Free What Lies Between by Charlena Miller

problems.”
    “Not complaining, just saying I could do with another coffee,” I half-grumbled, belying my words.
    “I have a thermos in my pack, but it’s instant.” He flung a playful smirk in my direction.
    My face screwed up in disdain. “No thanks. I’ll take foggy brain for now and get a proper coffee in Inverness.”
    “Suit yourself.”
    Silence fell between us once again as I turned my attention to the view. Far from dark and foreboding, Loch Ness sparkled in the patches of sun streaming through ragged holes punched out of the shroud of clouds. The slight air of mystery it managed was due to mist hugging the green hills on the opposite shore.
    I sat taller in my seat to better glimpse the castle ruin jutting out on the edge of the loch. “I wonder what life was like then. I guess they didn’t have the monster hype and the loch was simply pretty and serene.”
    “Less peaceful than you might imagine. Castles were often built this way, at the edge of the water, for protection. Most had their share of invaders. Scotland didn’t get its reputation for war and conflict without cause.”
    Soon we reached the outskirts of Inverness. Ben pulled into a drive behind a house and parked next to a Mercedes passenger van. “We’ll park the truck here and drive the van up to the meeting location, next to the river.”
    We transferred our gear and a few minutes later pulled to a stop near the foot of a busy four-lane bridge arching over a wide rush of water.
    “Here we are. That’s the River Ness there. If you’re back up here sometime, take a walk through the wee islands in the middle, farther down.” He pointed to his right. “They’re connected to each other and both banks by footbridges and you can take a relaxing stroll through them on a nice day.”
    “I’ve never seen a place like this—a castle watching over the city, steeples of old churches lining the river, Highland hills rolling along the horizon. I’m enchanted, I have to admit. I definitely would like to spend more time here.”
    “Once you’re comfortable driving, you can visit anytime. The cafés are across the bridge in the city centre. You have thirty minutes to get your coffee.”
    “Do you want some?”
    “My good old cheap stuff suits me fine.” He lifted the thermos and raised his eyebrow in a gesture of superiority. “Low maintenance.”
    “Too bad. High maintenance is much more interesting.” I turned, hiding the sly smile I couldn’t suppress.
    “Is it now?” he murmured.
    I was sure his eyes followed me as I strutted away. Scotland was more interesting than I’d imagined, and Calum was right—I needed to relax and explore before hitting all the work ahead. Joining this tour couldn’t have been a better decision; I would get to know the area, and it was the distraction I needed from the stress of the past several weeks.
     
    Hurrying back across the bridge, cappuccino and scone in hand, I could see five tourists encircling Ben. The seven of us would be together in a small van for the better part of three days. I had conveniently forgotten that the tour was with a group of strangers. This could either be a nice time full of lovely memories or the kind of nightmare that inspired people to write epic blog posts deriding the experience as the worst thing they’d ever done and swearing off tours forever.
    Ben introduced me as his apprentice-in-training. Chiding myself for having too much skepticism and with my freshly caffeinated exuberance kicking in, I extended my hand to each of my fellow passengers in an enthusiastic greeting. The last woman I met clasped my hand in both of hers. She had a meticulous kind of beauty with a perfectly polished and capped smile frozen on her face.
    The woman scanned me up and down. Her pale blonde hair, bronzed skin, and expensive clothes hugging perfectly formed curves couldn’t have been more different from my mess of brown waves, a body with not much in the way of curves except for the