Sealed With a Kiss by Rachael Lucas Read Free Book Online Page B

bursting with importance.
    ‘You need to be quiet, ’cause they might be asleep.’
    Inside the little building was a squirming, bouncing, yipping heap of liver-and-white springer-spaniel puppies, presided over by their very proud mother. Jamie was somehow managing to cuddle all
the dogs at once.
    ‘This is Tess. I think I’ve got it hard with two children – she has nine. Can you imagine?’ laughed Susan.
    She took a treat out of her pocket, and Tess hoovered it up in a second. She was wriggling with delight at the attention she was receiving, and looked as relieved as Susan had done to have a bit
of adult company.
    ‘Tom has bred from her a couple of times. The puppies go for silly money, but we always give a couple away to friends, because it’s nice to keep them on the island.’
    Kate’s face burst into a huge grin.
    ‘You mean . . . ’
    ‘Pick a pup – any pup,’ Susan grinned back. ‘All I ask in exchange is the right to escape down the road to yours with a bottle of something boozy of an evening.
Deal?’
    ‘Deal.’ Kate put out her hand and shook on it, laughing.
    ‘Right. This calls for a trip up to the metropolis of Kilmannan, I think. We’ll go to the pet shop and get you what you need.’
    Kate could hardly bear to drag herself away from Tess and her puppies, but Jamie was shooing her out of the door of the kennel and closing the door, looking very pleased with himself as he
managed to turn the key.
    On closer inspection the High Street of Kilmannan was even more tattered than it had appeared last night in the warmth of the evening sun.
    ‘This place used to be one of the most popular tourist spots in Scotland, y’know,’ Susan had explained, looking down the tired street. ‘Back before everyone headed off to
the Costa del Hot on holiday, my mum says it used to be heaving here every summer. Hard to believe, isn’t it?’
    ‘I can’t believe how many of the shops are lying empty.’ Kate peered in through the window of ‘Annabel’s Boutique’, noticing the piles of mail mixed in with
abandoned coat-hangers.
    ‘This place needs a serious kick up the bum. I love it here – I’m sure there’s more we could do to get people visiting the island. Hopefully Roddy’s plans for the
cottages will be a start.’
    They’d bribed Jamie with the promise of an ice cream. He kept forgetting that, however, and was skittering around the pet shop knocking over tins of dog food, to the
tutting disapproval of the owner.
    Susan and Kate made their escape, giggling, with dog bowls and a collar and lead stuffed under Mhairi’s mud-splattered pushchair.
    ‘Jim Butcher, who runs that shop, used to be my geography teacher,’ Susan explained, once they were out of earshot. ‘He sent me to the rector for holding hands with Roderick
under the desk in fifth year.’
    ‘Roderick? As in “Lord of the Manor” Roderick?’
    ‘The very one.’ Susan winked at her and bumped the pushchair up the step and into the ice-cream parlour. The fittings were so ancient that they were now attractively retro in style.
The tables were arranged in booths, with dark-red leather seats, and an original Wurlitzer jukebox at the far end of the room. They were the only people in there, and Jamie took full advantage of
this, hurtling from one end of the cafe to the other, sliding across the polished floor on his knees.
    ‘Susan MacKelvie. Where’ve ye been all ma life?’ A beaming Italian man with a strong Glaswegian accent appeared.
    ‘I was here on Tuesday, but you were probably up at the hotel bar having a sneaky pint,’ said Susan. ‘Bruno, this is Kate, who’s moved into Bruar Cottage on the
estate.’
    Taking Kate’s hand, he kissed it and then gave her a wink. ‘
Bellissima
. Guid tae meet ye, darlin’.’
    ‘Don’t you start,’ snorted Susan. ‘You’ll be scaring her away when she’s only just arrived. Jamie’ll have his usual please, and can we have a couple of
coffees. You’ve never