What Goes on Tour

by Boston, Claire

  Libby joined them and Adrian shifted a little so she could be part of the circle.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, if you look to the port side of the boat, you’ll see a whale. For those of you non-nautical people, that’s the left side of the boat,” a voice announced over the loudspeaker.

  There was a stampede to the left as passengers rushed to see the whale.

  Kate was one of the first, and surprisingly George was right behind her. Libby wasn’t sure whether he was concerned for Kate’s safety or just as eager as she was. From the grin on his face as he turned to see where they were, she suspected it was the latter.

  By this time there was no room left at the railing. She turned to Adrian. “Don’t you want to see them?”

  “I’d prefer to spend the time with you.” He tugged her closer so they were standing facing each other. He brushed a stray bit of hair out of her face. “Have you recovered from your scare?”

  Libby nodded, her mouth dry. How could one person affect her so much?

  Adrian brushed his lips against hers, a soft whisper of a touch. “Do you want to see the whales?” he asked.

  “I’ve seen whales before,” she answered.

  He seemed intrigued. “You’ve been whale watching before?”

  “I used to go out fishing as a kid. Sometimes we’d see whales or dolphins.”

  “With your family?”

  “No, with my friend Piper’s family on their boat.”

  “Your parents didn’t fish?”

  Libby laughed. “Fishing is not the fashionable thing to do.”

  Adrian checked to make sure George was still with Kate and then pointed to the empty seats on the right side of the boat. “Let’s get a seat while we can.”

  They sat next to each other, their thighs touching. Libby took a breath of the fresh harbor air and sighed. “I’d forgotten how much I like to be out on the water.”

  “Did you used to go out a lot?”

  “Almost every weekend in summer, until Piper moved back to Texas when I was twelve.”

  Adrian’s forehead crinkled. “Didn’t your parents miss you?”

  Libby laughed, but it was a cynical laugh. “They were always working or off having lunch with their friends, so I don’t think they even realized I wasn’t at home.”

  “What about your brothers and sisters? Have you got any?”

  “Older brother and sister. They’re both quite a bit older than I am. I was the mistake.” She said it lightly, but it still hurt to know the truth. She’d messed up their nice, neat nuclear family, and though no one said it in as many words, it had been obvious she was an accidental afterthought. There was a ten-year gap between Libby and her brother. Not wanting to dwell on her own family, she asked, “What about your family? Any regular weekend outings?”

  She’d never seen someone shut down so fast. One moment Adrian was smiling at her and the next his face was wiped of all emotion. “No.” He glanced away. “We really should get a look at the whales. Come on.” He stood and offered her his hand.

  Libby wondered whether she should push the issue. No, now wasn’t the right time. It wasn’t something he wanted to confide in her. She ignored the stab of hurt. They had agreed theirs was to be a casual relationship. She forced a smile and let him help her up. “Sure.”

  His hand trembled in hers, his whole body tense. She rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand as they walked across the deck. He glanced at her and she put all the openness and support she could into her smile. Some of the tightness released and his eyes lost their shuttered look.

  Still, he wasn’t going to open up here.

  ***

  Both Kate and George had their cameras out, snapping shots of the whales as they breached the surface of the water close by. Some of the people who had rushed over at the initial sighting had moved away to get something to eat, or to seize the opportunity to secure one of the empty seats.

  Adrian kept hold of Libby’s hand as he leaned over to Kate and said, “What do you think, kiddo?”

  She turned to him, her eyes shining with delight. “They’re awesome, Uncle Ade.”

  His heart swelled and he relaxed further. It amazed him how much joy Kate brought into his life, just by being a kid. She made every moment exciting, made you see it from her perspective, and included him in a childhood he’d never had.

  He straightened and watched the two whales leaping out of the water. He’d been stupid not to expect Libby to ask about his family when he’d been prying into hers. He’d wanted to know more about her, but when she turned the questions onto him he’d instinctively shut down.

  She seemed to understand. She was still holding his hand, anchoring him to the now so he didn’t flash back to those terrible days as a child. Those days when he would rather go hungry than risk upsetting his father with his presence. He wanted to explain to Libby, wanted to tell her all the sordid details, and it scared him. He’d never told any woman, never trusted one enough.

  But it might horrify her. She might think less of him, worry he could turn into a monster like his father. He’d always worried it was a possibility. Adrian shared his father’s genes. Would she want the extra baggage he brought with him?

  He closed his eyes. It didn’t matter. This was a fling. In a couple of weeks they would go their separate ways. There was no need to tell her.

  As if she knew he was thinking about her, she stroked his hand and when he met her eyes they were kind.

  Realizing he was clenching her hand tightly, he relaxed it and tried to smile. There was no reason to confide in her. She didn’t need to know.

  But part of him wanted her to know.

  Chapter 13

  Libby was exhausted, but it was a good exhaustion. The type of exhaustion that said, ‘I’ve had an awesome day doing awesome things.’

  Even Kate was quiet during the elevator ride up to their floor. She held Adrian’s hand and leaned against him as if she didn’t quite have the energy to stand straight.

  “How about we get room service and watch movies tonight?” Adrian suggested.

  “Sounds good, Uncle Ade.” Kate stifled a yawn.

  Libby grinned. Kate must be tired if she wasn’t getting excited over room service.

  Adrian turned to her. “Would you like to join us?”

  Libby had editing she should do, but right now her brain felt like mush. She might as well give herself the whole day off. She was too tired to work. “I’d love to.”

  The elevator dinged.

  “George?”

  George looked at Adrian and Libby, then said, “No, thanks. I’ve got to check on a few things.”

  Adrian got out of the elevator and turned toward his room.

  “I’ll meet you there,” Libby said. “I need to have a shower.” The harbor spray clung to her skin and she wanted to wash it off.

  “George, you can walk me to the door while Uncle Ade walks Libby.” Kate removed her hand from Adrian’s and took George’s instead.

  Adrian and George shared a look and George nodded.

  “Shall we, ma’am?” Adrian held out his arm in an old-fashioned gesture and Libby grinned.

  “Why thank you, kind sir.” She placed her arm in his and they walked the short distance to her room.

  “Thank you for a lovely day.” She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.

  “You’re most welcome, ma’am.” He drew her into his arms and kissed her again, long and deep, drawing all her feelings to the surface in one sweet kiss.

  She checked the corridor to make sure Kate had gone inside and suddenly remembered the blonde she’d seen at the docks. Then Libby realized why she’d seemed familiar. She was the woman who’d got the wrong room in Melbourne.

  Libby pulled away and put her hand to her forehead. “I meant to tell you about something. There was a woman who came to the room in Melbourne.”

  Adrian stepped back. “You never said anything.”

  “It was the night Kate had her nightma
re and I forgot all about it. She said she’d got the wrong room number, but she recognized me. She must have seen the talk show.” Libby paused. “I thought I saw her today on the docks taking photos.”

  “What did she look like?”

  “Tall, about your height, and slim, with blond hair and an American accent.”

  “Kate’s ex-nanny was blond. But she was supposed to go back to America a week ago.” Concern radiated from him. “I’ll show you a photo of Emily tonight and you can tell me if it was her. Or it might have been a fan who’d somehow managed to find out where I was staying. There was an issue with a fan at one of the Melbourne concerts.”

  “I’m sorry.” Libby wished she’d remembered to tell him earlier. If it was a fan, it was stalker-like behavior, and it made Libby nervous. She hugged him and he brought his arms around her.

  When she stepped back to look up at him, he brushed his lips in a feather-like touch over hers. It was gentle and made her feel loved. She wanted to stay here like this forever.

  Forever? That was crazy. She’d known Adrian less than two weeks. This was her no-strings tour fling. There was no forever. Adrian had made it clear. He wasn’t looking for a relationship.

  He squeezed her hand. “You all right?”

  “Sure.” She gazed down the empty corridor. “George will probably want to get to work.”

  “You’re right. You tend to distract me.” He grinned and pulled her close for another kiss. “Don’t be too long.”

  “I won’t.” Libby slipped inside her room. She leaned back against the door and shut her eyes. Where the hell had forever come from? She couldn’t possibly be thinking straight. In another two weeks Adrian would go back to America and she would move into the cheap apartment she’d found and that would be the end. It was a tour romance Adrian might think fondly about from time to time if she was lucky.

  She stood hugging herself by the door.

  Libby swore softly. She wasn’t in love with Adrian. She couldn’t possibly be. Sighing, she relaxed her hold. She needed a shower. The water would wash away her foolish thoughts and she’d be able to think straight.

  ***

  The shower helped. Libby had realized she was being silly. What she’d felt was just the early stages of a crush. The stage of dating when everything was so right and so rosy.

  She’d got carried away because Clint had never given her this sensation of belonging, this feeling of family.

  Clint had never given her much of anything.

  After dressing she was heading out the door when her cell phone rang. Checking the display, she almost didn’t answer it, but she knew her mother would keep ringing if she didn’t.

  “Hi, Mum.”

  “Elizabeth, I thought you would have called when you got home from your tour.”

  “I’m still over east, Mum,” Libby said. What did her mother want? She never called just to say hello.

  “Didn’t you finish last week?”

  “I’ve got a temp job over here.”

  “Oh. When will you be back?” There wasn’t any interest in what the job was, thank God – just annoyance, as if Libby had messed up her mother’s plans.

  “Not for another couple of weeks.”

  “That won’t do at all. There’s a function next Saturday and as your father and I leave for Fiji tonight, I promised you will be there. Some of my friends are big fans.”

  Her mother’s tone made it clear she was surprised at her friends’ taste.

  Libby rolled her eyes and suppressed a sigh. Another one of her mother’s charitable fundraisers, where Libby would be expected to bid on some extravagant thing she couldn’t afford. Thank goodness she had a valid excuse. “You’ll have to tell them I’m working.”

  “Surely you could fly back for the weekend.”

  Her mother had no idea how little she earned from writing, nor was Libby going to point it out to her. But that was beside the point. She was working on Saturday.

  “I’m sorry, Mum. You’ll have to give my apologies.”

  Her mother huffed in displeasure. “I’m disappointed in you, Elizabeth. I don’t ask for much.”

  That was because she didn’t care to remember she had a younger daughter until it suited her.

  “Next time you’ll have to ask me if I’m available first.” She wasn’t going to feel guilty about this. Her mother would keep at her until she gave in, so she said, “I’ve got to go. I’m meeting friends and I’m going to be late. Give my love to Dad.” She hung up before her mother responded.

  She quickly turned her phone off in case her mother called back. Tension drained out of her body and she was suddenly lighter and happier. It was the first time she’d refused her mother.

  Most of the time it was Libby who was being refused. Whenever she suggested going out to dinner with her parents, it wasn’t convenient. They either had something on, or were expecting something better to come along. She’d learned not to ask anymore.

  Right now Libby had someone who wanted to spend time with her and she wasn’t going to let her mother ruin her mood.

  She retrieved her key and headed to Kate and Adrian’s room.

  ***

  Kate answered the door in her pajamas, her hair damp. “Come in. Uncle Ade’s in the shower. I’m deciding what I want for dinner.”

  The image of a naked and wet Adrian popped into Libby’s mind and she paused, her mouth going dry.

  “What do you think you’ll have?” Kate’s voice interrupted Libby’s thoughts and Libby blocked the image from her mind. She couldn’t have those kinds of thoughts with Kate around. She followed Kate to the table, where the room service menu was open. “What looks good?”

  “I’m getting fish and chips.” Kate moved the menu so Libby could see.

  Libby paged back to the start and then realized Kate was grinning at her. “What is it?”

  “You and Uncle Ade were holding hands today,” she said with a triumphant smile.

  Libby hesitated. “Yes, we were. Are you okay with that?”

  “Yes! I knew he fancied you like you fancied him. He was never this friendly with Emily. Generally he’s not comfortable around strangers. Dad used to say it was because he was shy. He’s not shy with you, though.” The shower had revived some of Kate’s energy.

  Libby wanted to know more about what Kate’s dad used to say, but she stopped herself from asking. Adrian would tell her about his background when he was ready.

  Adrian came out of the bathroom and Libby quickly turned her attention to the menu.

  “We’re deciding on dinner,” Kate told him.

  “Great idea.”

  Libby turned to face Adrian, trying to seem casual. He wore his usual jeans and T-shirt, blue today, and his hair was disheveled from drying it. He looked refreshed and relaxed. Libby’s heart thudded.

  “What’s the plan of action for tonight?” she asked.

  “Order dinner first and then see what movies are available,” Kate answered.

  Adrian and Libby chose their meals, and while Kate deliberated over which movie to watch, Adrian showed Libby a photo of Emily.

  “That’s her,” Libby said, staring at the photo.

  “Darn it,” Adrian swore. “Let me tell George she didn’t go home.” He picked up his cell phone.

  “What’s wrong?” Kate asked.

  Libby checked with Adrian and then said, “I thought I saw Emily today at the docks. Adrian is telling George.”

  “She went home last week,” Kate said and turned back to her movie selection.

  “That’s what we thought, but maybe she decided she wanted to see some of Australia while she was here.” Libby didn’t believe for a moment it was a coincidence that Emily happened to be on the docks at the same time as them.

  Adrian hung up. “George is going to check whether she was on the flight.” He turned to Kate. “If you see Emily, I want you to tell one of us straight away.”

  “Sure.” Kate didn’t look up.

 
“You’re not to go anywhere with her if she asks,” Adrian continued.

  “Why would I? She’s no fun.”

  He smiled and relaxed a fraction. “Swell. What movie did you pick for us?”

  Kate handed him a comedy. Libby sat on the couch with Adrian and Kate either side of her. She was concerned about Emily and wondered why she had quit. If Emily and Kate hadn’t got on, would she want to hurt the child?

  Libby would have to be more alert.

  There was no way she would let anyone hurt Kate.

  After dinner, they sat down to watch the movie. Halfway through, Kate snorted and Libby turned to see her fast asleep.

  “Adrian,” she said softly and pointed to Kate.

  His face softened and he smiled, the love he had for Kate showing clearly in his expression. “I’ll take her to bed.”

  He lifted Kate up and she barely stirred. Libby stood and went with him to draw back the covers of Kate’s bed so he could lay her straight in. Adrian kissed Kate on the forehead and tucked her in. Libby’s heart swelled.

  She rubbed her hands over her face. This wasn’t infatuation.

  Libby followed Adrian out of the room.

  She was in big trouble.

  This was love.

  ***

  Adrian left Kate’s door open and moved back to the couch. He was aware of how cozy the situation seemed. He’d seen Daniel and Penny do the same thing with Kate when she had been younger. But he shouldn’t be thinking about Libby as a mother. She was Kate’s nanny and that was it. He’d made it clear.

  These strange feelings must be because it was the first time he’d spent so much time with a woman and Kate.

  He settled down on the couch with no interest in watching the rest of the movie. He reached for the remote. “Do you want to watch the end?”

  “Not really.”

  He turned off the television and then stood to put some background music on. “Would you like a cup of tea?”

  “You don’t have any wine?” Libby asked.

  “No.” He was surprised she should ask now.

  “Then yes, please.” She hesitated and then asked, “Adrian, I’ve been meaning to ask, don’t you drink?”