Page 55 of The Christmas Holiday
‘I bet he’s making a thorough job of the selection process,’ Hunter quipped and Liv flicked water at him.
‘You’re so unromantic.’
‘Not at all. I just recognise a guy after a no-strings deal when I see one – no matter how wholesome he looks.’
‘I think you’re wrong,’ Liv protested.
‘I guess we’ll find out. He already asked Mia out.’
Liv’s eyes widened.‘He did? Are you going to go?’
To be honest, I’d decided I wasn’t, and had been busily forming a kind refusal to give Marty once we were back on shore, but something about Hunter’s comment was niggling at me. I knew he didn’t expect me to take Marty up on his offer. Just as he hadn’t expected me to go ahead with the kayaking this morning.
‘Yes,’ I found myself saying, ‘I think I might.’
I felt Hunter’s eyes on me, but kept mine on the manatee that had gently bumped our boat and was now swimming around us.
‘Come on, guys!’ Marty’s voice travelled back down the river. ‘Keep up! Plenty more to see.’
‘I bet,’ Hunter mumbled to Sandy. Liv rolled her eyes at him and purposely splashed him in the face as she paddled off.
He pulled his T-shirt hem up, drying off the drips.
‘Ready?’ I asked.
He met my gaze and nodded before turning back and falling into the same rhythmic stroke.
Two hours later we were back at the shore, giving one last big push to get us up on dry land. A guy from the crew bent over the end of our kayak to give it a heft but, with Hunter’s weight still in it, it didn’t really go all that far. He stepped out and helped the man yank theboat further up the beach, ready for me to get out. Relieving ourselves of our lifejackets, we began heading back towards the hire car Hunter had driven us from the hotel in.
‘Mia?’ Marty caught us up. His eyes flicked to the others momentarily. ‘I just wondered if you meant what you said, about dinner?’
‘Of course she did!’ Liv answered before I even opened my mouth. I blinked at herand she tipped her head at me in a “what?” gesture.
‘Great!’ Marty replied, clearly thrown for a moment as to which woman to address. ‘Shall I pick you up at your hotel?’
‘She’ll meet you at the restaurant,’ Hunter stated.
I threw up my hands. ‘Bloody hell! It’s like dating by committee!’
Liv laughed and squeezed my arm but Hunter remained serious. ‘You don’t know him from Adam.You’re not getting in a car alone with him.’
‘Hunter. Please don’t tell me what I am and am not going to do! I’m quite capable of making my own decisions.’
He glared at me and I glared right back.
‘No, he’s right.’ Marty broke the silence. ‘I didn’t think. I… don’t tend to date a lot outside my home town and everyone kind of knows each other there. How about I meet you at the restaurantat seven-thirty tonight? Would that be OK?’
‘That sounds perfect, thank you.’
‘Wait… I’ve got a card here for the restaurant.’ Marty pulled out some papers and a beaten-up card for a restaurant from his pocket. ‘Here you go. Best shrimp in town!’ His smile was so cheery I didn’t have the heart to tell him I was allergic to prawns.
Liv leaned over and squinted at the card. ‘Elmer’sFish Shack. That sounds… delightful!’ She gave Marty one of her winning smiles and then looked at the delicate Rolex on her wrist. ‘Gosh! Look at the time. We really ought to be going. Thank you so much for your services today. We’ve had a wonderful time.’ She shook his hand and Hunter and Sandeep did the same. When I went to shake his hand myself, Marty held it a little longer.
‘I’m reallylooking forward to tonight, Mia.’
‘Yes. Me too. I’ll see you at seven-thirty then.’
‘You sure will.’
