Page 18 of Singing For His Kiss

“I can’t have all that by myself!” she protested.

“You’re right. I’ll have a bagel too. Would you like a ham and cheese toastie as well, Madeline?”

Her little face brightened as though he’d given her a gold ring. “Yes, please!” He was always amazed how the small things pleased children so much.

“Can I please have my coffee in a takeaway cup? I won’t be staying long. Tell me, do you know anyone heading out of town I can catch a lift with?” Elizabeth said.

“Haven’t you heard? Had a landslide over the main road at Mackeys Point. No way in and no way out. Should make things nice and quiet around here for a few days,” Josephine said with a smile.

A look of horror crossed Elizabeth’s face. James couldn’t help the guilt that flashed through that he hadn’t told Elizabeth himself. “Landslide?”

The waitress nodded cheerily. “Happened last night with all the rain. Few roofs blown away in the storm too. Manager’s lost the house off his garage. More rain to come as well. No one got hurt though. I guess that’s what happens when there’s only one road in and out of a town.” As though on cue, thunder boomed loud enough to make the cups rattle on the table. “You just enjoy your nice, warm coffee and wait until the rain passes before you go home. There’s no rush. Not until likely next week, that is.”

“There’s no way out of town?” Elizabeth asked, a slight quaver to her voice. “Another road. Surely? What about boats? Surely, there’s a water taxi…or something?”

“Can’t say if anyone would try to come in with the waves like they are. There’s no way I’d chance going out on that water anyway. Think of this as an enforced holiday, know what I mean? Anyway, would you still like that takeaway cup, love?”

“Uh…no…no, thanks.”

Josephine bustled off with their order, happily unaware of the stillness that had settled around Elizabeth’s thin frame. She hung her head in her hands, staring at the tabletop.

“It’s okay, Liz’beth. You can stay with us again,” Madeline said.

He could have hugged Madeline. “It’s actually a good suggestion. Good thinking, Madeline.”

His little girl beamed, unaware of the helping hand she gave him. “Thanks.”

Elizabeth shook her head, still folded in her hands. He caught her whispering, “This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening.”

“It happened last winter. We were land-locked for a good week,” he said,

“A week!?” Elizabeth lifted her head, eyes wide and disbelieving.

“You’d think they’d have put in a better road by now, wouldn't you?” he said.

“You’d think they would.” Elizabeth dropped an unfocussed gaze to the table, a slight frown on her forehead. “What am I going to do now?

She didn’t know how well he could answer her question. He was unexpectedly surprised how well events were playing into his hands. “I have plenty of rooms, as you know. If you’re uncomfortable in the room you stayed in last night, you can have your pick of bedrooms.” Warmth prickled his insides at the thought that she’d pick his bedroom. He mentally groaned, not the thought process he should be having. He noted her uncomfortable shift.

Had she thought the same thing?

“You can sing to me again. I liked that song.” Madeline started to hum the tune as she took a bite of the biscuit.

“You remember the song?" Her expression relaxed as she regarded Madeline, “You liked me singing to you?”

"Uh huh. Made me dream nice things,” Madeline said.

“It did?” He didn’t understand the perplexed look that drifted over Elizabeth’s face. She had to know how good she was. Had to know how she affected people.

“No one’s ever said that to me before,” she said, sounding a bit shell-shocked.

“I liked it too,” he said, pleased when a blush of colour stole over her cheeks. “Where did you learn to play the guitar like that?”

“I just picked it up here and there.”

“You play very well.”

“It’s amazing what you can learn from You Tube.”

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