“You can’t hold them, honey.They’ll nip you.”
But eventually, Dan caught one.Gently holding it between his thumb and forefinger, he bent to Karim’s level.“You can only touch it from behind so its pincers won’t get you.”The crab was stone colored, with patchy dark-green bits on its back and legs, the exact colors of its surroundings.“I bet your mum can tell you everything about these crabs.”
“Not yet, I can’t,” Libby said.“But give me five minutes on the internet later, and I’ll learn all about them.”
“Is that what you always do?”Dan asked.“Search things on the internet?”
“Absolutely.But I always verify and cross check my sources to make sure they’re genuine.There’s a lot of garbage out there.”
“You can say that again.”
“But I’ve spent my whole life wading through misinformation.I’m great at digging through the trash to reveal the truth,” she added, aware that they were no longer talking land crabs.“I won’t write or post anything that isn’t true about you.You have my word.”
He nodded.“I trust you.”Then he switched his attention back to her son and the crab.“Do you want to touch it, Karim?That’s it.Gently, with your finger.There.”
Karim squealed, delighted, his little grin too cute for words.Libby took a photo of them and the crab.
“Shall we put him back now?”Dan said.“Let’s watch him disappear.”
Released, the crab eased its body into a small crack between the rocks.
“Bye-bye,” Karim said, waving to it.“Nightie-night, sweet cheeks.”
Dan laughed, its spontaneity surprising her again.That was the second time today.
“What?”he said when he straightened and caught her smiling.
“Nothing.”
But there was something.And that something was big and glorious, standing right in front of her and playing with her child.
Dan Jones might be a roller coaster, but she was strapped in, safe and secure.Ready for the thrilling ride.
“Okay,we’reon,Cranky.”Libby sat on the harbor wall.Her legs, like Dan’s, dangled over the water.
After a picnic lunch, Karim had finally gotten into his stroller, and thanks to their busy morning, it hadn’t taken long for him to fall asleep.He was now napping soundly in his stroller on the beach, just a few feet away, under the shade of some trees and in full view of where they were sitting.Other than the occasional moped passing by, there was no one else around.It was hot under the sun, but sitting here, Libby could frame Dan with the ocean behind him, keeping clues to where they were to a minimum.
“Are you ready?”she asked.
“Ready.”He rubbed his palms along his knees.
“We’re just two friends talking here.Just be yourself—without the foul language, eye rolls, and huffs.”Her sass earned her a half-smile and a quirk of an eyebrow.Gosh, he was fun to tease.She hit Record.
She got a few shots of the ocean, the swells that came into the harbor that licked the sides of the walls.She then focused on their feet, almost touching the water, before panning up Dan’s legs to hover briefly over his scarred knee—just like he’d requested.
“If that’s what they want to see,” he’d said, “let’s give it to them.You were right, Libby.I’ve won the battle.”
Go, Lightning Strike!
Libby had wanted to hug him but had kept a professional distance.This was work, and she continued to pan her camera up his body, resisting the urge to linger on his chest and biceps.He’d kept his T-shirt on—the scars on his shoulder would be revealed another time—but the gentle breeze was pressing the fabric against his pecs in the most enticing way.Time to move up.To his jawline, set firm, and then his eyes as he looked down into the water.
“What drove you to become a champion?”she asked.
He kept his gaze on the water below.“A hunger for success.”
“Where do you think that hunger came from?”
“I must’ve been born with it,” he said, glancing briefly at her before looking away to where Karim slept.She had half an eye in the same place.“All sports have a specific body type,” he continued.“People are born runners, or swimmers, or gymnasts.I’ve got an ectomorph body shape.I have big feet, and I’m tall.I have long legs, and I’m lean.In other words, I’m built for sprinting.”
