‘She’s two. She ought to sleep later than that. Have you tried just leaving her?’
‘Annie doesn’t like to do that.’ Craig gave a crooked smile. ‘Can’t bear her to cry. The moment she hears a murmur, she’s in there.’
Evanna lifted two mugs out of the cupboard. ‘It might be worth leaving her for a few minutes. She might just go back to sleep. Logan tried that with Kirsty a few months ago and it worked. She didn’t even cry much, just whimpered a few times and then drifted off again.’
‘Really? So you think that might work for Moll?’
‘It’s possible, but obviously you have to do what feels right for you. Here. Have some caffeine.’ She handed him a brimming mug. ‘I’m sure that we both need it.’
‘Did I wake you? I assumed you’d be up.’
‘I was up.’ She hadn’t really slept all night. She’d just stared at the ceiling, thinking about Logan, and now her eyes pricked angrily and her head ached. It was going to be a long day. ‘Do you want to have another look at the bathroom?’
‘That’s what I was hoping.’
They walked upstairs and Craig wandered into her bathroom. ‘I reckon it will take me and the lads about ten days,’ he said, peering around the bathroom and scribbling something on a piece of paper. ‘Providing there are no hitches.’
‘My life is full of hitches,’ Evanna said wearily, ‘but we’ll aim for the ten days. Will I be able to wash?’
‘Yeah. Well, most of the time.’ Craig frowned up at the ceiling. ‘You want that painted the same blue as the rest?’
‘Yes.’
‘Nice. Looks like a seaside bathroom.’ He nodded approval and then pulled out a tape measure. ‘I’m going to cut some wood to fit there. Has all the stuff we ordered arrived?’
‘It’s blocking my garage as we speak.’
Craig stretched out the tape measure and recorded the length. ‘That’s a standard size. OK. We’ll start tomorrow. I’ll try and make sure the bath is only out of action for a few days. You can shower at Kyla’s.’ He tucked the pencil behind his ear and slid a finger over a pipe. ‘We’ll box this in for you. It will look better.’
‘Whatever you say, Craig.’ Evanna wished she could summon up more enthusiasm. ‘As long as it looks like the picture I showed you, I don’t care how you do it.’
‘It’s a shame we couldn’t have fitted it in while you were on the mainland. Would have meant less disruption for you, but never mind.’ He took a closer look at a hairline crack that was running across the ceiling. ‘I bet Dr MacNeil is pleased to see you home. He told me Kirsty was missing you.’
Evanna tensed. ‘She’s growing fast.’
‘No doubt about that.’ He dropped to his haunches and studied the floor. ‘This will have to come up. Those flashy Italian tiles you chose are going to look the business.’
‘Thanks, Craig. I’ll let you have a key so that you can just come and go while I’m at work.’
He stood up. ‘There’s going to be some dust and mess while we remove the old stuff, but I’ll cover your carpet for you.’
Evanna waved him off and decided that, although it would be fun to have a new, luxurious bathroom, the process was obviously going to be unpleasant.
It wasn’t even nine o’clock and suddenly the day stretched ahead of her. Before her trip to the mainland, she probably would have gone to Logan’s and spent the day playing with Kirsty but now she was wondering whether that was the wrong thing for everyone.
While it was true that she was able to help with the little girl, it was also true that her constant presence was a disincentive to Logan to find someone else. And he needed to find someone else.
Remembering the look of sadness on his face the day she’d made lunch for them, Evanna resolved to try and think about someone who might suit him. Catherine had been wild and adventurous, so clearly that was the sort of woman who interested Logan and, offhand, she couldn’t think of anyone who fitted that description.
Thinking about suitable partners for Logan did nothing for her piece of mind so she drank two cups of herbal tea, ate some fruit and wandered into her garden.
Although it was still early, the sun was already hot and it was obviously going to be another scorching day.
Deciding that the best cure for misery was a good exercise session before the weather became too hot to run, Evanna pulled on an old pair of shorts, slid her feet into her trainers and let herself out of the back door of the cottage.
The air was still, without a breath of wind, and the sea lay calm and quiet below the cliffs.
Forcing herself into a run, Evanna jogged steadily along the path, gradually increasing her pace.
She ran for almost half an hour, feeling the prickle of heat between her shoulder blades and the heat of the sun on her face. To her left the cliffs fell away steeply towards the sea and to her right were fields. Sheep grazed, placidly chewing on parched grass. Further inland was the rugged interior of the island, the province of walkers and climbers.
There had been no rain for weeks and the air smelt of sun and summer. The ground was hard under her trainers but still she ran, determined to chase away her gloom. It wasn’t like her to be unhappy. She was, by nature, a happy, steady person. She wasn’t given to fits of depression. So why did she feel so down?
Her pulse was thundering, her breath tearing in her lungs, and she pulled up for a brief rest, breathing heavily as she stared at the view. A few lone yachts bobbed on the water, barely moving in the still air. Apart from the occasional shriek of a seagull, it was completely peaceful. A lazy, quiet Sunday. Later the tourists would crowd onto the beaches with their buckets and spades, but for now it was still too early for all but the most energetic of visitors to be up and about.
And then she glanced along the coast path and saw him.
Logan. And he had Kirsty on his shoulders.
Evanna let out a groan of frustration. Wasn’t that just typical? Why did he have to be the one other person up and about? And how had she not realised that she’d run so far?
Kirsty waved her arms with excitement and Logan turned before she had time to vanish discreetly.
Wondering what terrible sins she’d committed to be forced to confront him in such a miserable, sweaty state, Evanna stood still, wishing she could wave a wand and transform herself. If she hadn’t been feeling so dejected she would have laughed. Talk about going from one extreme to the other. Last night she’d worn a short dress and high heels and she’d been groomed to within an inch of her life. Today she was wearing her oldest shorts and a T-shirt with a half-faded slogan and her hair was a mess.
But what did it matter?
She’d never looked more feminine or glamorous than she had the night before, and had he noticed her? No. And if he hadn’t noticed her in a dress and heels, why would he notice her in her ancient, practical running gear?
Logan just didn’t find her attractive.
So she really didn’t need to worry about him seeing her in her ancient shorts.
All the same she smoothed her damp hair away from her face as he approached. ‘Hi. You’re up early.’
‘Kirsty hasn’t learned to lie in yet. We make it until seven o’clock and that’s good enough for me.’ He reached up and lifted the toddler from his shoulders with strong hands. ‘We thought we’d have an early walk to work up an appetite for a late breakfast.’
‘Good idea.’ He looked good in shorts, she thought. Logan had always been athletic and it showed in his physique.