Page 17 of Highlands Homecoming

Colin laughed, and he and Melissa began to clear the table.

“So all those things you can’t tell me about … they’re going to be okay?” asked Melissa as Colin ripped the pizza boxes in half for recycling.

“I can’t discuss any work with my client. But, as your boyfriend, what I can tell you is that I’m not reading any work emails until Monday morning, because I was so busy finalizing the paperwork after that confrontation—which will be billed—on the weekend,” said Colin, planting a kiss on her cheek.

Melissa sighed contentedly, while she tried to push aside thoughts about flying back to Scotland … alone.

Ridingin Caitlin’s car toward Logan airport, Melissa was feeling all the feels as she watched the major landmarks of Boston pass by. Fenway. The Citgo sign. The Prudential Building. But as much as Boston was home, she was filled with nervous excitement at the prospect that she was headinghome. Her real home. Her own home.

As Caitlin turned into the busy airport and followed the signs for departures, Melissa felt like the bottom of her stomach was dropping out. She started to hyperventilate a bit, and Caitlin glanced over at her.

“You okay?”

Melissa took a deep breath. “Think so?”

“What’s up?”

“On my way here I felt like I was coming home. And now that you’re taking me back to the airport, I’m realizing I’m actuallygoinghome. It’s just … a new feeling.”

“I bet. You’ve got this, though, Mel.”

Caitlin maneuvered the car into a spot at the curb and beamed at Melissa, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “It’s an adventure, and one hundred percent meant for you.”

Melissa hopped out. Caitlin popped the trunk, and Melissa grabbed her bag and hugged her friend. “Please come visit again.”

“Angus comes out several times a year, so I will too.”

Thankfully,the check-in and security lines moved quickly, giving Melissa enough time to get herself a sweet treat before boarding. At the gate, Melissa sipped her coffee and watched the people reading, playing games, and staring into space, and she realized it was only about six weeks ago that she’d sat at this same gate, waiting for a flight that would change her life forever. She took a deep breath and a long sip of her mocha. She was on her way to greener pastures.

Chapter8

Melissa walked out of the Inverness airport, the cool, Scottish air a welcome change from the plane's confines. She hailed a taxi and gave the driver her address. A mix of anticipation and nostalgia settled in as the familiar scenery of the Highlands began to unfold through the window.

With each mile closer, she found the tension rolling off her shoulders and her breath calming. The landscape, a comforting blend of rolling hills and scattered cottages, felt unchanged by time. She was grateful to be able to return. As they approached the snowy banks of Loch Ness and turned onto the narrow road, she felt a tug in her heart. The taxi pulled into the driveway of a large stone home with a front gate. She was home. This was Greenhill House, an ancestral MacKenzie home that Melissa had inherited from a long-lost relative.

Opening the front door, she couldn’t wait to see Jingles, her puppy. “Hello! Lindsay? Jingles?” Soon she heard the jingling bells of her adorable little dog, followed by the soft footsteps of her friend, Lindsay.

“Welcome back,” said Lindsay.

And her new life was open to all possibilities.

The next fewdays were a blur of grocery shopping, picking up mail—not much there, just the first bills—catching up with her new friends, who felt a little like old friends, and finalizing her start date as the interior designer at the new MacAlister Inn where Lindsay would be the chef. The very idea of divorce, which caused her such incredible pain just a few months ago, ended up being the spark she needed to dramatically change her life for the better. Today was the best of all. She was going to finalize the paperwork on her home. She could barely believe it. Greenhill House, the lovely stone cottage on the banks of Loch Ness, was going to be 100% hers. Her own home in the highlands of Scotland, where she could cozy up in the library—her favorite room by far—with a cup of tea and watch the snow fall with Jingles at her side.

The chilly Scottish air nipped at Melissa's cheeks as she ascended the worn stone steps of the real estate office, her heart pounding with anticipation. She opened the large wooden door, and her jaw dropped. The building felt like something out of an old movie—old woodwork, a beautiful oak banister, and intricate carvings. Even her hometown of Boston’s quaint old office buildings didn’t have this kind of charm. She climbed the stairs up to a second floor office where she greeted Margaret Douglas. The kind-hearted real estate agent, with laughter lines etched deep in her face, was about to make Melissa’s dreams a reality.

Margaret greeted her with a warm embrace. “Today’s the day!” She handed Melissa a pen and a stack of papers. “Once it’s signed, Greenhill House is officially all yours!”

“So exciting!” Melissa sat in the cushioned chair and picked up the pen. She flipped through, scanned the documents, signed here, added initials there—and then, just like that, it was done.

“Congratulations, Melissa!” said Margaret. “You’re going to love your home.”

“I absolutely am! You’ll have to come out for dinner sometime soon.”

“I’ll bring the wine!” said Margaret. “But I’ll wait until you’re more settled in. Speaking of waiting, when is that new inn in town going to be finished? I know you’ve been working on the decor.”

“Nearly done! We just have some finishing touches left, and the chef is working on menus. It’s going to be so much fun when they open!”

“Sounds grand.”