Page 3 of Winter at Wishington Bay
‘He had a good run. I run and he keeps up. Astonishingly.’
I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if he didn’t. ‘That’s lucky.’
Nate gave a small head tilt, an action that reminded me of his brother. ‘I would have slowed if he couldn’t. Don’t worry. I have no plans to abandon him on the beach.’
‘I didn’t think for a moment you would!’ I tried to laugh it off but knew the tinge of pink on my face probably wasn’t helping my cause.
‘My life wouldn’t be worth living if anything happened to him.’
‘No, he does mean the world to Gabe, and Holly too now, of course,’ I said, as I released a clearly still snoozy Bryan back to the floor whereupon he toddled back to his bed, pulled Petey Prawn closer with one paw and laid his head on him, sleepily watching us.
In response to my reply, Nate merely gave another of those short annoying nods that seemed designed to cut off all conversation and we stood there awkwardly for a second.
‘Is there anything you need?’ Frankly, I just wanted to leave now. Nate clearly didn’t want any company other than that of the little dog, but Gabe had made me promise to keep an eye on his brother. Nate might be the eldest, but it was obvious Gabe had concerns about him, knowing he was going through a tough time.
‘Need?’ Nate frowned.
‘Yes,’ I shifted my weight and tried not to show my impatience. It wasn’t exactly a hard question. ‘Food, supplies, anything?’
He shook his head. ‘Nope. I’m good.’
Thank you?I smiled tightly.
‘Thank you,’ he added, causing the pink tinge to once again flush on my cheeks. Growing up, I’d always been lauded for my peaches and cream complexion, but the truth was, it gave me away far more than I’d have liked.
For a moment I thought I saw a flicker of a smile hover on Nate McKinley’s features but an instant later that impenetrable expression was back and I concluded it must have just been a trick of the light from the low sun flooding in through the wall of glass doors Holly had had fitted to make the most of the view onto the beach.
‘Right. I’ll be going, then. Enjoy your day.’
He gave a small shrug, nodding towards the open laptop on the table.
‘Oh. I see. Well, at least you’re getting out with Bryan on the beach. That’s good. And there are plenty of places to explore round here, even in the off season,’ I added, keeping my promise to Gabe who was worried his brother may just hunker in and write. I knew that Gabe’s hope was that Nate would – at the risk of sounding a bit new agey – spend some time rediscovering himself.
From what I’d heard, his wife had been pretty high maintenance, but Nate had been well and truly smitten. But without give and take, any relationship is heading for stormy waters, and Nate gave everything according to Gabe, whose normally smiling mouth had been set in a thin line when he’d explained. But he wasn’t going to discover much about himself sitting in front of a screen for the next couple of months. I had the distinct feeling that Nate really did want to be left alone but I’d made a promise to people I cared about.
Nate looked back at me.
‘I mean, I can show you some if you like. Take you to some places that have become favourites for me since I moved here.’
His intense blue eyes were fixed on me for a few moments, the silence broken only by the quiet ticking of the kitchen clock and Bryan’s soft snores.
And then he smiled. But it wasn’t a proper smile. It was tight and awkward and the sort of smile you’re given the moment before you’re told you’re fired. Or dumped. Admittedly, I’d not had a lot of experience of the first – at least not as the ‘firee’, but I’d certainly been dumped a few times and I had a strange feeling I was about to get so again. By someone I wasn’t even dating!
‘Sophia.’
I tilted my head in question, mirroring his earlier action.
‘I’m sure you’re a really nice woman…’
Where was he going with this?
‘Umm… I try.’
He shifted position, and for the first time since I’d met him, he didn’t look as in control or collected. Clearing his throat, he started again.
‘I know my brother’s been worried about me, and while I appreciate his and Holly’s offer for me to come here and… any other arrangements they might have made—’
I drew myself up, feeling every muscle within me tighten, my voice cutting across his. ‘They haven’t made any “arrangements” with me!’ I knew the colour was back in my face, but right now I didn’t care. I was more concerned that Nate McKinley seemed to think I may have some sort of side business going, and I didn’t particularly appreciate the suggestion.
