Onthe beach
They had loved and lost before, but would they let their fear of being hurt again stop them from experiencing a second chance of happiness with each other?
Katewatched from behind sunglasses as Jack strode purposefully towards the sea, hismuscular body bronzed by the sun. She didn’t let on shewas watching; she didn’twant him to get the wrong idea!
Friends, nothing more, nothing less – that had been agreed when they went for that first coffee alone a few short months ago, neither wanting to experience that awful pain of loss again.
Shewatched as he reached thewater’s edge, his feet sinking into the finewet sand, the freshness of the surf making him hop from foot to foot almost comically. She smiled as happiness caressed her. He was gorgeous. Why hadn’t she seenwhat was right there before her eyes?
As he strolled, his mind wrestled with what he knewwas happening. Glancing towardswhere she sat, he recognised a strange feeling deep inside and it scared him more than anything that might be lurking beneath thewaves.
Wiggling up a bit to get a better view over deckchairs and sandcastles, she watchedwhile butterflies danced in her tummy reminding her of her youth. This was crazy…
He turned, waving a strongmuscular arm, a smile on his ruggedly handsome face. Then hewalked into thewater until his ankles, then his sturdy knees, and finally his slim hips disappeared into the cool greeny-blueness of the sea. With one graceful forward plunge he took to the water like a Greek god, she thought, her heart racing and her cheeks tingling – and not from thewarmth of the sun…
In thewater, he pondered. OK, they were friends, part of a long standing group of friends, but surely things had moved on? Theywere spending more time together – meals out, meals in, cinema. She’d even come towatch the last home match, a sign of true commitment!
Then insecurity and guilt engulfed him like a tsunami.
Back on the beach she daydreamed. Thiswasn’t what she’d planned! Shewas settled, contented, in love…? Was she asleep? Bored? He’d never beenmuch of a talker! He thought back towhen he’d first met Annie. She never seemed to mind his lack of witty banter, not like other girls, and he’d loved her, loved her more than he thought he could love – until now.
As he swam, thoughts flitted about the coral of his mind like little fish, with insecurity as the killer shark close by. They were friends, but hewanted more…
She pulled her glasses from her face. The butterflies had suddenly turned into a deep ache.
Robwould have said, “Stop being silly.” He liked Jack, he’d said so many a time after a football match or a lads night out. He’dwant her to be happy, not guilty. He’d want them to go for it.
She sat up and reapplied suntan lotion, then a thin coat of coral lip tint. Itwas now or never. She’d been sending out mixed messages allweek – she knewwhat she wanted, but did he?
He could feel his toes and fingers starting to wrinkle. He couldn’t stay submerged all day, but she’d made it clear that Robwas irreplaceable. He turned away from the beach and looked out to sea. Shewas beautiful, funny, kind, but could he really be this lucky twice in one lifetime?
In the distance freighters headed away across theworld and right at that moment he wished hewere aboard one of them.
Her hand intertwining his made him jump as if a mermaid had surfaced to take him off to some romantic underwater hideaway. But thiswas no mermaid – this heavenly creaturewas more beautiful than anymythical sea being. The green of her eyes outshining the azure sea. He felt his hopes soar and his insecurities sink to the murky depths.
As they clung together like two young lovers she whispered softly, “You feel the same, don’t you?” “Yes, but…” She kissed his sentence short. “I tried not to, but it just sort of happened,” she said, finally.
Holding her tenderly, he whispered, “I love you, Kate.”
“Me too!” said Kate, tears visible in her eyes. “Just becausewe loved Rob and Annie, doesn’t mean we can’t love again.”
Taking her hand, they headed for shore. “Anyway, seventy’s the new forty…” she cooed.
And shewas right. He felt young, and so in love as they headed towards the beach – and towards a wonderful new chapter in their lives.