Her son jumped up off her lap as Athena twisted to find the newcomer: a lad of about ten years in a bathing costume, standing quietly over her shoulder. He offered her a small grin and a shrug, as though he knew he’d startled her.
“Aye.” She managed to find her voice. “Itwasa barn cat.”
Callan made an irritated sound and stamped his foot. “Abarn cat?That was too simple, Mama!”
Hiding her grin, Athena busied herself picking up the remains of their lunch. “Ye didnae guess it. Our new friend had to.”
“Icould’veguessed it if ye’d given me more hints!”
Wondering what further hints she could’ve possibly given him, Athena turned her attention to the newcomer. “And ye must be a smart lad to guess the drawing despite no’ being able to feel it.”
The lad shrugged again, his attention on Callan. “Sometimes it’s easier to see the whole picture from afar.”
It was a surprisingly complex statement from one so young, and Athena was about to ask him about it when she heard yetanothernew voice.
“Matthew! Matthew, you win, lad! Where are you?”
The boy—Matthew?—flushed and whirled around, before calling out, “I’m here, Father. Already at our swimming spot!”
Ourswimming spot?
Athena didn’t have time to wonder about the claim before footsteps along the river path alerted her to the lad’s father’s arrival. And then she couldn’t say a blessed thing, because her throat—and her lungs, and likely, her heart—seemed to freeze when the man stepped into the light.
He wasbeautiful. The man’s pale hair glittered gold in the sunshine, and his tall, lean body was encased in a form-fitting bathing costume. She’d always had a soft spot for well-built men, and this one was no exception. From here, she could see the corded muscles in his forearms as he shifted the towels he carried to the other arm.
But his expression turned to confusion as his blue eyes swept over her and Callan, and she watched as his eyes turned cool.
“Good afternoon,” he said stiffly.
Instead of climbing to her feet, as though she and her son had done something wrong, Athena crossed her feet at the ankles and rested her weight on her palms. She saw the man’s gaze travel down the length of her legs encased in dark wool, which was so popular for ladies to swim in these days, before lingering on her bare feet.
She wriggled her toes and was rewarded when he cleared his throat and glanced away.
“Have ye come to swim then?” she asked cheekily. “Do join us.”
Although she’d been hoping Callan would nap, he seemed even more energized by the newcomers’ presence.
Her son rushed up to the new lad, Matthew. “My name’s Callan. I’m almost five, and I can swim! My granda says I swim like a fish, but I cannae breathe underwater.”
Matthew nodded solemnly and offered his hand, as if unconcerned by Callan’s nakedness. “I’m Matthew, and I’m ten. My father says I’m a good swimmer, although the water here isn’t over my head anymore.”
Callan shook the lad’s hand enthusiastically. “Do ye come here often? Mama has brought me almost every morning this summer. Nurse says it’s to keep me out of trouble, but I think it’s because she loves me. Mama, not Nurse.”
“You don’t love your nurse?” Matthew was still allowing his hand to be shaken.
“She’s alright, but she’s no’ Mama.”
“I don’t have a Mama,” the older lad said solemnly. “She died when I was a baby.”
So the golden-haired god glaring at them from the path was a widower? Interesting.
“I don’t have a da,” Callan announced cheekily, “but Mama loves me enough for two, she says. Also, I have a million uncles and a granda and a barn cat. Do ye like it here? I like it here!”
Athena smiled as she watched Matthew—such a dear, serious boy—extricate himself from Callan’s enthusiastic handshake. “My father and I come here once a week in the afternoon to swim.” He glanced over his shoulder at the gorgeous man who was slowly stalking toward the pair, and lowered his voice. “I don’t get to spend much time with him otherwise. He’s very busy.”
Her heart clenched for the lad. Judging from the man’s imperious gaze, he was some sort of local lord, likely too busy for much time with his son. But the fact hehadmadethis time, and the fact they’d been racing here, meant he obviously loved the lad.
She was wondering if she should gather their things—and find some clothes for Callan—and leave early in order to give the newcomers more time, when her son asked, “Is this yer favorite spot then?”
