‘You don’t think he will.’
‘He hasn’t been near the boathouse or the bay or my place since he got back.’
‘Well you never know.’
‘Yeah.’ He doubted it though, not with all these people. He’d barely said hello to Maeve outside the café as it was, although he loved the way Nina had given him little choice when she’d flung her arms around Adrian yesterday. It had taken him by surprise, but in a better way than Leo thought it ever would.
‘Shall we go get the pizzas and chicken now?’ Jonah’s interest in the balloons had clearly been shortlived.
‘Yes, we’ll go, your mum can stay here for any guests who arrive.’ She checked her watch. ‘Which should be any time now. And they’ll be nice and hungry for the fresh pizza.’
‘And chicken.’
She playfully dug Jonah in the ribs. ‘You and your chicken.’
‘The boy has good taste.’ Leo high-fived him.
Nina grabbed her purse and came down the steps from the small veranda. She pulled on a cardigan over a figure-hugging navy top with a neckline that revealed sculptured collar bones. ‘Jonah, do you want to grab your hoodie?’ She looked at his t-shirt.
Jonah shrugged. ‘I’m not cold.’ And already he’d turned to go and jump from one stepping stone to the other, towards Leo’s cabin, as though he was used to having to wait for adults to finish talking.
‘He had homework after school and Maeve says he needs to burn off some energy,’ she confided as they watched Jonah reach Leo’s cabin, turn round and head back towards them. ‘The walk up to the pizza shop will do him good.’
‘Good idea. I’ll come over once I’ve had a shower.’
She sniffed as she leaned closer. ‘Yeah, you definitely need one.’
Her apparent flirting held him captive but he managed a laugh. ‘Thanks.’
When Jonah ran over again, Nina asked Leo whether he had any requests for pizza toppings. When he said not really she added, ‘Happy with most things, but no anchovies right?’
‘You remember.’
‘Extra chillies though,’ she smiled back at him. Even in the fading light he could see a sparkle in her eyes.
‘Lots of chillies,’ he confided in Jonah, eyes wide.
‘And extra chicken wings,’ said Jonah, ‘or Leo will finish them all. I saw him eating chicken the other day, he likes it as much as me.’
‘Come on you, let’s go. We should be back in half an hour-ish.’
And, with a smile beamed his way from Nina, off they went, while Leo whistled the rest of the way back to his own cabin.
Leo had a beer at home before he left for the party, partly to relax with the anticipation of spending time in Nina’scompany, partly in the hope that Adrian would join him. But when it seemed his brother wasn’t coming he headed over to join everyone else.
‘Head inside,’ said Maeve who was coming out of the cabin as he put a foot on the first step.
‘You’ve not run out of pizza and chicken already have you?’
She laughed. ‘No, I just got a call about a delivery at the flat – another one … I guess one of the perils of relocating – so I’ll nip home and collect it and then come back. My car’s up top on the main road.’
‘See you soon then.’ He went up the steps and smiled at the sight before him. ‘I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so many people inside this cabin before.’ He greeted everyone at once with a general wave. He could see Camille and Walt and went over to them, eager to congratulate Walt on the cabin’s makeover. ‘Nina has done a spectacular job, you must be really happy with it.’
‘She did a wonderful job, I’m proud of her,’ Walt answered as he stepped out of the way of Nina and Molly who between them were arranging pizza boxes on the kitchen benchtops, a couple of containers of chicken wings too, and a big pile of plates as well as napkins.
‘Everyone, help yourself,’ Nina called to the room, ‘plenty of pizzas to choose from, help yourself to drinks too.’ She turned to Leo and almost pressed against his chest. ‘You smell better,’ she joked as they stood in close proximity.
He didn’t mind the teasing one bit and held up the bottle he’d brought. ‘Should I put it with the others?’
