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discovered just how true this was. First of all, my little car, Cilla the Clio, finally decided she’d had enough on the narrow country road leading to the village. I had to park by the side of the road as best I could, haul my suitcases out of the boot and walk the rest of the way on foot. Not an easy task when you’re wearing a pair of four-inch heels that keep getting stuck in the churned-up mud.
    â€˜Fuck!’ I felt my heel sink into the mud for what felt like the millionth time and tried to yank it free.
    My shoe dislodged, but I’d used too much force to free myself and ended up toppling over onto my front, sending my suitcase flying. I spat dirt out of my mouth and let out a loud, piercing scream that would’ve put banshees to shame. I hauled myself to my feet and stared down at my ruined suit. It was caked in dirt and the trousers were torn, revealing a bleeding cut on my knee. I fished my phone out of my handbag to call a taxi.
    No service. Lovely.
    â€˜Well, that’s just fucking perfect,’ I said to my silent surroundings. ‘Well done, Emily; this is what not listening to your mum gets you.’
    I carried on walking until a bunch of whitewashed buildings came into view. At least I hadn’t managed to get myself lost. As I dragged my suitcase along the bumpy, uneven pavement, I’d never felt so far away from Glasgow. All the elements that made up my life there felt like they were slowly slipping away: the bittersweet tang of freshly brewed Americano from my favourite coffee place, the trips to A Play, A Pie and A Pint at Oran Mor with Frankie, the vibrant nightlife I loved to be a part of… Now I was stuck in the arse-end of nowhere because one little revelation had turned my world upside down.
    I was so busy feeling sorry for myself and brooding over what I was missing that I didn’t see someone come out of a nearby pub, walking straight across my path. I looked up just in time to clock the terrified expression on his face as we collided, spilling freezing cold liquid over the both of us.
    â€˜Are you blind or something?!’
    â€˜ Me?! You were the one who came out of nowhere!’
    The figure straightened himself up to his full height and I found myself looking at what my granny would call a ‘torn-faced disaster’. There was a sour, surly expression on his face and his thick, dark eyebrows were furrowed. He wasn’t happy at all. Not surprising, considering he was covered in beer.
    â€˜Do you always crash into complete strangers wherever you go?’ he asked, casting me a reproachful glare.
    â€˜Only the ones who don’t look where they’re going and come barrelling out of nowhere.’ I arched my eyebrows and folded my arms, trying to appear cool and in control while looking like warmed-up roadkill.
    â€˜I’m looking for my dog, if you must know. We were sitting outside on the back terrace, then she heard a loud noise and ran off. You haven’t seen her, have you? She’s a little white Westie and goes by the name of Dixie.’
    I shrugged. ‘Sorry, I haven’t.’
    â€˜Don’t suppose you could help me look for her? She can be a nightmare to get back on the lead. Usually thinks you’re playing a game or something.’
    I saw his mouth twitch into something like a smile, but it was quickly replaced by the frown he’d been sporting for the entire conversation.
    â€˜I’m actually running late for an appointment, if you can believe that,’ I replied, sweeping some honey-blonde wisps out of my face and gesturing to my torn and dirty clothes. ‘Sorry. I hope you catch her, though.’
    The man rolled his eyes, grunted something that sounded like a thank you, then stalked off to find his dog. He threw a look at me from over his shoulder that I felt pretty sure wasn’t friendly.
    I continued walking through the centre of the village, my ridiculously expensive high heels pinching