“This has been the best evening,” Libby said.“Please let me pay something for the meal.”
“No,” he, Mum, and Malek all said at the same time.
“We can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done, Libby,” Mum said.“You’re a lifesaver.”
“You’re too kind, Carina,” she said, “but thank you.I’m just sorry I can’t stay out late tonight.It’s been a long day, and I need to put Karim to bed.”
Dan glanced at the time.It took all his willpower and patience not to jump up and bundle Libby and Karim out of the restaurant so that she could crack on with Karim’s bedtime routine.“I’ll come back with you now, too,” he said evenly.“I can start replying to comments while you get Karim to sleep.”
“If you’re sure?”
“I’m sure.”
Libby lifted Karim out of his highchair.As soon as she placed him on his feet, he pulled her toward the beach.
“Okay, sweet cheeks.Just two minutes on the sand, and then we’ll go.”
“He’s adorable,” Mum said after they’d walked away.“She is too.”Her words lingered as they watched Karim roll around in the sand.
Dan kept quiet.Mum was fishing just like his sisters would, and he didn’t want to take the bait, so he continued to watch Libby, who was now tickling Karim with her foot.Karim’s giggles were contagious, and Dan couldn’t help but smile.Then the cheeky kid crawled off at high speed toward the beach bar—straight into the middle of a small group of men, who up until that point had been enjoying a quiet drink.
“Whoops,” Mum said with a chuckle.
Libby plucked Karim up into her arms, no doubt apologizing.The men were very quickly laughing along with her, cooing over Karim.One older Maori guy went to stand next to Libby and struck up a conversation.The fairy lights around the bar picked out the gray streaks in his short hair and neatly groomed beard.Libby smiled and laughed with the guy.Did she know him?
As Mum talked Christmas Day plans with Malek, Dan kept his eyes on Libby.Karim was in her arms now, and she was rocking him against her shoulder, in no rush to move.
Eventually, Libby said goodbye, giving the older man one of her loveliest, sexiest smiles.She placed a hand on the guy’s arm and said something else that made him laugh before stepping away with a little wave of her fingers.
Hmmm.
When she comes back, try not to say something that makes you sound like a dick…
“Who’s your new friend?”Dan managed, keeping his voice even.
“Oh, he’s not new,” Libby said casually.“I met him on my first day here.His name’s Rangi.Nice man.”She shifted Karim slightly on her hip and reached for the stroller.Dan helped her, moving the straps out of the way so she could set Karim inside.
“Goodnight, Carina.Goodnight, Malek.Thanks again for dinner.”Libby hugged them and then glanced at the beach bar again.The bearded guy raised his drink, and Libby waved back.
“He’s the pharmacist,” she said as they headed out.“He helped me with some supplies for Karim, in case he got sick again.You had the dehydration powder I bought that day.”
That day.When he’d been a mess.God, it felt like years ago.
As they walked back along the main island road, Dan asked more questions about the bearded pharmacist.Apparently, he was divorced, had lived in Australia for twenty-five years, and now that his kids were grown up, he’d only recently moved back to the island.
“You know a lot about him in such a short time.”
“I know only what he told me,” she said, and gave him a sideways glance.“You’re unusually curious.Why?”
“No reason.”
“Right.”
“Okay,” he said lightly, “he just seemed very…friendly towards you.”
“I’m the friendly kind.”
“Well, there are friends…and then there arefriends.”
