Forked Roads Back

23 - TESSA

THE NEXT MORNING, ONCE we had set off, Jamie sees my head turn as we pass a sign for the airport and reaches over to stroke my shoulder gently.

"You can still go home you know?"

I turn and capture his hand, bringing it to my lips before I shake my head. "No, I can't." I huff a sigh. "I miss them, of course I do, but I need this. I'll just go back home for New Year or something?"

"You mean we won't get our first New Years' kiss?" he asks, pouting.

"Oh no, you're coming with me. I'm hoping introducing my new boyfriend - who I looooove," I overexaggerate the word and he pretends to go all gooey, "will distract them off the scent of being angry at me."

"So you're throwing this new boyfriend to the wolves?"

"Oh definitely. But they will love you, so it won't hurt you for long."

He rolls his eyes before bringing both our hands towards him, kissing my knuckles individually, causing an electric sensation to run up my spine.

"Well, I am glad you're coming home with me. Mum's really excited."

I turn in my seat as he pulls into the fast lane and heads towards the motorway.

"You haven't really told me much about your family, you know. I've met Rob, but I don't know anything else about what your family does."

He turns towards me quickly and chuckles. "You're worrying they won't like you, aren't you?"

I snort a laugh, "Well, yeah."

He laughs at my honest reaction before kissing my knuckles again. "Tess, my mum will absolutely love you. And my sister. And my dad."

"How do you know that?" I ask, pouting.

"Because I love you."

I beam as I turn my head to face him again. Hearing those words never gets old. He must have said it a million times in the last twelve hours, but I want to hear it every day for the rest of my life.

"Now stop worrying and sort us out a driving playlist," he laughs, shifting awkwardly to hand me his phone.

"Challenge accepted," I tell him as I search S Club Juniors and turn the volume up high.

***

WE'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR nearly three hours by the time we finally turn off the main road, heading West.

He goes quiet as the car starts to slow down. We seem to be following a private lane, and I think I can sense his nerves because those same nerves have been playing in my stomach since I agreed to come.

The illogical part of me thinks that Dad is probably right. I'll be an imposition. One extra mouth to feed, an extra annoyance when they thought they would be getting Jamie by himself. But then the logical part of me tells me I'm being stupid.

And as I catch sight of the house we seem to be heading towards, I start to think that one extra mouth to feed really won't really be a problem.

"Jamie?" I ask, pressing my nose so close to the glass it curls and pushes up unattractively. "This... is your house?" My voice is breathless and weak as my knees begin to shake.

To say the house is big is an understatement. This house made Downton Abbey seem like a cottage. And this house wasn't a house. The right word was definitely castle.

"Jamie, please don't tell me you're a prince or something?"

"Tess, Scotland doesn't have a King."