The Little Gift Shop on the Loch: A delightfully uplifting read for 2019!

She was sixteen again, and it was the last summer she’d been here with her mother. Her skin had turned golden under the rays of a rare, long Scottish summer. She’d discovered that a little mascara brought out the blue in her eyes and that she liked the pretty pink sheen from her cherry lip gloss. Now that she was old enough, she would stroll down to the loch on her own. And hopefully she would see him, the good-looking boy who worked at the boats.

Lily had reckoned him to be a couple of years older than her; he exuded a worldly confidence and physical presence she’d found thrilling. Not to mention he was easily the most handsome boy she’d ever seen. Pretending to read a book, she’d sit and watch him from afar, never brave enough to go and speak to him. Not like the other girls who’d hang around him, giggling and flirting. Lily desperately wanted to go and speak to him but her heart would pound and her mouth turn dry long before she went anywhere near him. Instead she retreated to the caravan park and at night, thoughts and images of him would make her stomach swirl in a way she’d never felt before.

She hadn’t thought of him in all that time and she could hardly believe he was still here, still doing the same thing.

The intervening years had certainly done him no harm. His body had filled out from that of a teenager to a fully formed – and extremely muscular – man. With a certain amount of dismay, Lily noted how ridiculously handsome he still was.

He was wearing an old T-shirt, dirt-streaked jeans and his jaw was shadowed by stubble. Clearly he didn’t pay much attention to his appearance although she supposed he pulled it off – if you liked that sort of thing. He turned his head and caught her gaze before she had a chance to look away. Lily’s heart starting thumping for some reason, and she fought her instinct to turn and run away.

He straightened up and, after wiping his hands on an old rag, walked towards her. Based on Iris’s obvious high opinion of him and knowing she might have appeared slightly ungracious at their first meeting, Lily thought she should make an effort to appear friendly.

‘Hello again.’ He smiled tentatively at her and as their eyes met, Lily felt something in her response which surprised her. She was a grown professional woman now, not a gauche teenager with a crush on him.

‘Morning.’

‘You’ve been for a walk?’ he asked.

She nodded her head. ‘To the waterfall and back.’

‘That’s a fair walk,’ he commented before lifting his eyes skywards. ‘Looks like you made it back just in time.

Lily looked up. Sure enough, a massive black cloud loomed over them and she could actually feel a few specks of rain. She shook her head at the fickle climate. ‘Rain and midges,’ she muttered, rubbing at her arms. ‘Pretty much just as I remember.’

‘Kind of goes with the territory.’

His eyes, which really were very green, travelled down Lily’s arms where all her earlier clawing had left unattractive red welts on her skin. ‘That looks quite nasty. Hold on, I’ll get you something.’

‘No, its fine—’ Lily started to object but in a few strides his long legs had already almost covered the distance to the centre where he disappeared through the door. Lily stared after him and fiddled with her hair, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Returning a couple of moments later, he handed her a tube.

‘Here, this should help cool your skin. We always keep a supply.’

‘Thanks.’ Lily rubbed some cream into skin, appreciating its instant soothing effect, and handed it back to him.

A little silence descended over them, and Lily searched for something to say. ‘So er, you look busy,’ she tried.

‘Yeah, I’m just helping out today with the boats although I’m usually more behind the scenes these days.’

‘The place certainly looks different from how I remember,’ she commented.

His eyes roamed her face and she wondered if he remembered her, which was silly. Of course he wouldn’t. ‘When were you last here?’ he asked.

Lily lifted her eyes, calculating. ‘Over ten years ago. Before that though my mum used to drag me here every year until I was eighteen..’

His mouth quirked. ‘Not your favourite holiday destination then?’

‘It was okay when I was younger, I suppose. But by the time I started university I’d only ever been to Carroch on holiday so I couldn’t wait to stretch my horizons, see different places.’

‘So where’d you go?’

She shrugged. ‘Inter-railing around Europe, spent a few weeks in Asia when I was a student …’ Her voice trailed away, distracted by the intense way he was looking at her.

‘Sounds good,’ he said. ‘It depends what you’re looking for I guess.’

‘Suppose it does.’ It dawned on Lily now that she’d never found that one place in her heart that had made her want to return to, the way her mother had done here.

‘And you’ve not been back since?’ he asked, sounding surprised.

She shook her head. ‘Not until now, no.’

‘You’ll see a big change then.’ He threw a glance over his shoulder and then brought his gaze back on her again. ‘I hope I didn’t startle you too much last night?’

‘No. Well, perhaps just a little,’ she admitted.

He looked at her evenly. ‘So how are you getting on with Misty?’

‘Um, okay, I guess.’

‘You’re coping with her?’ he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

‘I’m managing,’ she assured him although she shuddered inwardly remembering the contents of the litter tray this morning. ‘Um, does it ever go out?’ she asked hopefully.

‘Not much. Occasionally she’ll make an appearance at my place but she seems happy to stay indoors.’

Lily nodded silently. He was clearly fond of the cat, knew her habits – perhaps it could live with him. ‘I don’t suppose you’d like to take it?’

‘Misty, you mean?’ He looked a little incredulous.

‘Yes, Misty.’

‘I’ve been happy to help out but I’m not sure I’d want to take her.’

Lily sighed. ‘It’s just all a bit of an inconvenience, that’s all.’

‘An inconvenience?’

She cringed inwardly at how that sounded. ‘I—’

‘Perhaps if you’d come earlier it wouldn’t be an issue,’ he interrupted dryly.

Lily frowned. ‘I just meant my flat in Edinburgh isn’t really suitable for a cat. But I’m sure I’ll find somewhere for her before I leave.’

‘You’re not hanging around then?’

‘Here?’ She didn’t mean to sound quite so horrified by the idea. ‘I’ve got work to get back to.’ At least she would have, once she’d got a few interviews lined up. ‘So I’ll be selling the shop as soon as possible.’

His mouth tugged down at the corners. ‘Good for you. I’m sure you’ll get a good price for it.’

‘What? It’s not about the money—’