Rob knelt at Addie’s feet, putting his head at the same level as hers. “What did you do to your foot?” His voice was soft, warm, patient despite the rain pelting down on him.
“I stepped on a rock and lost my shoe. Does it look bad?” Addie’s voice was small.
“Let me see.” Slowly, he stretched out his arm, watching the old woman for cues that she might bolt. When he touched her naked foot, she jerked it back but otherwise showed no signs of fear.
Only then did Claire notice the gash in the bottom of Addie’s foot. How much worse could it have been if they hadn’t found her?
“Nothing a Band-Aid won’t fix,” Rob pronounced.
Claire was fairly certain he was lying. The cut looked deep enough to need stitches.
“But we need to get you home first. If you can’t walk, will you let me carry you?”
Adelaide looked at him through lowered lashes, shy. “I’m sure I’m too heavy for you.”
He laughed. “A little bird like you?”
Addie glanced up at him from under her lashes. Despite the cut, it didn’t seem to be hurting her too much. Claire couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Her heart was in her throat, and she was afraid to speak, afraid to confuse the old woman further.
She certainly couldn’t carry her, but Rob could. And he was so good with her, so kind and patient. Jane hadn’t been lying about that. This sort of thing, it wasn’t the kind of thing someone could fake.
“I suppose if youwantto carry me…”
“I can think of no greater honor,” Rob teased. He stood, scooping Adelaide into his arms as he did. She let out a squeak and wrapped her bony arms around his neck.
He turned to Claire. His thoroughly soaked shirt stuck to his body. Raindrops snaked down his face, but even the dark afternoon from the cloudy overhead sky couldn’t snuff out the brilliance of his eyes. He was calm, in control. “Are you okay making your way back to the inn on your own? I think it’s better if I run.”
“Of course,” Claire said, stepping back without thinking. She met his gaze for a moment more before he took off. Adelaide whooped, the sound almost swallowed by a fresh peal of thunder. Dimly, Claire heard her shout something about jealousy and someone named Sadie Thompson.
They were gone before Claire started to move. She couldn’t run as fast, but with the rain splattering her at every turn, she moved as quickly as she dared. She kept her eyes peeled for Addie’s other shoe but didn’t find it. She cradled the first between her hands and followed in Rob’s wake, wondering if she might have misjudged him after all.
And what had he meant when he’d said he had “experience” with dementia?
Chapter Fifteen
Rain pelted the sides of the bed-and-breakfast. Outside, flashes of lightning reflected off the wavy glass of the old windows. Thus far, the power had held, but in a house as old as Tides, Claire wasn’t holding her breath.
Everyone who had participated in the search had been contacted and accounted for. Some had gone, but a small crowd remained, clustering in the gathering room at the back of the inn, the only room big enough to accommodate that many people. Brenda had put together a platter of grapes, cheese, and crackers. It sat next to a pot of coffee on the table facing the wide windows looking out to the ocean.
Everyone’s attention was on Addie. She sat in an oversized armchair, a heavy navy striped blanket tucked around her. She looked very small, like a child being tended to by her mother, as Jane knelt at her feet to examine the cut. The first aid kit was laid out next to her, bandages and gauze scattered haphazardly and spilling over the white plastic sides.
Kneeling next to Addie, with a towel hanging around his neck, Rob held her hand and spoke to her, keeping her calm as Jane tended to her foot. His messy wet hair made him look as if he’d just stepped from the shower. Now why in the world was she having thoughts like that?
As if he could feel her gaze, Rob looked up and smiled at her. Claire smiled back before she could catch herself. Rob was very attentive to Addie and had seemed concerned about the woman, but Claire warned herself not to be fooled. It was hard to fit this facet of him against that of the ruthless bakery owner she’d built up in her head, but people often acted nice when they had ulterior motives.
Not wanting to stare at him, Claire moved to the window, popped a grape in her mouth and poured a cup of coffee. The rain was starting to let up, thankfully. Claire didn’t relish the idea of taking the Vespa back to Sandcastles. She could ask someone for a ride, but then she would have to walk back down and get it later.
She was on her third grape when a dry towel was thrust into her arms. “Here,” Rob said unceremoniously. “You look like you could use this.”
“Thank you.” She put the coffee down, wrapped the towel around her shoulders, and started drying her hair with the end.
Rob tucked his hands into his pockets, reminding her again of that fifteen-year-old boy she’d kissed decades ago. “I’m glad you made it back safely.”
“I know the beach pretty well, so it wasn’t that hard.” Had she sounded bitchy? She didn’t mean to, but she also didn’t want to encourage a friendship with the guy.
“Of course.” Rob glanced around. Jane had finished bandaging Addie and was packing up the first aid kit. “I’d better see if Jane wants my help moving Adelaide to another room.”
Claire was staring after him as a familiar feminine voice asked, “Who’s the cutie?”
