Page 52 of Riding the Waves

“Dad won’t mind,” Billy said confidently.

“I’ll ask him when he picks the boys up.” Amy rooted in her handbag for the door keys, wanting to have them ready when they finally made a dash for the house. “Are you coming in for a bit or getting straight off?”

“I’ll come in for a minute.”

Anthony had seemed to only be intending to use the bathroom, but Marty and Billy dragged him into a game of cards and he was still there when Damian arrived an hour later.

Damian didn’t come in but shook Anthony’s hand on the doorstep, keeping his hoodie pulled up against the rain. The boys didn’t seem to register it when they ran to the car. Damian shouted them back again to say goodbye.

“You won’t see Anthony for a while.” He ruffled Billy’s hair. “Give him a big hug before we go.”

“We’ll see him tomorrow.” Marty swung on Damian’s hand. “He’s going to come and watch us surf.”

“Really?” Damian asked, brows drawing together.

“If that’s all right with you?” Anthony said.

“It’s fine,” Damian said, eyes bouncing from Anthony to Amy. “I just didn’t know. I thought you had to drive back tonight.”

“He decided to stay,” Amy said. “Just for tonight.”

“Oh.” Damian’s eyes dropped to Marty, and he lifted his arm to pull him off the ground. “Okay. We’ll see you in the morning then.” He encouraged the boys to say goodbye and coaxed them towards the car. “Have a good evening,” he called over his shoulder.

The hint of irritation in his tone clued Amy into the conclusion he’d jumped to: that Anthony was spending the night with her and not in a hotel elsewhere.

CHAPTER 26

“That was awkward,” Anthony said when he closed the front door.

“What was?” Amy asked, biting on the corner of her thumbnail as she walked along the hallway, heading for the kitchen.

“Damian clearly thinks I’m staying here and he didn’t seem happy about it.” He pulled out a chair and sat at the kitchen table.

The flicker of amusement that passed over his eyes sent a rush of anger coursing through Amy’s veins. She’d never have believed Anthony capable of being spiteful, but she supposed it wasn’t that surprising given the circumstances. It didn’t mean she had to put up with it, though.

“The smug look doesn’t suit you,” she said, venom in her words.

His eyes met hers and his features morphed immediately. “I wasn’t being smug,” he said. “I’m just quite surprised. I didn’t think he’d waste so much time with me out of the picture. So you and him didn’t get back together?”

She shook her head. “Did you think I’d get back with Damian the moment we broke up?”

“No. But it’s been several months.”

He was strangely calm, given the conversation. Amy opened her mouth to comment that he didn’t seem overly perturbed by the idea of her and Damian being together but his phone rang, cutting her off. He didn’t answer it but the moment was broken.

“Do you want a drink?” she asked, getting herself a glass of water.

He tapped out a message on his phone and didn’t look up. “I actually need to get going. I need to return that call.”

“Okay.” Her eyebrows pulled together. “I thought you wanted to talk?”

“Is it okay if we wait until tomorrow? I could come back here first thing, then go over to the beach to watch the boys surf before I leave.”

She agreed, feeling a rush of relief that she could just relax and enjoy the evening. At least until she closed the door behind him and was immediately tortured by the thought of Damian assuming Anthony was staying at her place.

Flopping onto the couch, she hit dial on his number – she could use the pretence of asking what time they’d be at the beach tomorrow and subtly slip into the conversation that Anthony had gone back to his hotel.

He didn’t answer though, so she tapped out a message asking him to give her a quick call. She could see that he hadn’t even seen the message and after fifteen minutes she tried calling him again. Still no answer.

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