Page 56 of The Summer Escape

Beth glared at him. “I feel as though you’re turning my daughter against me.”

“Maybe you should brush up on your sandcastle-building skills.”

“I’d rather not,” she said, closing her eyes. “I think it’s something I prefer to observe.”

When he didn’t reply, she opened her eyes and caught him looking at her intently. Her stomach flipped as their eyes locked.

“Are we making the tunnel now?” Ellie asked, breaking the moment.

“Yes. We are. I’ll start it. I’ll need you to help in a minute.”

Ellie waited patiently while Trystan dug down from one of the castles, then did the same from the other.

“You take this sandcastle business very seriously,” Beth told him, shielding her eyes from the sun.

“I grew up with a beach on the doorstep. Of course I take sandcastle building seriously.” He sat back on his heels. “Okay. I think it’s almost done,” he told Ellie. “I’m going to put my arm in this hole and dig around a bit further. You do the same from the other side and we should meet in the middle.”

Ellie looked sceptical as she reached into the hole. “There might be crabs hiding under the sand.”

“Maybe,” Trystan said, causing Ellie to whip her arm out again. “Probably not though,” he added quickly. “Put your hand back in the tunnel and try and find my hand. Otherwise the way is blocked in the middle and the princesses can’t get through.”

“Can’t you finish the tunnel on your own?” Ellie asked, sitting back on her bum.

“It’s a two-person job.”

“Can you do it, Mummy?”

“I have no idea how to build sand tunnels,” Beth said, walking over to them. “I’m an amateur, remember?”

Trystan chuckled. “Put your hand in the hole and dig around until you find my hand.”

“I suppose I can try.” She lowered herself to her knees and delved into the hole, the damp sand coarse against her skin.

“You have to dig around,” Trystan said, beaming at her. “You must be really close to my fingers.”

After scratching around in the sand, she finally brushed against something warm and fleshy. Her squeal came automatically and she snatched her hand back.

“Is it a crab?” Ellie asked.

“No!” Trystan said. “It was my finger. Dig around some more and the tunnel will be finished.”

Beth did as she was told, pushing the sand aside until their hands met under the sand. She was about to withdraw when his fingers wrapped around hers, trapping her in place.

“What’s wrong?” Ellie asked.

“I’m stuck.” Beth laughed. “Trystan’s got me. Go and tickle him until he lets go.”

Ellie didn’t hesitate in throwing herself on Trystan and tickling his bare torso. The feel of his hand clutching hers, made Beth’s heart beat clumsily and her eyes locked with his for one breathtaking moment before he released her and fell back onto the sand with Ellie climbing all over him.

“I got him for you, Mummy,” Ellie said proudly after Trystan had tickled her until she screamed.

“You did. Thank you.”

Trystan brushed sand from his hands, then raked his fingers through his hair as he sat on the sand. “Is anyone going to mention how amazing my tunnel is?”

“It’s pretty cool,” Beth admitted.

“Can the princesses really go all the way through it?” Ellie asked, looking at the holes in the sand with suspicion.