Family For Beginners

Izzy waited for Molly to beg to be allowed to tag along, but she didn’t. Instead she was telling Flora about the birds and flowers that lived in the forest and suggesting they take Chase for a walk.

“Todd will be home soon,” Clare told Jack. “As it’s sunny, I thought we’d have a barbecue by the lake. I bought steaks and salmon, and we can barbecue veggies and halloumi for the veggies. What do you think?”

“Sounds great. We can help.” He stood up. “I’ll bring the rest of the luggage in from the car.”

Without all Becca’s cases, it had all fitted easily this time.

Aiden stood up, too, and gestured to Izzy to join him. “We’ll see you later.”

Izzy hesitated. “Will you be all right, Molly?”

Her sister nodded. “I’ll stay with Flora.”

Izzy was hurt at the dismissal, which made no sense because last year she’d been thrilled for every moment she’d been able to spend with Aiden without Molly tagging along.

Without bothering to unpack, she grabbed her bag with her swimming things and followed him across the lawn and down to the path that skirted the lake.

Aiden walked slightly ahead and she studied the soft fall of his T-shirt and the way his hair curled over the back of his neck.

They reached the stream with stepping-stones and he held out his hand.

“Don’t slip. We’ve had a lot of rain and it’s deeper than usual.”

She hesitated and then took his hand, feeling his fingers close tightly around hers. It was the first time she’d felt safe in a long time.

“Are you all right?” His voice was rough and she nodded.

“Fine. Just jet-lagged, I guess. You know how it is.”

“We don’t have to take the kayaks out. I just said that to keep the adults happy. I’ve got the key to the boathouse. We can grab some drinks and chill on the deck if you prefer.”

“Sure.” She stepped carefully on the shiny, slippery rocks, determined not to lose her footing. By the end of the holiday they’d probably laugh about it together, but right now their relationship still had that slightly roughened edge. Neither was sure who the other was, or if they had changed.

As soon as she was safely on the path again, she pulled her hand from his.

They made it to the boathouse and she slid off her shoes and walked inside in her bare feet.

“This place is incredible. Do you ever get used to it?” She gazed up at the soaring ceiling, the acres of glass that somehow brought the lake into the room. “I mean, I’d live here.”

Aiden headed for the kitchen area. “You’d go crazy, city girl.”

“Just because I live in a city doesn’t make me a city girl.”

He reached into the fridge and pulled out a couple of cans. He seemed olde

r somehow, as if an extra year in the world had added layers that weren’t visible to the naked eye.

“The way I see it, we have a choice.”

She took the drink from him. “What kind of choice?”

“Either we dive in and start where we left off, or we tiptoe around each other politely for a week or so and then finally click the way we always do and wish we hadn’t wasted half our time together trying to find our way back to the place we always end up.”

He had a way of finding clarity in situations that always seemed murky and complicated to her.

Flustered, she took a swallow of her drink. “What place is that?”

“The place where we feel comfortable to push each other into the water.” He grinned and nudged her toward the jetty. Now he seemed young again. A boy about to push a girl off the dock.