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‘Ooh, yes.’ Turning the wheel slightly, she corrected their course as the river wound around a bend.
‘I’ll grab it.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Here you go. I’ll take that.’ Passing her the phone, he took the wheel as she slid out of the seat.
‘Thanks.’ She held the phone to her ear as she walked to the other seat. ‘Hello? Right... Okay... Really? Thank you for letting me know.’
‘Is everything okay?’ Looking across at her, Max frowned.
Brooke tapped her mobile against the palm of her hand. ‘Someone put an offer in on my gran’s house this afternoon. That was the estate agent; they’ve been trying to get hold of me.’
‘Right.’ With one hand on the wheel, he reached over and took hers. ‘Isn’t that a good thing?’
‘Yes. Yes, it is.’ She slumped into the seat. ‘It was up for sale.’
‘You don’t look as though it’s a good thing.’ He rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand.
Lowering her mobile to the shelf, she rubbed her eyes. ‘It’s just... I don’t know. It’s my gran’s place. The house my granddad renovated after they’d married. My childhood home.’
‘Oh, Brooke. Come over here.’ Max ushered her towards him.
Standing up, she walked across to him. Had it been a mistake to put the house up for sale? Should she have at least waited a while? Given herself time to get used to the idea?
Patting his knee, he waited for her to perch before wrapping one arm around her.
Holding his hand around her middle with one hand, she used the other to wipe her tears again. ‘I don’t even know why I’m crying. I knew this day would come. I was the one who literally put it up for sale. What did I expect to happen?’ She laughed, the sound hollow and empty.
‘It’s a tricky time. It was never going to be easy. These things never are.’
‘I know. Sorry, you probably went through this with your parent’s house too.’
‘I did, but I had my sister to help me through it.’
Holding her hand to her mouth, she sobbed. She was the only one left in her family. Well, the only family she knew, anyway. ‘I used to daydream about my dad turning up in my life and telling me I had a sister or brother. Stupid, isn’t it? I’m not even sure my mum told him she was pregnant.’
‘It’s not stupid. It’s natural.’
‘I always felt so guilty for thinking about him, though, for imagining what my life would be if he turned up. Not that I ever wanted to go and live with him. I was happy with my grandparents. That never even crossed my mind, but I still felt guilty for imagining what my life would be with a dad, with siblings. I felt as though daydreaming about it suggested I thought my grandparents weren’t enough. And they were. They were more than enough. More than any kid could wish for.’
‘I’m sure they wouldn’t have thought of it like that.’
Brooke nodded. ‘I know.’ She wiped the pads of her thumbs across her cheeks.
‘Shall we head back? We could go for a walk along the beach and have a proper talk instead of trying to navigate the river at the same time?’
Nodding, she sighed. ‘Do you mind?’
‘Not at all. This has been nice, but it’s time we got back on solid ground.’ He kissed the back of her head.
––––––––
BROOKE DUG THE TIPSof her fingers into the sand again and raked the minuscule grains towards her. ‘I’ve just realised that I’m about to become homeless too.’ She looked towards the ocean. The full moon illuminated the water. ‘Obviously, I’d known I would when I put the house on the market. I’d just assumed it would take a while to sell, and I’d at least have got another job.’
‘Things have a way of working out.’ Max shifted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
‘I don’t see how.’
