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To cover up what felt like an awkward moment she tugged off her T-shirt and her shorts and jumped without giving herself time to think about what she was doing.
She hit the water hard and sank under the surface. Sound was muffled, something soft brushed against her leg and she wanted to scream, except that then she’d drown and also screaming was for babies. She didn’t want Aiden to think she was a baby.
She surfaced, gasping and he pulled her toward the dock.
“Refreshing, right?”
“That’s not the word that almost came out of my mouth.” She swiped her face with her palm, clearing her vision. “Something is stroking my leg.”
“My hands are both visible.”
“That’s what’s worrying me.”
“Quit worrying. The wildlife here is friendly.” He tugged her toward him. She could feel his thigh brush against hers. Solid. Strong. “I’m glad you’re here, Izz.” The look in his eyes made her heart thump a little harder.
“You mean here in this water?” She knew he didn’t mean that, but she needed to hear him say it. It embarrassed her that she’d become so needy.
“I mean here in my home. With me.” He lifted his hand to her face, rubbing away droplets of water with his thumb. It made her shiver, but not because she was cold. She clutched his arms, feeling the swell of his biceps under her fingers. His skin was cold from the water, but all she felt was heat. Searing heat.
For the first time in months she was thinking of nothing but him. Aiden. All the rest of it faded. The anxiety and the anger. The misery and the confusion. All that was left was excitement. That delicious feeling in the pit of her stomach and low in her pelvis. She didn’t care whether this was love or not, because she wasn’t even sure what love was anyway. All she knew was that being this close to him was electrifying. Had it felt this way last time? No, she didn’t think so. Maybe her dad and Molly weren’t the only ones changing.
She pressed her lips to his damp skin. “I’m glad I’m here, too.”
12
Flora
What was she supposed to wear?
She was a child again, confused and alone, desperate to make a good impression.
It wasn’t that Clare hadn’t been polite—she had been perfectly civil—but civil wasn’t warm, was it? Civil wasn’t enthusiastic. It was a mark of good manners. There was little worse than being tolerated, and she knew that right now she was being tolerated for Jack’s sake.
All the power she’d felt when she’d confronted Celia had drained away. This was different. This mattered.
She heard Jack’s laughter through the open window as he chatted easily with his friends and she stepped closer, staying out of sight as she watched him. He was entirely comfortable with these people, and it hadn’t occurred to him that she might not be.
He was standing, beer in his hand, laughing and talking to a man who had his back to her. Todd, presumably. Todd, who had no doubt adored Becca.
And there, shimmering in the sunlight at the end of a long sweep of grass, was the lake.
Flora felt the stirrings of panic lodge in her throat.
Should she say something? Should she tell them? No. It would mean talking about something she didn’t want to talk about.
There were plenty of other activities on offer here. There was no need for her to go on, or even near, the lake.
Molly was playing with Chase, their antics producing a symphony of barks and girlish giggles. Flora found herself smiling as she watched them. They were having so much fun.
It was such a contrast to the cold, sterile life she’d had with her aunt that for a moment Flora struggled to breathe. This was the type of home most people dreamed of having. It wasn’t about the surroundings, although the place was idyllic, it was the feeling of love. She watched as Clare wiped Molly’s hands before giving her an ice cream. She was an attentive, engaged mother and she reminded Flora of her own mother.
To distract herself, she glanced across the garden.
There was no sign of either Izzy or Aiden, but no one seemed concerned about that.
Flora was concerned. She was worried about Izzy and had tried raising it with Jack a couple of times, but he hadn’t seemed worried at all. Their relationship was going so well, she didn’t want to threaten it by overstepping. She wasn’t his wife. She wasn’t the girls’ mother. There was nothing formal about their relationship. She didn’t have a role, and yet she felt responsibility.
As she stood there, still wearing the robe Clare had thoughtfully left out for her, Jack saw her and smiled and raised a hand. Todd turned, glanced up at the window where Flora had thought she’d managed to hide, and waved, too. She had no choice but to wave back.
