Opening her eyes Julia stared out across the beautiful garden and smiled. The scenery was simply stunning, the high mountains rose steadily in the background, towering above the grassy pastureland, and the River Heart tumbled over the rocks. Foxglove Farm nestled in the distance and Drew was out on the quad bike riding over the fields with his son Finn clutching to his waist. This place was her own little piece of paradise, bought and paid for with the money from her grandfather’s house. Julia’s bed and breakfast was her whole world. The three-storey elegant country-style house dated back to the mid-1800s and was set in just over an acre of land, including the garden and its very own brook.
Julia had fallen in love with this place the second she saw it, and with its characteristic bedrooms and impressive living rooms with oak beams that ran the length of the ceilings alongside rustic log fires, she’d immediately put in an offer. Within months her own bed and breakfast business was up and running, and she never looked back.
Since Heartcross had been catapulted many times into the news over the last eighteen months, business was booming. The ‘No Vacancies’ sign had hung outside on the gate for months and Julia was continually turning customers away, so much so that she had decided to take the plunge and have plans drawn up for a two-storey extension on the back of the house with a luxury private annexe situated at the bottom of the garden. She couldn’t wait to extend her little empire and was waiting patiently with her fingers firmly crossed hoping the all-important letter would land on the mat and the planning permission would be granted.
‘Penny for them?’
Julia looked up and grinned. Eleni was standing in front of her wearing a long, lemon floaty dress with a beautiful bodice pulled in by a tight waistband. She was sporting a huge smile and swinging a parasol above her head, shielding herself from the afternoon rays.
‘You look like someone from the 1920s,’ Julia said and wished she was bolder with her dress sense. ‘In fact, you look like you should be on a film set… Pretty Woman, whereas I…’ Julia looked down at worn-out jogging pants and a T-shirt that was splattered with bleach stains. ‘Goodness knows where I should be.’
‘Are you calling me a prostitute?’ Eleni put her hand on her chest in mock protest then giggled. ‘And don’t put yourself down, you are rocking the grunge look, it’s very popular you know.’ Eleni tipped Julia a cheeky wink before propping her parasol up against the wall. ‘So come on, what have you got on your mind?’ Eleni tilted her head to one side.
‘Me, I was just thinking about life in general,’ admitted Julia, ‘and how far I’ve come in the last few years. This place makes me happy, the rooms are full, and it brings me joy every day… you know what, life is good.’
‘Good for you! Those hikers come back time after time, and that’s down to you,’ smiled Eleni pulling out a chair and parking herself next to Julia.
‘You’re too kind. What did you want to be when you grew up? What was your ambition Eleni?’
‘Me? That’s easy. I wanted to become Mrs Harry Styles or Prince Harry’s partner in crime. As you can imagine my parents weren’t keen on either, hence the reason they kind of kicked me out and I ended up fending for myself with every Harry running for the hills.’
Julia chuckled. Eleni Gladmore was in her early twenties, was always the comedian, and had begun working at the B&B only a few months ago. She was as reliable as the church clock and currently lived in a small flat in the town of Glensheil on the other side of the bridge.
Initially Eleni was hired on a month’s trial, but the second she’d stepped inside the B&B she had fitted in perfectly. With her wicked sense of humour and amazing baking skills – not to mention that she cooked up the best Full Scottish breakfast – Julia had hired her on the spot. It was lovely to have such company on a daily basis, and the pair of them spent most of their time smiling through the daily chores and dancing like loons as they cleaned and polished the house. They shared stories of their lives past and present, not to mention their religious Friday ‘working’ lunch in the pub.
Eleni reminded Julia of Merida, the Disney character from Brave with her long, wild, curly red hair, blue eyes, pale skin and slender body.
‘How’s your afternoon been?’ asked Eleni.
‘Interesting to say the least,’ affirmed Julia.
‘Go on… spill the beans because it can’t be any worse than my afternoon.’
Julia looked over towards Eleni. ‘OMG, how did it go?… The date?’
Eleni rolled her eyes. ‘It was over before it began, but that’s another story. Come on then, so what’s happened in the little village of Heartcross? A nuclear bomb… the Queen booked a room or… please don’t tell me Prince Harry actually turned up in the village… anything is possible after Zach Hudson.’ Zach Hudson was a celebrity heartthrob who’d turned up in the village to film a new documentary – but after his dog was run over, Rory the local vet had saved its life and the two had become great friends, and now were off saving lions in Africa.
Julia couldn’t help the smile on her face. ‘Prince Harry is taken, if there was a nuclear bomb, I wouldn’t be here to tell the tale and, no, the Queen hasn’t booked into the B&B.’
‘So what is it then?’
‘Flynn Carter…’
‘And who is Flynn Carter?’ asked Eleni, none the wiser.
‘A property developer, who’s just rented out Rory’s old house on Love Heart Lane.’
‘Do you know him?’
‘Yes, unfortunately I know him, and never in a month of Sundays did I ever think he would cross my path again.’
‘Oooh, you look kind of angry. What exactly has this Flynn Carter done?’
Julia explained the history behind Flynn’s ruthless business dealings and his dumping of Anais on their wedding day.
‘And this all happened five years ago,’ asked a wide-eyed Eleni, listening to the story.
Julia nodded. ‘I know I have all this,’ she swept her hand in front of her, ‘because of his money, but in my opinion, he didn’t play nicely. I should have walked away. I feel he cheated my grandad, in a way; he’d worked hard all his life.’ Julia raised an eyebrow. ‘And then there was what he did to Anais too.’
‘What sort of man does that? He actually dumped her on her wedding day?’ Eleni looked horrified. ‘That’s every girl’s worst nightmare. And the girl he ran off with, did he marry her?’ asked Eleni.
‘There’s no wedding ring,’ replied Julia, knowing that she’d clocked his hand when she saw him in the pub. ‘According to all sources, he’s bought the old Boathouse and is turning it into some sort of water sports centre. And rumours are Starcross Manor is being renovated into retirement flats. Whether that has something to do with him or not, I have no idea, but it seems likely since he’s moved into a house on Love Heart Lane.’
Eleni whipped her phone out of her bag and began to tap away, staring at the screen with intensity. ‘Mmm, Flynn Carter… property tycoon… businessman of the year twice running in the last two years, according to this… owner of a five-star chain of hotels… spa, golf course in Florida…’ Eleni let out a low whistle. ‘M-I-L-L-I-O-N-A-I-R-E,’ she strung the word out. ‘JEEZ!’