by Sue MacKay
Which set Flynn to more worrying. That look Adam had given her showed how much his boy already felt comfortable with Ally. Though, to be fair, he was comfortable with just about everybody. But was this a good idea, having Ally drop by for lunch and a drive around the island? His boy didn’t need to lose anyone else in his life. It was only recently that he’d got past that debilitating grief after Anna’s death. He must not get close to Ally. He could not.
‘Flynn, you’ve caught the sleeping-on-your-feet bug.’ Ally had crossed to his side and was nudging him none too gently in the ribs with her elbow. ‘You with us?’
He relaxed. Let the sudden fire in his belly rule his head. ‘You bet. Do you want to come back for dinner tonight?’ Afterwards we could have some more of that bedroom exercise.
‘Did you have anything else in mind for the evening? There’s a wicked glint in your baby blues.’
‘Dessert maybe.’
‘With whipped cream?’ Her tongue slid across her lips and sent heat to every corner of his body.
So this was what it was like to wake up after a long hibernation. Not slowly, but full-on wide-awake and ready to go. Making love with this woman had been like a promise come true. Exciting and beautiful. He wanted to do it again and again. Making love as against having sex? Now, there’s something to think about.
‘Can I have ice cream, too?’ Adam asked, bringing them back to earth with a thud.
‘We can get cones when we’re out this afternoon.’ How many hours before Adam was tucked up in bed fast asleep? How long until he could kiss Ally until she melted against him?
‘Flynn,’ she mock growled. ‘We have plans for this afternoon. Let’s get them under way, starting with lunch. My shout at a café or wherever you recommend near this penguin colony. The busier we are, the quicker the day will go by.’
‘Can’t argue with that.’ She was so right he had to drop a kiss on her cheek as a reward. It would’ve been too easy to move slightly and cover her mouth with his. Thank goodness common sense prevailed just in time and he stepped back to come up with, ‘I’m thinking of getting our flippers out of the cupboard in the garage so that you two human penguins can flip-flop along the beach.’
‘Can we, Dad? Ally, want to?’ Adam yelled, as he ran in the direction of the garage internal door.
Flynn waved a hand after him. ‘Go easy on that cupboard door. You know what happened last time you opened it.’
‘I’ll help him.’ Ally was already moving in the same direction, her fingers tracing the spot on her cheek he’d just kissed.
‘Good idea. Things tend to spill all over the place when he starts poking through the junk on the shelves.’ He relaxed. Adam was excited, and Ally was just being a part of that, helping make his day more fun. It wasn’t like she’d moved in or would see him every day of the week. She’d be gone soon enough, and Adam would still have all his playmates and the many adults on the island who enjoyed spoiling and looking out for him. He’d be safe. He wasn’t in danger of getting hurt.
Flynn paused. Neither was he. Despite being equally excited as his boy. Ally hadn’t said anything about calling their affair—if that’s what it was—quits yet, so he’d carry on for three more weeks and make the most of her company. It wasn’t as though he’d be broken-hearted when she went, mad, crazy attraction for her and all. He’d miss her for sure. She was the woman who’d woken him up, but that didn’t mean he had to have her in his life permanently.
CHAPTER SIX
‘WHERE’S DAD?’ ADAM bounced into the bedroom and jumped up on the bed, effectively ending any pretence of Ally sleeping.
Groaning, she rolled over to stare up at this little guy. Something warm and damp nudged her arm. Turning her head, she came eye to eye with Sheba. Another groan escaped her. So this was what it was like to wake up in a family-orientated house. Kind of cosy, though it would’ve been better if Flynn were here.
‘Why are you here?’ Adam asked, looking around as though he might find his father in the wardrobe or on the floor beside the bed.
‘Dad had to go to work so I stayed to look after you.’
‘Did someone have a crash?’ No four-year-old should look so knowledgeable about his father’s work.
‘Yes, during the night.’ The call had come through requesting Flynn’s presence as Ally had been about to walk out the door to return to the flat. They’d agreed she shouldn’t be there in the morning with him when Adam woke up. But when the call came Flynn had been quick to accept her offer to stay, so apparently he could break his own rules.
Jerome had picked up Flynn ten minutes later. Teens had been racing on the bridge in the wee hours of the morning after too much alcohol. Two cars had hit side on and spun, slamming into the side of the bridge, injuring four lads. Carnage, Flynn had told her when he’d phoned to explain he wouldn’t be back until early morning as he was accompanying one of the boys to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
‘He doesn’t like going to crashes. They’re yucky.’ Adam patted the bed and the next thing Ally felt the bed dipping as Sheba heaved herself up to join them.
‘Is she allowed on the bed?’ Ally shuffled sideways to avoid being squashed by half a ton of Labrador.
‘Sometimes.’
‘Right, and today’s one of those times. Why did I not see that coming?’ She chucked him under the chin. About to sit up, she stopped. Under the covers she wore only underwear. Definitely not the kind that decently covered all the girl bits. ‘Adam, do you think you could take Sheba out to the kitchen while I get up?’ Her clothes were in a tangled heap on the floor where she’d dropped them before climbing back into bed after Flynn had left.
‘Do you want Dad’s dressing gown? It’s in the wardrobe. He never uses it.’ Adam leapt off the bed, obviously unperturbed that she was there. Maybe he could explain that to his father. ‘He walks around with no clothes on when he gets up in the morning.’
Too much information. At least while Flynn wasn’t there and this little guy was. But she could picture Flynn buck naked as he strolled out to put the kettle on. Seriously sexy. ‘I’d love the dressing gown.’
Adam had just dumped the robe on the bed when they both heard the front door opening. ‘Dad’s back.’ He raced through the house, Sheba lumbering along behind him.
Making the most of the opportunity Ally slipped out of bed and into the dressing gown, tying the belt tightly around her waist. A glance in the mirror told her that as a fashion statement, an awful lot was lacking. Her face could do with a scrub, too. All that mascara had worked its way off her lashes and smudged her upper cheeks.
In the kitchen she plugged in the coffee maker and leaned her hip against the bench, waiting for the males of this house to join her.
Flynn sloped into the kitchen, with Adam hanging off his back like a monkey. Sheba brought up the rear. ‘Morning, Ally. Sleep well?’
Huh?
Then he winked and she grinned. ‘Like a lizard.’
‘Like your outfit,’ he tossed her way.
‘I’m not sure about the colour. Brown has never been my favourite shade of anything. Want a coffee?’
‘I’d kill for one, but can you give me five? I want to leap under a very hot shower.’ His face dropped and his eyes saddened. ‘It was messy out there,’ he said quietly.
She nodded, wanting to ask more but reluctant to do so in front of Adam. Instead, she reached a hand to his cheek, cupped his face. ‘Go and scrub up. I’ll have the coffee waiting.’ Cosy, cosy.
‘Ta. You’re a treasure.’ For a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. His eyes locked on hers and he leaned closer. Then he must’ve remembered Adam on his back because he pulled away. ‘I won’t take long.’
He returned in jeans and a polo-neck black jersey that showed off his physique to perfection. His feet were bare, his hair a damp mess. He couldn’t have looked more sexy if he’d tried. It came naturally.
Passing over a mug of strong coffee, she picked up the container she’d f
ound in the pantry. ‘Feel like croissants for breakfast?’
‘Croissants it is. I’ll heat them while you have a shower if you like.’ He didn’t like her lounging around in his dressing gown? Then his eyes widened and she realised he was staring at her cleavage. An exposed cleavage.
Grabbing the edges of the robe, she tugged them closed. ‘As soon as I’ve finished my coffee I’ll get cleaned up.’ Then what? Did she head home after breakfast? It would be fun to hang out with these two for a while. Talk about getting used to this cosy stuff all too quickly. Today she was simply ignoring the lessons learned and taking a chance. At what?
‘We always go for a walk on the beach after breakfast in the weekends. You coming?’ Flynn asked.
‘Love to. Were you having a late breakfast when Sheba bowled me over last Sunday?’ she asked around a smile, suddenly feeling good about herself. A chance at some normal, everyday fun that families all over the country would be doing. She wouldn’t think about how often she’d stared through the proverbial window, longing for exactly this. She wouldn’t contemplate next Sunday or the one three weeks away when she was back in Melbourne. Instead, she’d enjoy the day and keep the brakes on her emotions.
‘No, two walks in one day. Makes up for the weekdays when she gets short-changed. I don’t like dragging Adam out of bed too early. Marie walks her occasionally, but I think she’s worried about being knocked over in her pregnant state.’
‘Have you known Marie long?’
He nodded. ‘Anna and Marie were school friends. They went their separate ways but kept in touch and Anna always talked about when they’d both be living back here with their families.’ That sadness was back, this time for himself and his family.
Great. It was hard to compete with a woman who held all the aces and wasn’t around any more to make mistakes. You’re competing now? What happened to your fixed-in-concrete motto—Have Fun and Move On? That was exactly what she was doing. Having fun. And… in three weeks she’d be moving on. So none of this mattered. Really? Really. She tried for a neutral tone even when she felt completely mixed up. ‘Marie must miss her, too.’
‘She does, especially now her first baby’s due.’
‘What would Marie have to say if she knew about us?’ Would she stick up for Anna or accept that Flynn was entitled to get on with his life? Hello? What does any of that matter? You’re out of here soon enough.
‘I have no idea.’ Flynn looked taken aback. ‘It’s nothing to do with her.’ But now that Ally had put the question out there he seemed busy trying to figure out the answer.
Am I trying to wreck this fling early? Because Flynn is sure to pull the plug now.
Placing her empty mug in the sink, she headed for the bathroom. The hot water could ease the kinks in her body, but it was unlikely to quieten the unease weaving through her enjoyment of being with Flynn. It was ingrained in her to protect her heart, but already she understood this wasn’t a fling she’d walk away from as easily as any other. What worried her was not understanding why. She already knew she was going to miss Flynn.
But she would go. That was non-negotiable.
Sheba and Adam raced ahead of them, one barking and one shouting as they kicked up sand and left huge footprints. Flynn stifled a yawn and muttered, ‘Where do they get their energy?’
‘Perhaps you should try dry dog pellets for breakfast instead of hot, butter-soaked croissants,’ a certain cheeky midwife answered from beside him.
‘You’re telling me Adam didn’t eat a croissant with a banana and half a bottle of maple syrup poured on top? That was all for show and he actually scoffed down dog food?’ Breakfast hadn’t stacked up against Anna’s ideas of healthy eating, but sometimes his boy was allowed to break the rules. Or he broke the rules and Adam enjoyed the result.
Ally’s shoulder bumped his upper arm as she slewed sideways to avoid stepping on a fish carcass that had washed up on the tide. ‘Yuk. That stinks.’
His hand found hers, their fingers interlaced, and he swung their arms between them. For a moment everything bothering him simply disappeared in this simple gesture. How much more relaxed could life get? He and Ally walking along the beach, hand in hand, watching Adam and the dog playing. Right now this was all he needed from life.
Then his phone broke the magic. ‘Hello? Flynn Reynolds speaking.’
‘This is William Foster’s sister, Maisey. He’s having chest pains again and refusing to go in the ambulance I called. Can you talk some sense into that stubborn head of his?’
‘On my way. Can you hold on a moment?’ He didn’t wait for her reply. ‘Ally, I’ve got to see a patient urgently. Can you take Adam home for me when you’ve finished your walk?’ Asking for help twice in less than twenty-four hours didn’t look like he managed very well. She’d probably be running away fast.
‘No problem. Key to the house?’
‘I’ll need it to get my car out so I’ll leave it in the letterbox.’ He waved Adam over. ‘I’ve got to see a patient. Ally’s going to stay with you, okay?’
‘Can we get an ice cream, Ally?’ Hope lightened his face.
‘No, you can’t.’ He wiped that expectancy away. ‘Not after that enormous breakfast.’ Bending down, he dropped a quick kiss on Adam’s forehead. ‘See you in a bit, mate.’
‘You haven’t said goodbye to Sheba.’
‘I’m sure she won’t mind.’ Straightening up, Flynn looked at Ally, leaned in and kissed her cheek. ‘Thanks, I owe you.’
Then he started to jog the way they’d come and got back to talking to Maisey. ‘I didn’t know William had been discharged.’
‘He wasn’t.’
So the old boy had taken it in his own hands to get out of hospital. ‘He definitely needs that talking to, but I have to say I’ve already tried on more than one occasion and he’s never been very receptive to anything I’ve said.’
‘He’s lost the will to live.’
That was it in a nutshell. ‘I’ll talk to his daughter again.’ Not that he held out any hope. She’d had no more luck than anyone else.
Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Adam throwing a stick for Sheba, laughing and shouting like only four-year-olds could. When he’s older, will he fight for me if the need arose? I hope I am such a good parent that he will. Ally drifted into his vision as she chased another stick Adam had thrown, and he felt a frisson of longing touch him. Longing that followed him up and across the road and all the way home.
Longing that wasn’t only sexual; longing that reminded him of lazy days with Anna and Adam, of friendship and love. Longing he had no right to explore. He’d been married to the love of his life. No one got a second whack at that. Anyway, as Anna had told him on the day she’d died, he hadn’t been the perfect husband. He’d worked too many hours, putting his career before his family apparently. It hadn’t mattered that the career had given them the lifestyle they’d had. Yeah, the one Anna apparently hadn’t wanted. Not in the middle of Melbourne anyway. Damn it, Anna, I’m so sorry we were always arguing. I’m sorry about so many things.
He needed to scrub that from his mind and concentrate. William needed him urgently. Hitting the gas accelerator, he drove as fast as the law allowed—actually, a little faster.
Sure enough, the ambulance was parked in William’s driveway. Maisey led him inside, where the paramedics had the heart monitor attached to William’s chest. The reading they passed him was abnormal. He inclined his head towards the door, indicating everyone should leave him with his patient for a few minutes.
‘Don’t even start, Doc,’ William wheezed the moment they were alone.
‘You think you have the right to decide when you should clock out, do you?’
William blinked. ‘It’s my life.’
‘From the moment you’re born, it’s not just yours. You have family, friends, colleagues. They all have a part of you, whether you care or not. Whether you love them or not.’
‘I’ve lost interest in everything since Edna di
ed. You know how it is, Doc.’
Yes, he sure did, but, ‘Don’t play that card with me, William. Look me in the eye and tell me Edna would want you ignoring your daughter’s love? What about your grandchildren, for goodness’ sake? What sort of example are you setting them with this attitude? You think teaching them to give up when the going gets tough is good for them?’ Flynn sat down and waited. He wouldn’t belabour the points he’d made. There was such a thing as overdoing it.
Silence fell between them. The house creaked as the sun warmed it. Somewhere inside he heard Maisey and the paramedics talking. He continued to wait.
William crossed his legs, uncrossed them. His hands smoothed his trousers. He stared around the room, his gaze stopping on a photograph of his family taken when Edna had still been alive.
Flynn held his breath.
William’s gaze shifted, focused on a painting of a farmhouse somewhere on the mainland, then moved on to another of a rural scene. Paintings Edna had done.
Flynn breathed long and slow, hoping like hell his patient didn’t have another cardiac incident in the next few minutes. What if he’d done the wrong thing? But he’d tried the soft approach. It was time to be blunt. They had to get William aboard that ambulance and manhandling him when he refused to go wasn’t the answer—or legal. He had every right to say no. But he’d better not arrest, at least not until he was in hospital.
William had returned to that family photo, his gaze softening, his shoulders dropping a little from their indignant stance. Then one tear slipped from his right eye and slowly rolled down his cheek. He nodded once. ‘I’ll go. For my Edna.’
Good for you. ‘I’ll tell the paramedics.’ And Maisey, who’d no doubt be phoning her niece the moment William had been driven away.
After Flynn had filled in some paperwork to go with his patient, he talked briefly to Maisey and then headed for his car. He was going home to Adam and Ally. They’d go for a jaunt round to San Remo. If only he didn’t feel so drained of energy. Already tired after last night’s emergency call-out, talking with William had taken more out of him than he’d have expected. He understood all too well how the other man felt; he also knew William was wrong. Hopefully, one day the old guy would acknowledge that, at least to himself if no one else.