Page 31 of Seal of Approval

He turned to Rose and gave her a fist bump. “You did a good job.”

Rose grinned at me, and my heart swelled. She had always been confident with Bailey and me, confident as a team. Being recognised on her own for her own effort was rare. Ethan had done that for her.

I turned the boat for home. We’d tested the water in the bay and out deeper. I glanced back at Ethan. He was sitting with the children. None of them said a word, content with the silence. Had my determination not to fall into another relationship denied my children this?

Ethan and Max were such contrasts. Ethan was reserved, whereas Max forced himself into every situation, especially if he thought it benefited him. Ethan took his time teaching the children, whereas Max would have expected them to just do as they were told. Max would never have acknowledged their questions as Ethan had done, being patient and nurturing to their curiosity.

The children had never mattered to Max. He’d been the most important person in the world to himself. He always wanted to be the centre of attention and would change friends frequently to make sure he was. We were not important unless we elevated his position.

I could have lived with all of that if it was just me. But it wasn’t just me. And I hated the way he treated the children.

“Is there anything else we need to do today?” Ethan asked from beside me.

I jumped. I hadn’t heard him coming. “Just need to cancel the tours until Monday, but that’s it.”

“Is it OK if I leave that with you? I’d like to record all our findings from today.”

What a change. I doubt he would have asked back when he started.

“Of course. Why don’t you head back home to do that? I’ll take the kids with me to give you some peace.”

“Great. Thanks,” he said with a smile. When he smiled, his entire face brightened—his cheeks lifted and filled, his eyes crinkled. It was the type of smile you automatically returned.

He stayed beside me as we headed to the jetty, his warmth seeping into me, spreading through my body. It was delicious. I snuck a glance up at him. He was watching me with those vibrant hazel eyes. My stomach swirled, and I tore my gaze away.

I wasn’t attracted to Ethan. So why was my body saying otherwise?

CHAPTER TWENTY

Ethan

I walked back to the house alone, relishing the peace. But it wasn’t the peace of being alone. It was the peace of the whole day. Could that be classified as the best day I’d had since I got here?

After I’d made the mistake with the sea lion, Jasmine hadn’t got hung up on it. Audrey would have. She would have made small jibes for the rest of the afternoon. She’d always been jealous of my success.

The jibes were often about my failures. And one of those failures was not climbing out from my father’s influence. She liked to point out whenever I acted like him. I’d learnt at a young age to shut down my feelings and my reactions. I’d mastered that in adulthood. The only time I felt free was with the sea lions, whether it be interacting with them or studying them.

Today I felt free for a different reason—peace and contentment. And it came from the three people I least expected. I didn’t know whether to grab onto it and relish it or run the other way. I couldn’t run far. Not when I lived with them. Maybe I could just enjoy what we had. If I did, I needed to be conscious of my behaviour at all times. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.

Timmy met me as I made my way to my room to grab my laptop. He stretched each of his legs as he walked. I chuckled. He had grown in the two months I’d been here, but lost none of his character. He followed me all the way to my room and back to the kitchen table. I pulled out a chair for him and he sat beside me as I worked, getting lost in the figures and data.

I heard Bailey and Rose before I saw them. Rose was chatting away. Timmy heard them as well and ran to the door to meet them. When they entered, he weaved between their legs.

“Mum had to help a new camper,” Bailey said. “She sent us home to help you with dinner.”

I closed my laptop. “Go, wash your hands and we’ll get started on the Mission Burritos.” I got the ingredients out. “Let’s start with the marinade,” I said as they joined me at the counter.

I read out the ingredients to them and they added them to the bowl.

There was a knock at the front door. My hands were covered in marinade.

“Bailey, can you get that, please?”

I washed my hands as he answered the door.

“Hi, Bailey,” a man’s voice said.

Bailey slammed the door, turned around and froze. All the blood had drained from his face. I rushed to him and bent to look at him.

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