Page 45 of Just the Beginning

The moment he felt her pushing him away, Rick made space between them. ‘We should get back.’

Regret and understanding shone in his eyes. And something darker, something so very tempting. Laughing, Anya raised a hand and blocked the upper part of his face. ‘Don’t look at me like that; you’ll make me forget myself.’

Rick grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss against her palm. ‘I like it when you forget yourself.’

Snatching her hand away, Anya ducked underneath his arm. ‘Rick Penrose, you are a very bad man!’ His deep, rich, wicked laugh followed her across the shed to where the shelves were filled with stacks of neatly organised equipment. ‘Are these the life jackets we need?’

‘That’s the ones,’ he said, coming over to lift a stack down and hand it to her before loading himself up with another pile.

They stepped outside and a wall of heat and light made Anya’s eyes water behind the lenses of her sunglasses. She rested her back against the wall of the shed while Rick set down his jackets and locked up. ‘Okay?’ he asked once he was ready to go.

He was turning her world upside down and she wasn’t sure if she’d ever be simply okay ever again. ‘I’ll speak to Chloe and see if she’ll sit for us again.’

Rick glanced around to make sure no one was watching then bent his head to press one last hot, swift kiss to her mouth. ‘That sounds like a very good idea.’

They were almost back at the paddling zone when Rick swore low and harsh beneath his breath. ‘What the hell are they playing at?’ Before Anya knew what was happening, the life jackets he’d been carrying thudded at her feet and Rick was running full pelt into the water, his arms waving above his head as he shouted, ‘Hey! Hey! Get back beyond the flags!’

She tracked his movements and spotted what he must’ve already noticed: a couple of lads whizzing around the bay on a jet ski. They were zooming in circles, their speed churning up the water. A wave they’d created hit Rick, almost covering his chest, and her brain finally processed the danger as the first high-pitched scream sounded and then she was running for the water too.

Chaos. It was chaos as the unexpected waves ripped through the paddling zone, catching everyone by surprise. Several children disappeared beneath the water, the force knocking them off their feet. Anya’s entire focus narrowed down to Freya’s pink bucket hat as she ploughed through water that felt thicker and heavier than liquid concrete. A woman carrying a little girl cut in front of her, blocking Anya’s view, and another wave hit, causing more shouts of fear and anger. She scrambled around the woman and Freya was further away, the rush of water carrying her out of reach of Rachel. Thank God she had her water wings on because they were the only thing keeping her afloat.

‘Mummy!’

‘I’m here!’ Anya pressed on and had almost reached Freya when Rick got there first, scooping the little girl up into the safety of his arms.

‘I’ve got you, I’ve got you,’ Anya heard him say as she waded over, her breath coming in panicked gasps.

‘Is she okay?’

‘She’s fine. She’s fine, just a little frightened.’ Rick’s big hand was rubbing circles over Freya’s back, her face buried in his neck, her arms clinging to him like a limpet.

The adrenaline began to fade, leaving Anya exhausted as the others waded over. ‘Who was that idiot?’ Helen demanded, a furious scowl twisting her face.

Rick shook his head. ‘A couple of stupid kids who don’t know any better. The lifeguards chased them off.’

Anya was about to say they’d better make sure they chased them all the way out of the village when she heard someone crying and turned to find a little boy standing on his own about twenty feet away. His face was red and Anya looked around to see who he was with. Realising he was alone, and knowing Freya was safe in Rick’s arms, she waded over to him and bent at the waist. ‘Hello? Where’s your mummy?’

The little boy sniffed and knuckled his cheeks. ‘Dunno.’

‘Shall we see if we can find her?’ Anya held out her hand and he grabbed for her like he would a lifeline. Her heart went out to him and she leaned down and scooped him up onto her hip. ‘There we go, it’s okay, we’ll find her.’ There was something vaguely familiar about him but she couldn’t place him. ‘What’s your name, darling?’

More sniffles. ‘Leo.’

Anya gave him a reassuring smile. ‘Hi Leo, I’m Anya. Come on, let’s find your mummy.’

She was about to ask him what his mother looked like when a piercing scream came from the beach. ‘Leo? Where’s Leo?’

Anya turned and her stomach gave a little lurch as she spotted a distraught-looking Shelly Dean scanning the water asshe tried to hold onto two squirming babies. Bracing herself for another confrontation, Anya secured her hold on Leo and hurried towards the beach as quickly as the water would allow. ‘Shelly! Shelly!’ she called out. ‘I’ve got him.’

Shelly’s head snapped towards them. ‘Leo!’

‘He’s fine, he’s fine.’

They met on the edge of the sand. ‘He wanted to play and I thought it would be okay because there were loads of adults in the group.’

‘It’s okay, it’s not your fault.’ Even as she tried to reassure Shelly, guilt gnawed at Anya’s belly. She’d thought Freya would be okay too, had put her own selfish needs first.

She glanced behind to see Rick and the others approaching, Freya still clinging to him like a little monkey. ‘Chloe, give us a hand,’ she called. Her cousin splashed up. ‘Grab one of the babies, will you?’ Anya nodded towards Shelly.

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