AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Perhaps Dani was more like her than she’d realised.
“You had an amazing career. Not many people last that long. But I’m sorry to hear about your wife.”
“Thank you.”
“I didn’t know. I wish I’d realised. I would’ve sent you something. That must’ve been hard on you.”
He nodded. “It was. We never had children—she got sick too young. She spent years fighting for her life. I thought everyone in Australia knew what’d happened.”
“I don’t read magazines or watch the news. I haven’t since Dani was born. At first, it was because I was too busy, and then it was because I didn’t want the kids seeing it, then I never went back to it because I didn’t want the drama or anxiety.”
“That makes sense. I’ll have to try it myself. So much negativity in the media these days. Anyway, she died of breast cancer, and after she passed, I had to get out of there and go somewhere else.” He threw for the dog again, a beautiful Golden Retriever who couldn’t take his eyes off the stick and had no time for Bea. The dog launched into the ocean, sending salt water spraying in every direction. “I missed the island, and I saw there was an opening for a PE teacher. The principal let me start while I was studying part-time for my qualifications, since she knew me. And I’m still there three years later.”
“Wow. Well, good for you — changing careers, overcoming grief, moving… You’ve navigated a lot.”
She pushed her hands into the pockets of her shorts and kicked at the sand with one toe. The silence between them was awkward, full of all the things they hadn’t said, all the goodbyes that were never quite right. He’d left before they had a chance to work out their future together. Their relationship had ended by default, with no closure. She’d been heartbroken at the time, but it was before email and social media. There’d been no way to get in touch with him. He’d left her behind, and she’d never quite recovered from it. But so much time had passed now that it was meaningless to say anything.
“I suppose I should get back,” she said instead of the words that were piling up at the back of her throat. “Dad and Dani will be waiting for me.”
“I see your father around town sometimes.”
“Really? He never mentioned you were back.”
“Probably doesn’t want you to know,” Aidan replied with a wink. “I’m the bad boy, remember?”
She laughed, her cheeks flushing. Her father had never liked Aidan. Thought he would break her heart. Turned out he was right about that.
“Not a bad boy exactly. Only bad for me.”
“I guess the old guy was smarter than we realised.”
Bea squinted to look more closely at Aidan’s face and found him watching her with curiosity and warmth in his eyes. She looked away. “I guess so.”
“And Dani is your daughter?”
“That’s right. She turned twenty this year, if you can believe it.”
He gaped. “Wow. That went quickly.”
“It sure did. I have a son as well. Harry is eighteen.”
“You’ve been busy, then.”
“Very busy. I suppose I’ll see you around the place,” she said, stepping away in the direction of the cove.
“You’re staying on the island?” He tented a hand over his eyes to watch her leave.
“For a while. Where are you living?”
“In the unit behind Mum and Dad’s house. Do you remember it?”
She could picture it vividly. An impression of the two of them entwined on a couch sprang into her thoughts, and she blushed. “Oh, yeah. That place was great. So close to the beach.”
“I like it,” he said. “I’m building a house at Point Prospect. I move in next week.”
“It’s so beautiful there. I haven’t seen it in years, but from what I recall, it’s very picturesque.”
“The community has grown a little, but still nice and quiet. Anyway, I’ll see you about town, then. Glad we ran into each other.”
