Page 3 of Riding the Waves

“What did she put in the contract?” Leo asked.

Damian opened the attached file and scanned the document. “Just the hours she’ll work and …” He squinted at the screen. “This is actually pretty good. She’s listed all the things she’ll do with them: fun and educational craft activities; indoor and outdoor sports activities to promote fitness, coordination and social skills; she’ll provide healthy and nutritional snacks … the list goes on. It sounds like it might be worth the money.”

Hugh frowned. “It also sounds a lot like the kids’ programme at the community centre over in Totnes. Emmy’s signed up for it. We have the flyer hanging on our fridge.”

“Do you think she’s just signed the boys up for that?” Damian asked, fairly sure he knew the answer. Scarlett’s husband, Fraser, worked at the community centre, so it all added up.

“It sounds like something Scarlett would do,” Leo said. “That way she can still write her books and do her usual work while also getting paid by you. To be fair, it’s pretty ingenious.”

Hugh smiled lightly. “If she has got them a place in the kids’ club, the boys will love it. Emmy always has a great time.”

“So long as I don’t get a bill from the community centre on top of paying Scarlett for babysitting.”

“It’s a free programme,” Hugh told him. “They run on donations.”

“That’s definitely Scarlett’s plan then, isn’t it?” Damian rolled his eyes. “I suppose you’re right; the boys will enjoy it. It’ll be nice for them to be with Emmy too.”

“You must be looking forward to the boys arriving?” Hugh said, stretching his neck and angling his face to the sun.

“Can’t wait.” Damian took a swig of his pint. “Here’s a weird thing though… when I spoke to Amy I mentioned I was teaching on Sunday afternoon when they were planning on arriving, so she said they’d come and meet me at the beach if I wasn’t home yet.”

“Why’s that weird?” Hugh asked.

“Because she never comes to the beach. Not once since we broke up. If she comes to Hope Cove, she comes to the house.” He stroked his thumb over the sole of Alice’s bare foot. “I always had the impression it was intentional … that she refused to go to the beach.”

Hugh’s eyebrows drew together. “Why?”

“Because that’s where we met. The place is full of memories.” He blew out a breath. “Most of our good memories are from Thurley beach and hanging out around the surf shack.”

“So you think she didn’t want to revisit that before … but now that she’s split up with Anthony …?”

“That’s what I’m thinking.”

“It kind of assumes you think she still has feelings for you,” Leo said with a hint of a smirk.

Damian pursed his lips. “I think she’s probably scared of her feelings for me. I don’t think she ever stopped being physically attracted to me.”

“Some might say you sound a bit cocky,” Hugh said.

Damian grinned. “She also didn’t outright say no when I asked if she wanted to stay at my place before she drives home on Monday. I probably shouldn’t have invited her to stay.”

“Because you’ll try something with her?” Leo asked.

“The only thing that stopped me from trying something with her for the past six years was the fact that she was married. Now she’s single, everything is complicated.”

“Or arguably pretty straightforward,” Hugh countered.

Damian gave his friend a look. “She still can’t stand me and still thinks I’m a useless lump.”

“Ah yes … she fancies you, but she also hates you. I forgot that bit.”

“Hopefully she’s made other arrangements for Sunday night. If she’s hanging around my place in her skimpy pyjamas, there’s zero chance I won’t try to stick my tongue down her throat.”

“I suppose that would complicate things slightly,” Leo said.

If there was one thing Damian couldn’t stand, it was drama. He’d do whatever it took to keep his life as uncomplicated as possible.

Then again, if there was someone worth complicating things for, it was Amy.

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