Page 17 of Taking A Chance
“You should do it,” Cade says, leaning into me.
“The fish and wine I can handle, but the boat. Maybe one day, when I’ve won the lottery.” I let out a deep sigh. “Sorry, stupid daydreams.”
“There’s nothing wrong with dreaming, Petra.” I can sense his eyes on me, so I turn to meet them. “Rich, poor, young, old; we all need something to wish for.”
“I’m finding it really hard figuring you out, Cowboy.”
“I’m not a complicated man, Petra. What you see is what you get.”
“But that’s it. I’m never sure what I’m going to see next.”
He shrugs his shoulders, as if not sure what to say to that.
Ben and Kat seem to appear from out of nowhere and suggest we go back to the car so we can drive across the bridge to Clearwater Beach.
If Clearwater Beach was in a tin, the name on the label would be exactly what you’d get. Clean, aquamarine water laps at the white gold sand. Spotlessly clean, stretching farther than the eye can see, spectacular in every way.
I slip off one of my flip-flops, and put my foot onto the hot sand, only to pull it straight back off and replace it in the flip-flop.
“Shit, that’s hot,” I gasp.
“If you walk in the water, the sand will be cooler there,” Cade offers.
“No, it’s okay. I’m good.” I can see that, yet again, Kat and Ben are walking far out in front. “Either I’ve pissed Kat off, or Ben doesn’t like me very much?”
“It’s not that,” Cade laughs. “Ben likes everyone. He got Mum’s easy-going attitude.”
“Then why do I get the impression that he’s avoiding me? Or is he avoiding you?”
“He’s not avoiding anyone, he’s just...”
“Ahh,” I laugh. “Let me guess. It’s a brother thing, isn’t it? If one of you is with a girl, you give them some space.”
“Only if we know they really like them.”
“Wow, does he really like her then?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“Then why?” I look at the pair of them off in the distance, then look back at Cade.
“It works both ways, Petra,” he says softly.
“Oh!” I’m not sure what to say, but for some reason, I have the need to clarify. “So, what you’re saying is…”
“That Ben is giving me space.” He puts his arm around my waist and spins me so I’m facing him.
“But what would make him think you like me?” I ask, a little breathless.
“Because I told him I did.”
“Oh!” This time I am gob smacked.
“Have dinner with me tonight, just you and me?”
“What about Kat? I can’t ditch her.”
“Well, at least that wasn’t a flat-out no.” He pulls me a little closer, his mouth mere millimetres from my own. “I’m sure that Ben will be only too happy to entertain Kat for the night. Look at them, they’re like best buddies.”