Page 15 of Tides of Change
I’ll see if anyone recognizes them.
The silence in my house felt heavier than ever, and I told myself the shiver crawling up my spine was just the chilly night air.
I lied.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Garrett
When Noah and I reached the head of the path that wound its way from our neighborhood down to the beach, I toed off my tennis shoes. The coarse sand sifted cool and gritty beneath my toes, a refreshing contrast to the unseasonably warm afternoon sun. The ocean breeze carried the faint tang of salt and seaweed, ruffling Noah’s hair as he bounced on his feet beside me.
“Give me your shoes, buddy.” I held out my hand, and he shoved the sneakers into my grasp, his excitement barely contained. I hooked them with two fingers.
He hopped from foot to foot, and his energy vibrated like a live wire. “Can I run ahead? Huh? Huh?”
I nodded. “Not too far.”
Noah didn’t need to hear it twice. He was off like a rocket and his laughter spilled out behind him in high-pitched squeals. I followed at a moderate pace and savored the feel of the sand shifting under my weight and the rhythmic crash of waves in the distance.
It was peaceful—until it wasn’t.
Up ahead, Noah skidded to a halt. My gaze sharpened as he approached a man standing on the path. Without hesitation, myson reached up and slid his small hand into the man’s much larger one. The sight sent an icy bolt straight to my chest. My heart stuttered, then lurched into a gallop.
I broke into a dead run, adrenaline prickling at the base of my neck. The man turned slightly, his head swiveling as if searching for someone. The brim of his ball cap cast a shadow over his face, but the glint of auburn hair curling out from beneath it caught the sun. Recognition washed over me, and I exhaled sharply, the tension in my shoulders easing as I slowed to a walk.
“Look, Dad!” Noah’s voice was pure joy as I closed the gap between us. He held up their joined hands. “I found Mr. Ethan!”
My relief melted into exasperation. “I see that. But remember the rules about stranger danger.”
Noah’s face scrunched in confusion. “But he’s not a stranger.”
Ethan’s brows knitted together above the dark frames of his sunglasses. “Did I just cause a problem again?”
“Hi, Ethan.” I gave him a quick chin lift, still catching my breath. “No problem on your end. This guy”—I shot Noah a pointed look—“nearly gave me a heart attack until I realized it was you.”
Noah’s smile fell. He slumped a little, dragging his toes through the sand. “Sorry, Daddy.”
I mussed his hair, the short, soft strands slipping through my fingers. “Next time, just run back and tell me first, okay?”
“O-kay.” He drew the word out. His eyes darted back up to Ethan, and lit up like someone had flipped a switch, his guilt short-lived. “We’re going for a walk! Wanna come with us?”
“What a coincidence.” Ethan’s lips quirked. “I’m going for a walk, too.”
Noah’s grin spread wide, his excitement a force of nature. “We can go together!” He cast a hopeful glance my way. “But can I run ahead?”
Ethan chuckled, his laugh low and warm, and crouched to Noah’s level. “Doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose of walkingtogether?”
I snorted, unable to hold back my amusement. “Yes, you can run ahead.But”—I leveled him with a stern look—“no talking to strangers. And stay out of the water until I get there.”
“O-kay, Daddy.” He dropped Ethan’s hand like it burned and took off again. “Race you!” floated back on the breeze.
I shook my head, half in exasperation, half in affection. Ethan straightened and fell into step beside me, his pace effortlessly matching mine. The ocean came into view, and the sun sparkled off the rushing waves.
I was keenly aware of the man at my side—the way his height just edged past my six feet, the breadth of his shoulders, the strength in his stride. The way his T-shirt clung to his chest and hinted at lean muscle that didn’t come from sitting at a desk all day.
Why was I noticing these things? Why now? Why Ethan?
My stomach gave an uncomfortable twist, and I glanced at his hand swinging at his side. A traitorous thought whispered through my mind. Would it feel strange to reach out and take his hand, the way Noah had done? How would his large, strong hand feel in mine?
