Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Dad, as was his way, threw me right in and set me up with a new private residential client. The couple, Jack and Ross, had bought a plot of land between Inverness and Tain that overlooked the Cromarty Firth. It was a great plot in a superb location, but it was a very small bit of land. The challenge was a welcome one, and even though we were still in the early stages, I’d gone out with Jack and Ross to physically assess the plot. My mind already whirred with possibilities. At this stage, it was research—what the client wanted to see in the design, what the plot offered in size, and how the sun moved throughout the day in that location.
As well as working on this individual design, I was assisting on a larger project Dad was heading up for a small housing developer looking to build luxury homes in Aberdeenshire. Dad’s firm was recognized as a leading sustainable, coastal property designer. We used glazing technology that allowed a building to become a part of its surroundings. In simple terms, we incorporated a lot of glass into our designs while maintaining structural integrity and homes that could withstand high winds, salt water, and sunlight.
All that to say, I was extremely busy my first week back in Ardnoch. I joined my family in the evenings for dinner and was relieved to discover that Morwenna was still the funny, sweet girl she’d always been—but with mood swings. At night, I sometimes rode my bike out on the open road, much to my parents’ dismay, or I retreated to the annex to watch TV or read. As much as I liked being around them, I needed to find a place of my own soon.
A place I could brood about Callie without infecting anyone else with my mood. I did try to be present, but my parents kept asking me if I was all right, so I knew I wasn’t doing a very good job.
It wasn’t that I’d given up on Callie. It might have seemed like it to her last week when I took her home without another word, but I was processing. All week I’d been racking my brain, trying to think of what I could do to prove to her I wasn’t going anywhere.
Then I’d remembered all the emails and texts I’d saved from her.
After we’d broken up, I’d reread our past texts thinking I might die from how much I missed her. Then almost a year later, after having not looked at them in a while, I accidentally called her. Thankfully, I hit end call before it even rung out. But it had shaken me enough to decide to delete her from my phone. Before I did, I exported all our texts to my computer and saved the file.
Remembering that, last night I pulled out my laptop and spent the evening reading through our old conversations. Some of them seemed childish and silly now, but most of it served to remind me how much Callie and I understood each other. How easy it had been between us. And how extraordinary it was that a relationship that was so easy and comfortable had also been full of excitement and youthful passion.
We discovered we still had the latter. In fact, more so than ever.
But I truly believed we could have the former again.
And then, I’d come across a string of texts that Callie had sent about a year after we’d started dating. She’d just read a book where the guy did all sorts of romantic things and I’d joked that we were beyond that now. Comfortable as old shoes. I’d done it to wind her up, and she’d fallen for it. Callie had responded:
Now I wish I’d made you work harder to get me last year. All you had to do was say you loved me and I gave in. *blows raspberry* BOO to that. Last year’s Callie was an idiot.
I think she’s awesome. I’d have had heart failure if you’d dragged it out.
Askin you to take me out on special dates wouldn’t have been draggin it out. It would have been fun for both of us.
What kind of special dates?
Srsly?
Seriously. I want to know the hoops I was supposed to jump through. 😉
Really wishin I’d done it now. I think you’re takin me for granted. 😋
Never. I know how lucky I am.
😘
So. Dates?
OK, you asked for it. Date 1: Picnic on the beach @ twilight, with all my fav snacks. If u don’t know what they are by now, I give up.
LOL. Walkers’ pickled onion crisps, peanut M&Ms, and your mum’s homemade chocolate truffles. Oh and a bottle of Irn-Bru.
I love you.
You really need to eat healthier snacks.
Shut up. Like your fav snack is carrots & hummus. Anyhoo, date 2: Zip-lining. Date 3. Night at theatre. 4. Trip to National Museum in Edinburgh. 5. Weekend in Skye to see Fairy Pools. 6. Night alone with you in the annex 😉