Festive Fling with the Single Dad

‘Papa says there’s a river, and we have to jump across it.’ Mette volunteered the information, and Flora felt a tingle run down her spine at the thought of the trickle of water, and how she’d crossed it in Aksel’s arms.

Aksel flashed her a grin. ‘Dr Sinclair thought that your idea was a good one.’

Okay. Flora wondered whether Aksel had shared her other ideas, and hoped that Lyle wouldn’t think she’d been interfering. She’d just been trying to help...

‘Don’t look so alarmed. I told him that I’d asked you for some ideas and that you’d been very kind.’ He smiled.

Fair enough. It was disconcerting that he’d been able to gauge her thoughts so easily from her reaction, and she wished that he’d do as everyone else did, and wait for her to voice them. But Aksel was nothing if not honest, and it was probably beyond him not to say what was on his mind.

Before she could think of a suitable answer, Lyle Sinclair appeared in the doorway, holding a flask and a large box of sandwiches. The kitchen staff never missed an opportunity to feed anyone up, and it appeared that Aksel was already on their culinary radar.

‘Hello, Mette. You’re off to explore with your dad, are you?’ He put the sandwiches down and bent towards the little girl, who looked up at him and nodded. Lyle looked around, as if wholly satisfied with the arrangement.

‘Are you going too, Flora?’

‘Um... No. Probably best to leave them to it.’ This was something that Aksel and Mette needed to do alone. And any reminder of the almost-kissing-him incident was to be avoided.

‘Yes, of course.’ Lyle beamed at her. His quiet, gentle manner was more ebullient than usual, and Flora suspected that had a great deal to do with Cass Bellow’s return from the States.

‘How is Cass? I haven’t seen her yet.’

‘She’s fine.’ Lyle seemed to light up at the mention of her name. ‘A little achy still, she was hoping you might have some time to see her in the next couple of days.’

‘How about tomorrow afternoon? Would you like me to give her a call?’

‘No, that’s fine, I’ll let her know and get her to call you and arrange a time. In the meantime, I won’t keep you. I’ll see you later, Mette.’ Lyle touched Mette’s hand in farewell and swept back out of the room.

‘What’s going on there?’ Aksel had been watching quietly.

‘Just a little romance. Actually, quite a lot of it, from what I’ve heard.’ Flora liked Cass a lot, and she was happy for Lyle.

‘That’s nice.’ Aksel’s face showed no emotion as he turned his attention back to Mette’s gloves, picking up the one she’d discarded on the floor. Clearly he was about as impressed with the idea of romance as Flora was, and that made things a great deal easier between them.

‘You’re really not going to come with us?’ He didn’t look up, concentrating on winding Mette’s scarf around her neck.

‘I’ll come and wave you off.’ Flora grinned at Mette. ‘You’ve got to have someone wave you goodbye if you’re going on an expedition.’

Aksel put the sandwiches into a daypack and made a show of going through its contents with Mette, explaining that the most important part of any expedition was to make sure it was properly provisioned. This particular journey required three glitter pens, a packet of sweets and Mette’s rag doll.

Downstairs, Mette solemnly let the receptionist know where they were going and when they’d be back, and that they’d be documenting their journey thoroughly with photographs. Flora accompanied them outside, wrapping her arms around herself against the cold.

‘I want to ride, Papa.’

‘All right.’ Aksel bent down, lifting Mette up and settling her securely on his shoulders, and she squealed with glee. He said something in Norwegian, clearly instructing Mette to hold on tight, and she flung her arms around his head.

He was standing completely still, blinded suddenly. Flora laughed, moving quickly to remove Mette’s arms from over his eyes. ‘Not like that, sweetheart. Papa can’t see.’

‘Thanks.’ Aksel shot her a slow smile, and it happened again. That gorgeous, slightly dizzy feeling, as if they were the only two people on the planet, and they understoo

d each other completely.

Flora wrenched her gaze away from his, reaching up to pull Mette’s hat down firmly over her ears. The little girl chuckled, tapping the top of her father’s head in an obvious signal to start walking.

Flora waved them goodbye, calling after them, and Aksel turned so that Mette could wave one last time. She watched them until they disappeared around the corner of the building, two explorers off to test the limits of Mette’s world. Maybe Aksel’s too.

* * *

Aksel had wondered whether Flora might come to say goodnight to Mette when she finished work. His disappointment when she didn’t wasn’t altogether on behalf of his daughter, however much he tried to convince himself that it was.