in this color.”
“It’s not the dress.”
He held my gaze for another heartbeat before someone squeezed between us with a tray of appetizers, forcing us apart.
Once everyone had arrived, we sat down for the meal.
As we ate our Balmoral chicken, Angus stood and thanked everyone for coming. Then Drew, his best man, recalled how Angus and Caitlin had met—with his usual charm and humor. Soon it was my turn. I stood and looked at Caitlin.
“Caitlin, you’ve been so much more than a sister to me.
Fashion critic. Love life critic. Career critic…
shall I go on?” The group chuckled. “But I value your opinion, and thankfully, your criticisms, though frequent, have always helped me to be a better version of myself. More importantly, you’ve always been my biggest cheerleader, encouraging me to try new things, helping me pick up the pieces after things fall apart, and above all, you’ve been a wonderful role model.
When I see you and Angus building this new life together, I’m so happy for you.
Both of you. When you first dashed off to Scotland, claiming you were going to ‘save’ your friend, Melissa, I questioned the wisdom.
I knew you’d find adventure visiting your best friend over New Year’s in the country that invented the song and has, quite possibly, the best celebrations in the world.
But you found so much more than adventure, you found a new partner in crime—and given your history with salt shakers and construction zone signs, I mean that more literally than most. Anyway, I wish you both all the best and a wonderfully happy life together! Slàinte!”
“Slàinte mhath!” We all raised our glasses before returning to our meals and conversation.
Angus stood. “Despite what Abby says, nothing is ever as easy as it looks. You forgot that when Caitlin and I first met, I wasn’t 100% up front with her.
I let her think we had nowhere to stay. I let her think we knew the inn’s owners and were working for our stay.
And after all that, I still didn’t tell her that the angel investor in the hotels was me.
I let her think it was Drew. And there’s a whole other part of my life that she knew about, but only on a surface level.
She knew I’d been in a band, had lost someone close to me, and how much that loss had affected me.
Those were the important parts. But the details, I left out.
So, no more secrets. No more lies. Things haven’t always been easy, but this has been the best rollercoaster ride of my life.
And I’d do anything to ride in the front car of this thing with you, Caitlin. ”
A cheer went up around the room as we raised our glasses to Angus and Caitlin.
“Hear, hear,” said Max, holding my gaze.
We didn’t stay until the end.