Page 70 of Riding the Waves

“Oh.” She ran a hand down her face.

“And I already told you I sometimes sleep in the van. Alone.”

“Sorry.” She wasn’t a hundred per cent reassured, but at least he hadn’t outright told her that their little tryst had been a mistake. “I realise I have no right to question you about who you’re hanging out with and what you’re doing. I definitely have no right to be jealous.”

“You have no reason to be jealous.” Tentatively, he reached for her hand again, eyeing her palm as he ran his fingers over it in a way that made her stomach quiver. “It feels kind of nice though. To think you’d be jealous if I was seeing someone.”

“It doesn’t feel very nice to me,” she said, with a sigh.

He hooked her hair behind her ear. “There’s no one else.”

She nodded, believing him but still not sure where that left them.

“Last weekend was amazing,” he said softly. “I just don’t know what happens next. You only recently split up with your husband ...”

“Can you not call him that?” Irrational as it was, the word went straight through her and on Damian’s lips it sounded accusatory.

“Your husband? That’s what he is.”

“I know. I just hate it when you say it.”

He looked at her as though she was a puzzle he couldn’t figure out. “I’m also concerned about the boys. They’ve had a lot of changes in their lives recently.”

She nodded, a pit in her stomach as she listened to his excuses for not wanting to be with her. “Okay.” She stood, wanting to leave before she got emotional. “I think I get it.”

“Hey.” He grasped her hand and pulled her back to sit on the couch. “I just don’t know. I feel as though I spend most of my life not knowing what to do, but mostly I don’t want to rush into something and end up hurting you and the boys.”

She took a calming breath. “I don’t know what to do either.”

“We don’t need to make any big decisions yet.” Gently, he brushed a kiss across her lips. Lying down again, he shuffled to press himself against the back of the couch, then pulled the blanket back and patted the space for her.

She lay down beside him and they snuggled into each other.

“We’ll figure things out,” he whispered in her ear.

CHAPTER 35

Wrapped in Damian’s arms, sleep felt like a thief, stealing that blissful feeling of being exactly where she wanted to be. Amy woke frequently, each time wallowing in the comfort of their entwined bodies before she’d peacefully drift off again. Daylight was lightening the room when some small noise made her eyes flicker open. Expecting to see one of the boys, she inwardly grimaced at the sight of Damian’s dad in the doorway. Martin flashed her a quick smile before retreating.

Feeling like a teenager caught in an illicit tryst, she pulled the blanket over her face and hid from the world before plucking up the courage to move. Damian didn’t stir as she extricated her limbs from his. With no sign of Martin in the kitchen, she wondered if he’d gone back up to bed before spotting him out in the early morning rays on the patio. She slipped on Damian’s hoodie which hung on the back of the chair, dragging up the zip as she stepped barefoot outside. The ground was pleasantly cool and dew glistened on the grass like scattered jewels.

“Morning,” she whispered, the patio chair scraping loudly as she pulled it out from the table.

“Good morning.” Martin smiled softly. “Sleep well?”

Amy squeezed her eyes tight shut, hoping the ground might just gobble her up and put her out of her misery.

“Sorry.” Martin chuckled. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“I feel as though I should explain,” she began.

“I don’t think that’s necessary. You’re adults. Whatever’s going on between you and Damian is none of my business.”

“I don’t know what’s going on between us,” she said. “But I’d like to clarify that I’ve split up from Anthony. We’re getting a divorce.”

“I heard about that. Although, again, it’s really none of my business. You don’t owe me any explanations.”

“I want to explain,” she said, hating that she’d always come off so badly in Damian’s parents’ eyes. “I at least want you to know that whatever is going on, I’m not intending to hurt him again. I’d never hurt him intentionally.”

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