Seaside Manor Bed and Breakfast - Lilly Mirren Page 0,45
then flick forward…” He did the move slowly, demonstrating the move without casting the line. Her hair tickled his nose. She didn’t resist, moving with him instead. He released the fishing rod and stepped back.
She grinned. “Thanks. I think I’ve got it.”
With a nod, he collected his own pole, and carried it a few metres away. He watched as she deftly stepped forward and flicked the line overhead — it sailed far out over the breakers, the bait landing softly in the water and sinking fast.
Ethan gaped. “Uh… yeah, just like that.”
“I’ve been fishing my whole life, but thanks for the lesson,” she quipped with a wink.
His face flushed with heat. “Oh… right. Sorry…”
“No, it’s fine. It was… nice.” Her smile was warm, genuine. Then she focused her attention on the line.
His cheeks flamed. “Good to know.”
He cast his own line, reeled it in slowly, his thoughts whirling. Was she flirting with him?
It was nice.
What did that mean? Was she only teasing him? That was a far more likely alternative.
He noticed she was reeling her line in more quickly. “Have you got something?’
“I think so.” She reeled faster, and soon a fish skipped through the shallow water. It was small, silver, the afternoon sun blinking off its side as it turned over. Water bubbled and frothed around it, then she was holding it off the ground, studying it as it turned slowly on the hook.
“It’s a tiny little flathead,” she said.
He nodded.
She tugged it gently from the hook, held it in the water and let it go.
“Hey, that could’ve been dinner,” he objected.
She shook her head. “Too small. Besides, I only do kiss and release.”
“What?” He chuckled. “Don’t you mean, catch and release?”
She giggled. “That’s what my mum always called it, kiss and release. Of course, I gave up kissing the fish when I was about thirteen years old.”
Her smile faded, and she fell silent.
His lips pursed. “It sounds like she was a good mother.”
She nodded. “She was.”
Sadness rolled off her like the waves that lapped at his feet. He inhaled a slow breath. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to grow up with only one parent, and then to lose them while they were still so young. He loved having a big, raucous family. Even his parents’ separation had shaken him to the core, and yet he still had both of them. His family had changed, but they were still around.
“I know I should’ve gotten over it by now. It’s been three years… but I don’t think I’ve ever grieved properly. It’s a hard thing to face. I’ve felt so alone since she died.”
She hesitated and swallowed.
He didn’t know what to say. There wasn’t anything he could say that would help. So, he simply threw out his line again.
“I know Auntie Di misses her too, but I haven’t spoken to her much about it. Mum was her sister, they were close, but I hate talking about her because it hurts too much. Does that make sense? I’ll bet I sound ridiculous — I’m an adult, I should be able to face my grief and deal with it. I don’t know why I’m telling you this…” She forced a laugh.
He shook his head. “It makes complete sense. I don’t know if I’d be able to talk about it either if it happened to me. Your parents are… well, they’re always there. To lose them unexpectedly like that… it would be so hard.”
She nodded. “Thanks for understanding.”
“Of course.”
She caught his gaze, squinting into the sunlight with a half-smile. “You’re not so bad, Ethan Flannigan.”
He chuckled. “Thanks, that’s quite a compliment coming from you, Em.”
Her cheeks looked pinker, but it might’ve been the wind on her skin or too much sun.
Chapter 18
Diana
A pair of hooded plovers circled overhead as Diana pulled her car into the parking lot at the Emerald Cafe. She should’ve told Ben to meet her somewhere else when he called, only he’d sounded so excited to have found a great place for them to meet for lunch she didn’t have the heart.
Her only hope was that Cindy wasn’t there. She hadn’t told anyone yet about Ben, about his looking for her, the letters or that he’d shown up at her door unannounced. Even Rupert didn’t know her secret yet. She knew it was a matter of time before she’d be forced to spill the beans, but she hoped to wait a little longer. Keep him to herself for a few more days at least. It was such