As they walked across the road on the way to the beach, Juniper saw Mikayla sidle up to Callum and bump him with her hip, saying something to him earnestly. He shook his head and she bumped him again. As he turned his head to look at her, Juniper could see a smile pull at the corner of his mouth. He put his arm around her and pulled her close against his side, saying something in her ear that made her laugh out loud. Then he pulled away, shoving at her shoulder so that she stumbled into Rafe. She turned and threw a punch, her eyes alight with laughter. Then they both cracked up when Nora stepped in, reaching up to slap Callum on the back of the head and telling him not to pick on his sister.
“They’re a great family,” William observed.
“They sure are.” She glanced behind her to where Billy was walking along with Leah, holding her hand and telling her all about his friends at playgroup. “I couldn’t have got on without them when Billy was born. They’re the best.”
“What about your own family?” He asked quietly.
She shrugged dismissively. “That’s a story for another day.” They reached the beach, forestalling any more conversation for the moment. They settled on picnic blankets under the glow of the faint crescent moon, which provided minimal light once the last of the sun’s rays faded away.
Billy unceremoniously plopped himself down in William’s lap, making himself right at home. “Okay?”
“Of course,” William responded. That sort of ready acceptance of her child went an awful long way to answering any lingering questions Juniper may have had about William.
The first set of fireworks shot into the sky and the loud pop caused Billy to slap his hands over his ears. The colors burst across the sky, reflected in the rolling waves of the sea. She turned her head to look at Billy as he stared at the sky in wonder. William turned to look at her, the colors dancing across his face as more fireworks blasted into the air. His smile had her insides turning to mush.
“I’m glad you came.”
“Me too,” he said softly. He turned away, shifting Billy’s weight in his lap before returning his attention to the light show.
Once the show was over, William offered to walk her home. It wasn’t that far, but Billy was starting to lag, all the excitement of the day was finally catching up with him.
They said goodbye to the rest of the group, Juniper studiously ignoring Mikayla’s exaggerated facial expressions as she hugged her. They walked up Main Street in companionable silence, Billy’s head dropping onto William’s shoulder more with each step they took. He was asleep before they turned into the gate that led around the back of the ceramics shop.
“Just through here,” Juniper whispered as she walked across the yard. She pulled her phone out and turned on the torch app. “Watch your step. Billy has toys spread from one end of the yard to the other.” She nudged a toy tractor aside with her toe before mounting the steps to her front door, pushing it open.
“You don’t lock the door?” William whispered.
“No. Anyone that might break in was down at the beach watching the fireworks,” she replied, barely disguising the faint chuckle in hervoice.
“You realize that makes no sense, right? Tonight would be a perfect time to get into someone’s house and take all their stuff.”
“Not in Blessed Inlet,” she replied confidently, leading him across her small lounge room, down the short hallway, into Billy’s room. Switching on the night light, she pushed the duvet away and stepped back to allow William to lay Billy down. He did it so carefully and gently that she just had to smile again. “Wait for me.” She kept her voice low as he stepped out, turning her head to catch his nod before he stepped out. She quickly settled Billy, taking his shoes and shorts off, slipping a night diaper on, pulling the duvet over him and searching around the bed for his soft toy lamb, placing that next to him on the pillow.
She folded her arms across her chest as she stepped out of Billy’s room. The warm day had finished with a slight chill in the air. She saw through the lounge room window that William was out on the little deck near her front door. He turned as she came outside.
“This is a pretty good set up you’ve got here.”
“I know. It’s perfect for us.” She looked around. The enclosed yard was reasonably large and well kept, disregarding the mess Billy left behind him wherever he went. A large oak provided enough shade for comfort in the height of summer. There was a breezeway that connected her little cottage to the backdoor of the shop, which led directly into her workroom. She was no more than a five-minute walk to the supermarket, post office, beach, and Nora and John’s place. She turned back to William to find him looking at her.
“I have to go back to Sydney for a few days. When I get back, I’d really like to see you again.”
“Like a date?”
“Yes, like a date.”
She gave him a small smile, stepping forward so she was directly in front of him. His eyes never left her face. “There’s something I want to check first.” She placed one hand on his chest and stepping up on tiptoe, brushed her lips ever so lightly across his. She felt the tingle, the twinge of heat. Mmm, lovely.
“I have one condition.”
He tilted his head, looking at her enquiringly.
“You can’t spend more than fifty dollars.”
He frowned, perplexed. “I can’t spend more than fifty dollars?”
“That’s right. You can’t buy my love.” She said, referencing the song they’d danced to at the festival.
His frown deepened. “I don’t want tobuyyour love.”
