He noticed the man had the decency to look shame-faced. ‘I’ve, er, come to speak to Erin, if she’d let me.’
‘If you wait here, I’ll go and ask her.’ Callum waved Riley into the hallway and closed the front door.
‘Erin,’ he said once he had closed the kitchen door behind him. ‘Riley?—’
‘I know.’ She looked up at the ceiling and closed her eyes for a couple of seconds before smoothing down her dress and taking a steadying breath. ‘I’ve got a few things I want to say to that man.’ She raised an eyebrow at Dad. ‘I might be a while. If I’m gone for too long you might need to send a search party out to look for him.’
He laughed at Erin’s remark, wondering why he ever worried about his sister. She was tough and could stand up for herself without any problem. ‘I’m not sure whether to wish you good luck, or him,’ he said.
She opened the kitchen door. ‘Definitely him.’ He heard her speaking to Riley for a few seconds then their voices trailing off. ‘I think I’d better go and find Tasha,’ he told Dad. ‘This business is bound to bring up extra work for her and I want to offer her any assistance she might need.’
‘Good idea.’ His dad smiled. ‘I don’t know why I worry about your sister when she’s probably more capable of standing up for herself than the rest of us.’
Callum laughed. ‘I was thinking the same thing,’ he admitted as he left through the back door.
He walked down to the cottage hoping Tasha was in and that he wouldn’t be disturbing her. Riley had been the star of the party after his grandad, and the guests had seemed delighted to see him having fun with them, being well-mannered and not drinking too much. Callum had begun to think he might have got the guy wrong. Riley had charmed all guests, old and young. Erin had had more fun than he had seen her have in a long time, and it was a shame that so soon after the party things were turning sour for some of them.
He was nearing the door when he heard Tasha calling out to him. ‘Over here.’
Callum turned to look for her, spotting a small clearing in the wood and catching glimpses of her yellow sundress in what looked like some sort of gazebo. He hurried to join her.
‘You’re looking very nice.’ Callum stepped onto the wooden structure and sat near her.
‘Nice?’ She laughed. ‘I was hoping for a bit better than that.’
He knew she was teasing but realised he had been a bit flat with his compliment. ‘Beautiful and very summery. Better?’
She tilted her head from one side to the other. ‘Maybe. It’s good to see you.’
‘You, too.’ He relaxed slightly.
‘Riley said he was going up to the house to speak to Erin. Do you know if he’s there yet?’ She grimaced. ‘He did try to call her to tip her off about the articles but said Erin had already seen them and wasn’t happy.’
‘I’m not surprised. My sister was unaware he had a girlfriend. Erin isn’t the sort of person to kiss someone who’s in a relationship.’
Tasha frowned. ‘I was worried about her finding out before he spoke to her. Silly man. Honestly, I wonder what he’s playing at sometimes. He told me he and Brooke had split up.’ Tasha shook her head. ‘They do so quite often. I gather they had a fight and he assumed they were on a break. She might not see it the same way though.’
‘What a mess. At least his girlfriend doesn’t live on the island. That would be awkward for Erin.’
‘Yes. I think Riley is anxious about clearing this up with her and intends contacting Brooke as soon as he’s spoken to Erin.’ She stared out to the garden for a moment. ‘Riley spoke to his manager Dale again this morning and told him he hoped there was a future for him and Erin.’
He wasn’t sure if he’d misheard. ‘Sorry, what?’
‘I know.’ She raised her hands in disbelief. ‘I’ve met Brooke. She’s used to getting her own way and can be rather temperamental. I’m not sure how this is going to turn out, but one thing I can be sure of is that she won’t let Riley go easily.’
‘And where will that leave Erin?’
Tasha shrugged. ‘I’ve no idea and I have to admit that worries me.’
‘Same here.’ He was beginning to think that the short time before Tasha left the island was going to be filled with drama about Riley and the two women he had managed to get himself entangled with.
‘I’m going to have to go back to the house and help finish the clearing up,’ he said, wanting to take the opportunity to get to know Tasha a little better and make the most of having time alone with her. ‘First though I was wondering if you would like to go for a quiet walk. Just the two of us.’
She nodded. ‘I would like that very much. All this chaos is exhausting and I fear this is only the beginning of it.’
They walked along a path between lavender borders. ‘This scent is wonderful, don’t you think?’
She breathed in slowly. ‘Glorious. I think we should pick loads and put it in vases in every room in the cottage,’ she suggested, laughing. ‘We need all the help we can get calming everyone before the tension mounts too much.’
