His eyes gleamed and droplets of water clung to his dark jaw. ‘This is the best kind of weather.’
‘You could get blown over to France.’
He lifted the board with a smile. ‘Onshore wind, Louisa.’ His muscles flexed hard under the wetsuit. ‘I’d be blown back onto the beach.’
She laughed and walked with him along the sand. ‘I don’t know much about the sea. Have you lived here all your life?’
‘My parents had a house further down the coast. Dad sailed. My uncle built boats. Josh and I were brought up on the water.’
It sounded good.
‘You’re lucky to have a brother. I always wanted a sibling. Someone to share things with.’
They were back at the house now and she watched while Mac stowed the windsurfer. ‘We weren’t that great at sharing.’ He unzipped the neck of his wetsuit and she felt her breath catch. ‘Whatever I had, Josh wanted. Just typical brothers, I suppose.’
It sounded good to her. Sibling rivalry. The security of family.
‘He loves you.’ She dragged the hat off her head and her dark hair tumbled down her back. ‘He’s worried about you. That’s why he asked me to come.’
His gaze lingered on her hair and then his eyes clashed with hers. ‘I don’t think you’re the answer to my problems, Louisa.’ His voice was deep and very male. ‘And I know for sure I’m not the answer to yours.’
* * *
‘Louisa? Louisa, are you listening to me?’
Louisa blinked and looked at Hannah. ‘Sorry? Did you say something?’
‘Only about five times.’ Hannah rolled her eyes and slammed her locker shut. ‘You were on another planet.’
Louisa felt hot colour seep into her cheeks. ‘I was thinking about something.’
‘Something or someone?’ Hannah gave a sympathetic smile. ‘He’s gorgeous, I’ll give you that, but don’t hold your breath. I’d hate to see you hurt, and Mac Sullivan is married to his job.’
But why? Apart from work and windsurfing, which appeared to be a solitary sport, he did nothing. It was almost as if he didn’t allow himself a social life, Louisa mused as she locked her bag away and followed Hannah out of the staffroom. And he refused to talk about his wife. Or even look at another woman.
She sighed. He must have loved her very much.
He obviously thought he couldn’t enjoy himself any more. It was up to her to show him differently.
‘Hannah...’ She looked at her friend thoughtfully. ‘You know the Christmas party...’
‘The hospital one?’ Hannah pocketed her scissors. ‘It’s great. They hold it in the post-grad centre two days before Christmas. Lots of free food and drink, the chief executive wearing antlers and everyone getting drunk and regretting it madly the day afterwards. You know the sort of thing.’
Louisa grinned. ‘I certainly do.’ Her smile faded. ‘I was thinking I might invite Mac.’
Hannah’s eyes widened. ‘He never goes. He’s always working.’
‘Well, this year Josh is the one working,’ Louisa said breathlessly, ‘because I already checked. So theoretically he could go.’
Hannah stared at her. ‘How are you going to persuade him?’
‘I don’t know yet,’ Louisa confessed, ‘but I’m working on it.’
Hannah shrugged. ‘Well, it’s a good excuse to dress up and sparkle. Maybe you could seduce him.’
Louisa thought of her wardrobe and pulled a face. ‘That might be a problem. Everything in my wardrobe is thermal at the moment.’
And she’d never seduced anyone in her life before.