was confused. The shallows? Why would she want to hit the shallows? It seemed an odd suggestion but he was being persistent and she thought it would give her the opportunity to question him over his lack of contact with his niece out of earshot of his very sweet parents. It wasn’t his fault the universe had bestowed a body upon him that was causing her dormant hormones to suddenly feel alive. She would just have to deal with that. Maureen was there to take care of Amber so perhaps a stroll along the shallows would be a nice idea. The rationale for her decision to accept his proposition seemed logical, so she slowly stood to her feet. He had generously given his share of the house to Amber so her line of questioning would be polite but firm. She just had to keep her cool.
‘I think that’s a lovely idea,’ she said, thankful that her voice did not betray her breathlessness. Now she was angry with herself as well as him.
‘Great. Amber, let’s go. Aunty Jade has given me approval to take you in to get your feet wet.’ He stretched his hands down and playfully pulled her to her feet.
‘Yippee,’ came Amber’s excited response, followed by a huge smile.
‘Do you want to race me?’
‘Yeth, I’ll win!’
Jade was speechless. The invitation hadn’t been for her. It had been for a splash in the shallows with his niece. Embarrassment brought the colour rushing to her cheeks as the pair took off across the sand.
‘Would you like a cool drink?’ Maureen asked. ‘You look a little flushed. Perhaps you should come back under the umbrella with me.’
Jade nodded sheepishly and, dragging her dress in the sand, walked over to the shade where Maureen was sitting with her legs stretched out. Jade lifted her sun hat off and sat down in the soft sand. Words had escaped her. She felt like a fool but was at least grateful she’d been the only witness. It could have been worse, she thought. At least she hadn’t put her hand up to be lifted from her sandy rest, so no one knew she had mistakenly thought Mitchell wanted to spend time with her.
As if he would … And as if she was interested.
It was only ever going to be a chance to hear his reason for being the absent uncle, nothing more. There was no other reason that could possibly make her want to spend time with Mitchell. Now she was doubly angry. With him … and with herself.
‘Here, take this.’ Maureen handed Jade a cold can of soft drink. ‘It might help you to cool down.’
Jade wanted to put the icy metal can against her reddened cheeks but decided against it and drank the sweet fizzy drink instead. It felt good. And it made for a good cover. Maureen would have no idea it was pure embarrassment and not the sun that had made her blush.
‘Look over there at the pair of them. Isn’t he a natural father?’ Maureen proudly stated rather than asked.
Jade raised her brow sceptically as she watched Mitchell and Amber splashing in the shallows. ‘They’re having fun,’ she conceded, but she wouldn’t commit to anything more. She wasn’t about to agree to his paternal potential. In her eyes, he was a rolling stone who didn’t show any interest in anyone but himself. Not even close to the criteria for the title of father.
‘So what about you? How have you been?’ Maureen asked with genuine concern and interest in her voice. ‘Everything has been about Amber but what’s happening in your world?’
Jade appreciated the question. It was nice to be asked but not something she had expected. ‘I’m fine. Amber keeps me busy and I do part-time nursing in Neonatal ICU … I mean Intensive Care.’
‘I know the acronym. Arthur’s used the term enough. But it must be hard for you. Taking care of a little one and working.’
‘We get by. Amber is a joy and a blessing so you’ll not ever hear me complain.’
‘Well, we just want you to relax and enjoy your time here. You can do with a break. I’m more than happy to help with Amber. She’s so adorable and a credit to you, Jade. You’ve done a wonderful job, bringing her up.’
‘Thank you, but it hasn’t been too difficult. She’s her parents’ daughter and a sweetie, she rarely complains—well, except for her current dislike of broccoli and Brussels sprouts.’
‘I’ll remember no green vegetables when I put dinner on tonight.’
Jade returned a distracted smile as she looked back at Mitchell and Amber, now lying on the sand and letting the water hit their feet. Amber was doing her best sand angel and Jade knew her niece’s toothy grin would be from ear to ear.
‘Arthur told me you’ve applied to do some agency work while you’re here. I’m more than happy, as he probably told you, to look after Amber any time. So if you want to do a shift, please, don’t hesitate, but …’ She paused for a moment and then her perfectly manicured hand patted Jade’s, whose hands hadn’t had a manicure in years. ‘I just think that you, with your role as a single parent for the last three years, could do with spending the summer on the beach with a good book.’
Jade would love to do just that but she needed to work. A month without work could not be accommodated by her tight budget. While there was no mortgage, running the big house meant a lot of bills and Jade would never touch the money put away for Amber. Six months before the planned trip she had applied to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Board for recognition of her qualification to ensure she met the criteria to allow her to work for a health professionals’ agency over the month’s holiday.
‘I appreciate you taking care of Amber but I will try to fit my work around you and Arthur, I don’t want to impose or overstep your kindness …’
‘Nonsense,’ Maureen countered. ‘It’s our pleasure and I insist that you spend the next four weeks doing whatever you want. Maybe even fit in a massage at my favourite spa. They have the most serene ambience with scented candles and soft music and I know Enrique’s hands could do wonders for you.’ Maureen’s eyes were closed as she described the sensation.
Jade felt a tingle suddenly run down her spine. She wasn’t sure if Mitchell had awakened something in her but suddenly didn’t think it would be a good idea after three years of solitude to be in small softly lit room with Enrique, mood music and massage oil.
She drew a deep breath and blinked away the images.
‘So …’Maureen dropped her already soft voice and leant in towards Jade ‘… is there a special man in your life?’
Jade was still pushing unsettling thoughts of the spa from her mind, and was about to answer the personal question diplomatically when she realised Amber was standing in front of her, dripping wet and smiling and looking a little like sand-crumbed chicken. And beside her was her very handsome beach chaperon.
Jade was painfully aware that he might have heard the question his mother had dropped on her without warning. Quickly, he confirmed her suspicions.
‘Don’t be shy,’ Mitchell urged with a smile that showed his perfect white teeth. ‘My mother is quite a busybody and if you’re single she’ll try to matchmake you with an eligible neighbour. So if marriage is on the cards for you and you’d like her to fix you up with an Aussie husband, let her know. Personally I couldn’t think of anything worse than being trapped in that institution, but each to his, or her, own.’
Jade
