Page 29 of Love in the Air at The Cornish Bakery

‘You mean you think I actually stand a chance of winning against you?’

‘I didn’t say that.’ Nina laughed.

Chapter Fifteen

‘Woohoo! Another strike!’ Turning, Nina high-fived Rowan as he rushed towards her pulling her in for a hug.

‘You’ve not lost it.’

‘It would seem not.’ Laughing, Nina kissed him.

‘Hey, I don’t mean to interrupt, but this hardly seems fair.’ Max held up his fingers and began ticking them off. ‘First off, we play three games of individuals against individuals and you, Nina, win twice and you, Rowan, once. Then we play a game of us two against you two and again you win. I vote for mixing up the teams. Me and Rowan, against you two.’ Max looked at Nina and Brooke.

‘Ooh, I like that idea. Me and Nina will smash you two!’ Standing up from the bench, Brooke placed her arm around Nina’s shoulders and grinned.

‘Right, this is getting serious.’ Rowan rubbed his hands together. ‘Let’s make this interesting and say the losing team buys dinner?’

‘Sounds good. I just hope you’ve brought your wallet out.’ Fixing Rowan’s gaze, Nina grinned.

‘I hope you’ve got your purse.’

‘I do, but I won’t need it.’ This was just like old times. They used to play this game every Friday when they went bowling. ‘Come on, Brooke. We’ll go first.’

‘Okay. Can I just apologise in advance that I’ll probably make us lose?’ Brooke picked up a bowling ball, swung it back before letting go and watching it as it trailed slowly down the middle of the lane before veering off into the gutter. ‘I did warn you.’ She grimaced.

‘Don’t worry. I think there might just be a couple of things I can help you with there.’ Nina smiled. She and Rowan had loved taking her nephew bowling, and she was sure she could use some strategies they’d taught him all those years ago to help improve Brooke’s aim.

‘Watch and weep.’ Standing up, Rowan threw his bowling ball down the lane, pumping the air as it knocked all the pins down. ‘Yes!’

‘Don’t get too smug. This game is far from over.’ Grinning, Nina tested the bowling balls for comfort before rolling one down the lane. She watched as it barrelled into the centre pin, sending it flying and knocking the others down, too. ‘Strike!’

‘Go on, Max. Don’t let me down.’ Rowan called across as Max flung the bowling ball down the lane, knocking over three pins on its way through. ‘Not bad. Not bad.’

Nina watched as Rowan high-fived Max. How was it that after all these years apart, they’d slipped so easily into being together again?

‘Nina, everything okay?’ Rowan touched her elbow.

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