Page 47 of Daddy's Pride

“Hmm.”

“We’ll never get there if we stay out here all day.”

“A few more minutes, Daddy.”

I kiss him softly and nip his bottom lip playfully. “A few more.”

* * *

We begin our day in Scarborough by exploring the castle. It’s mostly ruined and only accessible via raised wooden walkways. But the view across the sea from the high vantage point is worth the visit alone. It’s a bright day with beautiful azure skies, but as it’s still early spring, the weather is crisp and cool.

“It’s amazing that anything’s left standing after eight hundred years in the wind and rain, isn’t it?” Harris says as we stand hand in hand, reading one of many information boards.

“Yes. It’s a testament to the skill of the builders and the strength of the stone they used.”

He leans against my side. “Do you think they had any clue that the castle would still be standing so far in the future?”

“I doubt it. They were building for the present. Their present.”

Harris laughs and rests his head against my shoulder. “I know what you meant. It would be nice to create something that matters. You’re getting to do that.”

“I am?”

“Yes. With the Open Arms Activity Centre.”

His confidence that I can get my business off the ground is contagious. More and more, I believe I can do it.

After thoroughly exploring the castle and all the beautiful views, we wander into town to the beachfront. Several shops are closed, as it’s out of season, but we find an open ice-cream store. I treat us to cones with two flavours of ice cream each. We eat them as we walk along the beach. In summer, it will be packed. Now, it’s pretty empty, allowing us to enjoy the whisper of the waves as they caress the shore, the spongy sensation of wet sand beneath the soles of our shoes, and the powerful scent of salt. Seagulls wheel and cry overhead.

“Tell me about your holidays here,” I say.

“We’d come to the beach most days. Bright and early so we could claim a spot and hire deck chairs and a windbreaker. My parents would relax and watch while Nigel and I built sandcastles and paddled in the sea.”

“Did you build sandcastles together?”

“Sometimes. But the older we got, the more competitive we got. We’d build opposing castles and ask our parents to judge the winner. I swear they kept a tally so that no one won more often than the other.”

I chuckle. “Probably.”

“We’d have fish and chips for lunch, and if we’d been good, Dad would buy us ice cream for a mid-afternoon snack. We’d go for a day trip to Whitby. Nigel and I loved The Dracula Experience. Is it still there?”

I shrug. “No idea.”

“On our last night, we’d get to stay up late for a ghost tour.”

“You have a lot of happy memories of Scarborough?”

“Tons. Which is why I wanted to spend the week here. But I’m not upset my plans got disrupted. In fact, I’m very glad they did.” He smiles and knocks his shoulder against my arm.

I stop him and kiss him tenderly. His lips are cold from the breeze and the ice cream. His mouth tastes of hazelnut and rich chocolate, making me wish I’d chosen those flavors too.

His phone rings. We break apart. Is his brother calling him again?

He wanders a few steps away as he takes the call. I don’t listen. Instead, I turn to face the sea and inhale deeply. Sea air always gives me a big appetite. My stomach grumbles, reminding me that ice cream isn’t a substitute for lunch.

Harris hugs me from behind and comes to stand beside me. “My car’s all fixed.”

“I can take you to pick it up tomorrow.” We probably won’t get home before the garage closes today. Not unless we cut our visit short.

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