“Friends like Annabelle?”
My cheeks burned, and I faced the front of the kayak again. “Cameron did a lot of awful shit, but that one’s my own fault.” My fingers played with the buckles on my life jacket. “I’ve only ever felt settled one time in my life—”
“With your gran,” he stated, running his thumb over the end of my braid, knuckles brushing the base of my spine.
“I think a part of me had grown so used to feeling lonely, even within my relationship, it never even occurred to me to try and get settled here forme. To find people of my own.”
I’d become so isolated without even realising it.
It was an odd feeling now, like pressing on a scar. The memory of pain I no longer felt.
“And now you have them,” he said simply, and I felt my chest expand. “You never have to be lonely again.”
“Neither do you,” I replied, because I knew he needed the reminder.
He said nothing. And we floated in companionable silence for a minute.
“This is the childhood I want for Teddy,” I said eventually. “The one you described. Summers out on the water. Friends she’s known her entire life, even if she never has any siblings to play with.”
His next exhale pressed against my back. “Maybe I should bring Teddy out here sometime,” I said. “It seems a pity not to give her the full Skye experience just because I’m afraid.”
“I’ll bring you both.” His thighs squeezed my hips, and he lifted the paddle from my lap again.
My entire body tingled. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t have to. I want to.” He slashed the paddle through the water. “I get that we got off to a lousy start—”
“Lousy?” I laughed, letting my fingers dangle over the edge as we glided.
“Okay, abysmal. I was rude and selfish.” For the first time this morning, he sounded exasperated. “Basically bullied you into this fake dating scheme like we’re in fucking high school—”
“You didn’t bully me.” I quickly cut him off. “Give me some credit. I’m an adult. If I didn’t want to do it, I would have said no.”
“Good.” His puff of breath stirred the hair at the nape of my neck. “Because I don’t want you to think things haven’t changed for me, that you and Teddy are just a means to an end. You aren’t.”
Things had changed for him.
It was hardly the declaration of the century. But it felt like he’d carved off a piece of himself and handed it to me.
I had no idea what to say.
There was a dangerous want growing in my chest, that extended so far beyond just getting it out of my system. It was a steadily growing sneeze, preparing to shake my entire body when it burst out of me.
So, I did what I did best. Shelved it for later.
I cleared my throat. “Guess what I forgot to tell you? Cameron paid the money for the school trip. Can you believe putting my foot down actually worked?”
The silence that followed stretched. I felt compelled to fill it.
“I know, I know, Heather already pointed out, it hardly makes him the dad of the year,” I hurried on when he said nothing. “But I’m proud of myself for standing up to him.”
Another long pause. Then he finally spoke. “You should be proud of yourself. He’s still a fucking arse, no doubt about that, but you’re unstoppable, Lang.”
Unstoppable.
Now thatdidfeel like the compliment of the century.
I tried to face him. Made it a quarter turn before the boat wobbled. “Easy,” he laughed, steadying us. But I was determined. Releasing the paddle, he caught my hips, helping me swivel around, tiny movement by tiny movement, until I faced him on my knees.
