Page 104 of The Best Thing He Never Wanted

“Disgruntled?” His eyebrows lifted.

“You know what I mean. When I came out—before I came out, even—you weren’t happy about something.”

“I wasn’t unhappy, darlin’. I was thinking you could use a pool out here, and there’s room for one.”

She looked around and laughed. “I suppose there is, but it never crossed my mind.” She looked up at him. “Oh dear, are you wishing you’d stayed in that ridiculous villa Cash booked for you? You would have had a pool to swim in every day there.”

He scowled at her. “You know better than that. I just thought you’d enjoy having a pool.”

“Well, I suppose I would, but…” She lifted a shoulder. “I don’t need one. I’m sure it would be lovely to have a pool, but that was never part of the plan.” She looked up into his eyes. “Now you’ve planted the seed in my mind, I’ll probably think about it sometimes and miss what I’ll never have.” She swallowed, realizing she wasn’t talking about the pool anymore.

His face—and the rest of him—went completely still. He knew what she meant.

“But anyway.” She summoned a bright smile. “Do you feel like risking life and limb and coming out on the road with me again? Apparently, my lawyer has some papers for me, and he’d rather I pick them up. His office is only in Spili. We could stop by and then go for another drive, perhaps head down south.”

His expression didn’t change for a moment, as though he was taking the time to let go of what they hadn’t been talking about—what they were deliberately not talking about—and catch up with what they were.

After a moment, he nodded. “Sure. Let’s do that.”

When they arrived at her lawyer’s office, he’d apparently taken himself off to lunch. Bea had emailed to say that she was coming, but she supposed there was no reason for him to make himself available just to hand over an envelope. His receptionist could do that just as easily, and she did.

Once they were back in the little SUV, which she was rather enjoying driving, Blane glanced over as she put her handbag in the back.

“You don’t have to open it now?”

“Not immediately, no. I’m sure it’s just one more document that needs to go in the enormous file of pieces of paper that are apparently absolutely crucial when you buy a house here, but as soon as someone has been paid to stamp them, they never matter again.”

He pursed his lips.

She reached for her bag again. “I can get it out and open it if it worries you.”

“No. Damn, Bea, that’s not what I meant. If I was scowling, it was because of the way bureaucracy works. Never did have much time for it.”

“No, exactly. That’s why the letter really doesn’t matter. Not for now, anyway.” She turned to smile at him. “And I was thinking, would you mind horribly if we went back to Plakias? I’d love to get some of those little candles we saw in that one shop. Then, if we drive a little farther along, there’s a lovely little fish taverna down by the water. Much quieter than the place we went to last time—or I hope it will be.”

“Sounds good to me. I want to try that sea bream you had. It looked really good.”

She laughed. “So I’m finally converting you to fish and chips, am I?”

He smiled through pursed lips. “I don’t need fries with it. Or even your chips.”

She found she was much more relaxed driving today. Apparently, Blane was right; it didn’t take much getting used to. It just needed doing.

She glanced over at him. He seemed more relaxed today as well, staring thoughtfully out of the window, and her smile faded as she wondered if he was thinking the same thing she was—that she might be absolutely fine driving by herself, but it wouldn’t be the same next week, not when she had to drive without him in the passenger seat.

She patted the steering wheel, then realized with a pang that she wouldn’t be driving this little thing either. As small as Blane kept saying it was, it was more than big enough for what she needed.

Blane let out a huff. “Are you patting it for doing a good job or slapping it for misbehaving?”

She laughed. She hadn’t even realized she was doing it. “Good job. It’s put up with me figuring things out, and it’s very sure-footed when you think about it.”

He narrowed his eyes at her.

“Oh, go on. You have to admit it. It’s a lovely little vehicle, and I’ve grown rather attached to it. I think you have too, even though you’ll never admit it.”

She turned her attention back to the road, but after a few moments he said, “Tell you the truth, I have grown attached to it. It is a good little vehicle.”

She glanced over, and he smiled.