Page 17 of Coming Home to Sturcombe Bay
“They’re five years old — it’s in the job description.”
“She’s lovely, your little girl.”
He smiled, pride and pleasure clearly written on his face. “She can be a little minx.”
“I’m sure.”
“I’m sorry about her pestering you earlier. That tattoo . . . I really shouldn’t have spoken so sharply. It was really rather funny. It’s just . . . I worry. I don’t want her to get spoiled.”
Cassie laughed, shaking her head. “I don’t think there’s much danger of that. She’s adorable. And it’s really no trouble. I’ll be happy to do it. I sometimes used to do face painting for the kids at Kalagooly. I won’t use face paints, though — you can’t get the fine lines, and it’d probably rub off too quickly. Felt-tip pens would be better.”
“Right.”
Oh, that smile . . . It could still do funny things to her insides, even after all these years.
“Kalagooly? That was where you worked?”
“Uh-huh. It’s in Queensland, not far from Straddie Island — Stradbroke Island. It’s a fabulous place. It’s got some of the best surfing in the world, and it’s close to the Great Barrier Reef. I worked there for three years.”
“Why did you leave?”
“My visa was running out, so I moved to New Zealand.”
“Oh.” He glanced down at the tattoo on her shoulder. “That’s pretty. Does it represent something special?”
“Of course.” She laughed, her eyes dancing. “All Maori tattoos represent something special. This is a poroporo flower, which represents staying rooted to the earth, and the feather represents flying high.”
He quirked one dark eyebrow. “Sounds like a bit of a contradiction.”
“Of course. I’m a Gemini — I’m full of contradictions.”
Liam watched Cassie as she skipped away up the beach and flopped down on the blanket beside her sister. She’d changed. Well, that wasn’t surprising, after ten years. As a teenager she’dbeen bright, sparkling, eager for life. Now she seemed more . . . grounded, comfortable in her own skin. Though the sparkle was still there.
Contradictions — the flower and the feather.
Lisa was putting sun cream on the children. When that task was finished, with much wriggling and giggling, they went off to review the work on their sandcastle and add a few more strategic fortifications.
Cassie had taken the sun cream and was spreading it on those long, elegant legs. Liam sat down beside her, watching her discreetly. Memories were swirling through his head, mingling with the image of her he saw now, and he didn’t know what to make of it all.
Hobo had come over to check if he had any treats for him. He snaffled the proffered biscuit, then turned his attention to Cassie. She held out her hand for him to sniff. Apparently, he approved, moving in closer to sniff her neck. Then with a contented sigh he lay down, his head on her lap.
Liam laughed. “He likes you.”
“He’s cute.” She stroked the dog’s whiskery grey head and scritched the magic spot behind his ear. “How did he lose his leg?”
Liam frowned sharply. “He caught it on a piece of barbed wire. It was the sort of minor injury that could have been dealt with in moments — a couple of stitches and a course of antibiotics. Unfortunately, his owner neglected it and it became infected, to the point where the infection spread to the bone and he developed sepsis. By then the only option was to amputate.”
“Oh, poor Hobo.” The dog recognised her tone and lifted his head, his liquid-brown eyes playing up to the sympathy — possibly in the hope of another treat. “What a brave boy you are.” She kissed his nose. “It doesn’t seem to bother him, though, only having three legs.”
He laughed again. “He’s too dumb to count them.”
Her eyes sparkled with amusement, and Liam felt an odd little tug in his gut. The lively teenager he had known ten years ago had grown into a very attractive woman.
“Hello everyone.”
“Debbie! Lovely to see you.”
Cassie scrambled to her feet as her old friend, Amy’s mum, came down the middle steps. Debbie was small and dainty, like her daughter, with soft brown curls and soft brown eyes. She and her mother ran the CupCake Café up on the Esplanade. It was always popular with the locals as well as the holidaymakers for its wonderful home-made cakes and scones.
