Page 56 of The Castle in the Bay

‘I met Catriona’s mum earlier. She thinks I might be related to her.’

‘Oh my god, really? So you might actually have island blood and not be just an invading tourist.’

‘Exactly.’ He winked at her, and she looked away, grinning.

She reached the container and pushed the door open. Monty followed her inside, grabbing the other end of the kite to help stow it away. The distant hum of the festival barely filtered into this cold, dark space.

‘I can’t get over how good you are on that thing.’ Monty adjusted his glasses, his smile almost proud.

Such a sweet guy.

‘The crowd loved it too.’

Iona shrugged. ‘I told you earlier, I love doing it.’

‘Well, you nailed it.’

She lifted a couple of blankets from a shelf. ‘Shall we watch for a bit?’

‘Yeah, why not?’

‘I’ll get changed out of this first. Here.’ She chucked the blankets to him and used the string to pull down the zip on her wetsuit. He cleared his throat and turned away. What a gent. She stepped out of the wetsuit and hung it up. ‘I’ve got a cossie on. You can look. I’m not completely indecent.’

‘Hmm, well… It just doesn’t feel right. I’m not a lecher.’

‘I know that.’ She lifted her Dryrobe and pulled it on. ‘Come on, let’s go.’

He peered around and she held out her hands, waggling her fingers. ‘I’m decent.’

Raising an eyebrow, he looked sideways as if to sayI don’t think so, then laughed.

They headed back to the beach and laid out the picnic blanket in a quiet spot near the grass where Monty had been sitting before. No sooner had they sat down than the two annoying guys appeared and sat down not far off.

‘Seriously?’ Iona glared at them before turning to Monty.

‘Do you want to move?’ he asked.

She cast a glance in their direction. One of them was looking back with a smug expression that made her want to march over and slap him. ‘Actually no. I have a better idea.’

Monty put his hand on her arm. ‘If it involves physical violence of any kind, I would advise against it.’ His tone was fake formal, like he was joking, but his eyes were serious.

‘I can’t deny the thought has crossed my mind, but that’s not what I was thinking.’ She shuffled a little closer. ‘How about another lesson in how to be adventurous in love?’

‘Um… yeah? And what’s that?’

‘How to make out on a beach.’

‘With all these people watching?’

She grinned and leaned closer. ‘It’s a festival. Half the people here will be doing it shortly.’

He let out a huff that was partway between a laugh and a scoff. ‘So, when in Rome…’

‘Exactly. And it’ll give those two something to stare at.’

‘Ok.’ He took off his glasses and placed them on the rug beside him.

Iona’s pulse spiked. What the hell? But something about the movement was so deliberate. So calculated. He meant business.

---