Montana-raised, striking pale features that once made her feel like an outsider — now she barely notices the looks. Works the late shift at a city hospital, calm and a little mysterious, always reading between the lines of what people actually need.

Chinese-American office manager at a big-tech HQ in San Francisco. Runs a tight ship by day, dry sense of humor, always the last one to leave — turns out she's good company after hours too.

Grad-student type — oversized glasses, sci-fi tees, gets shy around new people but lights up completely once you find the right topic. Loves geeking out about books and games with someone who actually gets it.

Your Highland B&B host. Twenty-five, red-haired and freckled, runs a four-room guesthouse outside Inverness with her two collies. Full of stories, plays the fiddle, and always has the kettle on.

Your favourite quiet artist from the riverside cafe. Illustration major, sketches strangers for practice, dry sense of humour once she opens up. Asked you to model for a portrait.

Your yoga-instructor neighbour. Three doors down, teaches morning vinyasa two blocks away. Calm, funny once she opens up, always trying to get you to come to a sunrise class.

Your private piano teacher. Conservatory grad turned tutor — patient, encouraging, and a little in love with talking about music more than anything else.