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Beside him, was David. They hadn’t spoken after dinner last night, and, for the first time since he’d arrived, they spent the night apart.
One night, and how she needed him. Her throat felt dry as she stared up at him now.
“Maxie,” she dragged her attention back to the little boy. “Haven’t I told you not to shout down the house?”
He grinned, in that same, charming, lopsided fashion his father had. “Sorry, mum. Hey, David and me are going to explore. Want to come?”
“David and I,” she corrected automatically. She looked at David, and he seemed almost as enthusiastic as Maxie. She thought of the website she was painstakingly redeveloping, and how far behind she was with the copy for it, and then looked outside at the perfect, crisp winter’s morning. The sun was shining weakly, the sky was blue, and the whole ground sparkled after a night of rain. “Sure. I’ll come. Just give me a minute to get ready.”
She kept her gaze averted from David as she made her way up the stairs. Her heart was pounding though. She regretted what she’d said to him the day before. He had obviously gone through something, but that had nothing to do with why she wanted to keep her distance. She was already so head over heels in love with him, she knew saying goodbye was going to be impossible. If he got any more perfect, she wasn’t sure how she’d cope. And, if she was completely honest with herself, part of what she loved about him was the element of darkness she sometimes felt emanating from him. She trusted him completely. She’d trust him with her life, and Maxie’s too. But he was no simple, happy, easygoing man. He was interesting and flawed and just thinking about him now made her weak at the knees.
She felt it, that bone-melting desire, as they set off that morning, all the way past town and towards the marina. The cove was dotted with colorful little fishing boats, some green, some blue, with peeling paint and little red roofs.
“The stormy nights always stirs up the fish,” Katie said conversationally, keeping her pace up to walk beside David. Maxie had scampered off ahead to talk to one of his friends from school, who was dropping a line in from the jetty.
“Do you fish?” He responded in kind, by silent agreement keeping things light.
“No!” She laughed. “I can’t stand the smell, to be perfectly honest.”
“Funny that yo
u’re so happy in such a famous fishing village.”
“Oh, cooked fish I’m fine with. It’s just the salt and the scales and the fish guts, and the bait… it makes me squirm.”
His laugh was deep and rich. “I can’t imagine you being squeamish, Katie!”
“Everyone has to have a fault,” she joked, turning and smiling at him. The air between them zapped with awareness.
“It’s not such a bad one,” he answered earnestly, squeezing her hand so quickly she almost doubted he’d touched her.
“Well,” she said conspiratorially, “I have another.”
“Oh dear. What is it? Or don’t I want to know?”
“I have a fondness for blues music.”
“Blues music. Well, that’s not a fault at all.”
She scrunched her nose. “It is according to Maxie. He begs me not to play it when he has friends around.”
“On this one, I’m afraid I take your side.”
She grinned. “I’m glad to have an ally.”
Maxie appeared between them. “Hey, mum, David. Pete’s dad’s got a spot on his boat and he’s asked me to go out with him. They’re just going for an hour or so. Can I? Can I?”
Katie looked in the direction of Samuel Smith, who waved a hand through the air in greeting. Maxie had been out with them plenty of times in the Summer and she had no doubts about Samuel’s safety record and diligence. “Sure, Maxie. Just make sure you’re wearing a life jacket at all times and do everything Samuel asks. Be a good boy.”
“Always, mummy.”
Katie squeezed him and placed a quick kiss on the top of his head, then watched as he ran back towards the boat.
“You’re a great mother.” Marcus said with genuine admiration.
“Thanks. Some days I’m not so sure. But I do the best I can.”
“Nah. You can tell just be spending time with Maxie, seeing what a great kid he is, that it’s all down to you.” The accusation hung heavy in the air and so he spoke it aloud. “And obviously not his dropkick father.”
