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Evanna was back at the table, rearranging salads and plates. Ryan saw the happy smile on her lips and ground his teeth. Suddenly he felt protective—Jenna ought to be able to get out and spread her wings socially without being made to feel that everything she did was being analysed and gossiped about.
He was about to intervene when Kirsty, Evanna’s six-year-old daughter, sprinted across the sand and launched herself at Lexi. ‘Lex—Lex, I want to show you my swimming.’
Ryan watched as the teenager stooped to pick the little girl up. ‘Wow. Lucky me. I can’t wait to see.’ She was a million miles from the moody, sullen teenager who had dragged her feet off the ferry a month before.
The little girl’s smile spread right across her face as she bounced in Lexi’s arms. ‘I can swim without armbands.’
‘Really? That’s cool.’
‘Watch me.’
‘Please would you watch me.’ Evanna tipped dressing from a jug onto a bowl of salad leaves. ‘Manners, Kirsty.’
‘Pleeeease—’
Lexi grinned. ‘Sure. But don’t splash me. It took me ages to get my hair straight.’ Her face suddenly turned scarlet, and Ryan glanced round and saw Fraser strolling across the sand towards them, a lopsided grin on his face.
‘Hey, if it isn’t the city girl.’ He wore his board shorts low on his hips and carried a football under his arm. ‘We were wondering when you were going to get here. You going to swim for us, Kirst?’
Ryan felt Jenna tense beside him and saw Lexi’s shoulders stiffen.
‘This is my mum—’ She waved a hand awkwardly towards Jenna. ‘This is Fraser.’
‘Hi, Fraser.’ Jenna’s voice was friendly. ‘Nice to meet you.’
‘Hi, Mrs Richards.’ With an easy smile Fraser pushed his sun-bleached hair out of his eyes and kicked the football towards his friends. ‘Evanna, is it OK if we take Kirsty swimming?’
‘You’d be doing me a favour.’ Evanna didn’t hesitate. ‘Don’t let her get her own way too often.’
With Kirsty still in her arms, Lexi slid off her shoes and walked barefoot across the sand with Fraser. Close, but not touching.
Watching Jenna sink her teeth into her lower lip, Ryan sighed. ‘Relax.’
‘Lexi isn’t old enough to have responsibility for Kirsty. I’d better follow them.’
He wondered who she was worried about—Kirsty or her own daughter.
‘She’ll be fine,’ Evanna said calmly. ‘Fraser is very responsible. The beach here is pretty safe, and Ryan can keep an eye on them—he’s the strongest swimmer round here.’ Smiling, she gave Ryan a little push. ‘Go on. You’re on lifeguard duty.’
Ryan glanced at Logan, who was expertly flipping steaks on the barbecue.
‘Your wife is a bully.’
‘I know. I love a strong, forceful woman, don’t you?’
It was a flippant remark, with no hidden meaning, but Ryan felt his jaw tighten as he considered the question. He liked a woman to be independent, yes. Strong? He had no problem with strong—he knew from experience that life dealt more blows than a boxer, so strong was probably good. But forceful? Was forceful a euphemism for selfish and singleminded? For doing absolutely what you wanted to do with no thought for anyone else? If so, then the answer was no—he didn’t like forceful women.
The question killed his mood, and he was aware that Jenna was looking at him with concern in her eyes.
‘I’ll keep you company. You made me buy a swimming costume so I might as well use it.’ She put her drink down. ‘If you’re really on lifeguard duty then you can come in the water with me. It’s so long since I swam I’m probably going to need my own personal lifeguard.’
Wanting to escape his thoughts, Ryan put his drink down next to hers. ‘All right.’
They walked across the sand and she quickened her pace to keep up with him.
‘You seem upset.’ She kept walking. ‘Is something wrong?’
Startled by her insight, Ryan frowned, his eyes on the sea, where Lexi was dangling a shrieking Kirsty in the water. ‘What could be wrong?’
