Would this holiday with his friend help to soothe Shaun’s broken heart?
BY KATIE ASHMORE
SHAUN gazed at Tallinn’s Viru Gate. The medieval towers were beautiful. The warm stone was floodlit in the darkness at the edge of the old town and, above them, a damson sky glowed with stars.
On either side, the flower market fragranced the Estonian evening.
“Well, what do you think? Amazing, isn’t it?” Shaun’s friend, Joel, grinned and slapped him on the back.
“Yes, it’s great. Lovely.”
Joel raised an eyebrow.
“You could sound like you mean it, mate.” He chuckled.
Shaun sighed.
He did mean it. It was magical, beautiful.
“It is pretty amazing – romantic even. Maybe you should honeymoon here.”
Joel looked thoughtful.
“I wonder if Georgia would like it, or would she prefer a hotter destination?”
Shaun thought it would be perfect, but he didn’t say any more.
The romantic vibes the place gave off were depressing him.
He and Joel had both met girls about three years ago but, while Georgia and Joel had just got engaged, his girlfriend, Paige, had recently dumped him.
He stared ahead of him at the atmospheric street lined with shops.
A group of girls brushed past, laughing and chatting.
Shaun heard a thud and saw a purse lying on the paving stones.
“Hey, wait! Does this belong to one of you?”
They stopped and turned round, staring at him.
Then one – a brunette – broke away from the group and raced towards him.
“Oh, wow, thank you so much!” she cried. “That’s mine!
“I don’t know what I’d have done, if I’d lost it. You’re a lifesaver.”
He looked down into a pretty face and a pair of dancing dark eyes.
But the next minute the girl had retrieved her bag and disappeared with her friends.
The next day, Shaun and Joel enjoyed an Estonian lunch.
It was the second day of their trip, and they were settling in and beginning to find their way around the wonderful old city.
They’d discovered a quiet restaurant not far from their hotel, and were enjoying sampling the local dishes.
Today, Shaun had chosen kiluvõileib, a sandwich of sprats, boiled eggs and sauce on dark rye bread.
Sprats seemed to be a common fish here and the Estonians ate rye bread with everything.
Joel had tried mulgipuder, a national dish made from mashed potatoes and groat.
They had both liked having something different and they were now replete and ready to head to Toompea Castle.
“I’m looking forward to
