First Time in Forever (Puffin Island 1)

The two of them stared at each other, cynic and beauty, violet blue locked with smoldering black.

Feeling as if he were trespassing on an intimate moment, Ryan was about to speak when Alec stood up abruptly.

“Not for me. I have work to do. I’m off to London at the end of the week.” He nodded to Emily. “Good to meet you.”

To Skylar he said nothing, and Ryan watched as his friend walked out through the restaurant without a backward glance.

Skylar handed the menu back to Kirsti. “I guess he hates dessert.” Her voice was calm, but Ryan could see she was upset.

“He hates a lot of things right now. He’s going through a rough time. Bad divorce.”

“We understand. It’s not a problem.” It was Emily who spoke, but Ryan noticed that she reached across and squeezed her friend’s hand, the bond between the two girls visible to the naked eye.

Skylar gave a quick smile intended to indicate she was fine, and then stared out to sea.

As Kirsti disappeared to the kitchen on a mission to find blueberry pie, Ryan tried to resurrect the conversation.

“So, what are your plans for the afternoon?”

It was Lizzy who answered. “We’re going to make jewelry.”

For the first time Ryan noticed the pasta necklace around Lizzy’s neck. Each piece was painted a different shade of purple and pink and sprinkled with glitter.

“Sounds like fun.”

“Can we go on a boat trip?” The innocent question sent a ripple of tension around the table that Ryan detected but didn’t understand.

In the end it was Skylar who spoke. “You’ll be too busy making jewelry for me to wear next time I visit.”

Lizzy wasn’t so easily deterred. “I’d like to go on a boat and see the puffins.”

“Boats rock and mess up your hair. Maybe we’ll go on it next time I’m here,” Skylar said quickly. “I’ll take you.”

Lizzy looked at Emily. “Do boats make you sick?”

“A little.” Emily’s face was as white as new snowfall, and Ryan knew beyond a shadow of a doubt there was a reason she kept her back to the water.

They shared blueberry pie, and then Kirsti interrupted with a call for Ryan.

He excused himself and walked through to his office, but Kirsti stopped him as he was about to close the door.

“I think Skylar might be The One for Alec.” She spoke in a whisper so that whoever was on the phone couldn’t hear her.

Ryan laughed. “You have to be kidding me. They almost killed each other.”

“I know. I’ve never seen Alec like that. The chemistry was electric.”

“She almost blacked his eye.”

“Because he was rude to her and she wasn’t having it! Most people are daunted by Alec’s intellectual superiority. She squashed him like a bug.”

“And that’s a good thing?” Baffled, Ryan shook his head. “Skylar isn’t his type.”

“Ryan, how can such an intelligent guy be so clueless when it comes to relationships? She’s exactly his type. That’s why he was in such a filthy mood. He’s used to winning, and he didn’t win.” She turned away with an exasperated sigh, and Ryan stared after her, trying to picture brooding Alec with free-spirited Skylar.

Exactly his type?

He thought about Emily.