rolled his eyes at her, then shifted Piper from between his legs to sit in the shallow pool and stood up easily. He leant down to offer her his hand. ‘Piper’s hungry. I should feed her too.’
She barely heard him. His so casually offered fingers were a stumbling block and she hesitated. Piper splashed and she knew she was holding them up. Reluctantly she put out her hand to his and his strong brown fingers closed over hers to lift her smoothly. Way too easily. But the touch of his fingers on hers created such a vibration between them that their eyes met. One pair as startled as the other.
When she was standing he let go quickly and bent down to hoist his daughter into his arms. His face stayed hidden as he tickled her and Trina straightened her own shocked features into a mask of politeness as Piper giggled.
‘Well,’ she said awkwardly, still rocked by the frisson of awareness that had warmed her whole hand. Her whole arm really. ‘Thanks for the swim.’
‘Can we walk back with you?’
No, she thought. ‘Of course,’ she said. And resisted the urge to hold her tingling hand in the other. She bent down and picked up her sandals and mask, slung her towel over her shoulder and resolutely faced the bay until they began walking beside her.
‘Would you like to have lunch with us?’
No, she thought. I can’t. I don’t know what I’m feeling and it’s making me more nervous than scuba diving ever did. But that was the idea of these new challenges. To challenge things that seemed daunting. And Finn was safe. It took her a long time to answer but strangely she didn’t feel pressured to make that snap decision. So she thought about it some more. It was just an impromptu lunch. And Piper made it much easier than if there were just the two of them. ‘Okay. Where?’
‘How about the beach shop? They have a closed-in play area that Piper loves to crawl around. It’s shady and the breeze is always good there.’
‘Sounds easy. But how about I meet you there? I didn’t bring my purse. I can just run up to the croft and get it.’
He looked a little crestfallen. ‘Piper may not last that long. She’s nearly ready for her sleep. I could shout you. You could pay for ice creams or something next time?’
Next time? They hadn’t tried this time yet. This was all happening way too fast. And wasn’t he having as much trouble as she was, putting a toe in the water of opposite sex conversation? Panic built like a wave rising from the ocean to her left. She tried to ride it and not be dumped.
He must have seen the indecision on her face because his features softened in understanding. ‘It’s okay. We can do a rain-check for another day.’
Disappointment dipped in her stomach. Did she want that? Why was everything so hard? ‘No. Let’s not. Thank you. I’ll just buy the next one, if that’s okay. A quick bite would be nice with company.’
They sat under the umbrellas and watched Piper play with a stand of coloured balls, then crawl importantly to steer a pretend ship with a bright blue Captain’s wheel. Every time the conversation flagged, Piper sparked a new discussion with some cute little parody of life in her determination to experience all that the colourful play area offered.
Trina could do with her enthusiasm. Considered that fact. ‘Babies should be compulsory on all outings. You could watch her all day.’
Finn laughed. Then, more seriously, said, ‘I do. She keeps me sane. Makes me get out of bed in the morning.’
Trina knew that feeling. ‘Well, you’ve certainly been busy since you got here. Your cottage is pretty in pink.’
‘Piper chose the colour,’ he said and then looked at her as if expecting her to laugh.
‘So she’s a pink girl. I can believe that. It looks good on her.’ Trina rested her cheek on her hand to watch his face, trying to understand why he should be so wary. ‘How did you get her to choose?’
‘I gave her swatches. I was hoping for blue but she took the pink every time.’
Too funny. Trina laughed. ‘Great idea. I can see that too.’ She looked at his face and his beautiful smile. She shook her head. ‘Her decision. You were stuck with it. Nothing you can do about that, then.’
He shrugged, his expression light and relaxed. It made her warm that he could be that way around her. ‘I’m used to it now. I’ve been learning to be a handyman. And quite enjoying the challenge.’
Handyman. Or woman. The bane of her life. She rolled her eyes. ‘Boy, have I had some repair challenges in the last two years? I’ve had to learn that too. Maybe I should paint my croft. Just yesterday I was thinking it looks very dark inside.’ She shut her mouth. Now, why did she say that? Almost an invitation for help.
Finn’s voice was light—lighter than her thoughts. ‘I can send Piper up if you like. To talk colours with you.’
Trina felt herself relax. He got it. Her expression had probably telegraphed the message that she’d regretted being so open. ‘I might take you up on that one day.’ She could hear the relief in her voice. Hoped he couldn’t.
They’d finished their roast beef sandwiches and iced coffee and Trina desperately needed some distance to think about the morning with Finn but the moment passed.
A commotion at the next table made them both turn. A woman had overturned her chair and the crash turned every head her way. She shook a small child hysterically. ‘Spit it out. Come on.’ She glanced around wildly. ‘He swallowed a button.’
The child gasped weakly, tried to cry and couldn’t find enough air to do so as he gulped and coughed. His face was tinged an alarming shade of blue as his mouth quivered.
Finn rose from their table and crossed the space in two strides. ‘May I? I’m a doctor.’ He didn’t wait long.
The woman sagged, nodded and, sobbing in panic, watched as Finn took the child from her. Trina had followed him and righted the woman’s chair and urged her back into it. Finn was a doctor. Wow. He’d said he wasn’t a vet.
Finn sank into the nearest seat and lay the little boy, head down, across his knees and patted his mid back firmly in slow pats.
Trina leaned towards him. ‘Can I help?’
Finn shook his head and concentrated on the boy. He patted again, then tipped him further. ‘Come on now, mate. Everything is fine. Cough it up.’
To Trina’s relief a sudden plop heralded the arrival of the button as it flew out onto the floor, initiating a collective sigh of relief from the entire café. And her. Wow. Calmness is us.
Finn righted the little boy and gave him a reassuring squeeze. Then he stood up with the exhausted child in his arms and passed him to his mother as if nothing had happened.
‘He’ll be fine. Just needs a minute to get his breath back.’ He rested his hand on her shoulder and spoke quietly into her ear. Trina couldn’t hear what he said but the woman nodded. Once. Twice. Glanced at the boy in her arms and squeezed him tighter. Then looked back at Finn with a vehement nod. ‘Thank you.’ The words were heartfelt.
Trina felt her eyes sting. Her heart still
