Summer Beach Reads. Natalie Anderson

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       CHAPTER SEVEN

      ‘SO, LOOKS like we’re giving you a lift when we head north.’ Caryn looked up as Shirley slid into a seat across from her.

      ‘Sorry?’

      After a night with no sleep in that tiny dark cabin, she’d been desperate to get out of the confined space that had started to feel like a coffin. Hence her early breakfast. She thought she might have seen some of the crew but she hadn’t expected either Caryn or Hayden. Not at this hour. Not after what she’d heard in the hall.

      A deep, familiar masculine murmur. A throaty, carefully muted feminine chuckle.

      The stone in her stomach settled in further. What had she expected? It wasn’t reasonable to tell a man he was worthless and then be shocked when he went out to find someone to prove otherwise.

      ‘When we hit Invercargill,’ Caryn clarified. ‘Our convoy will go right past Queenstown.’

      A ride. She tried to muster up some enthusiasm. ‘Oh, great. Thank you.’

      ‘You don’t look like backpackers,’ she hinted.

      So Hayden hadn’t told her why they were heading for New Zealand. Shirley didn’t know whether to be grateful for his discretion or appalled at his form. He still hadn’t made actual conversation with her?

      What a prince.

      A confused jumble of anger and hurt curdled her hastily downed cup of tea. ‘We’re kind of on a … challenge.’

      ‘You against him?’

      Most of the time. ‘No. Together.’

      ‘Shame. I could have arranged to leave him behind. We girls have got to stick together.’

      Shirley lifted her heavy head. The hint of solidarity confused her. ‘He’d only get his wallet out and hire a chopper and be standing there, smug, when we arrived.’

      Caryn’s eyes grew keen. ‘He’s loaded then?’

      ‘You could say that.’

      She grunted and went back to her eggs. ‘Well, that figures.’

      ‘Ladies …’

      The man of the moment walked through the door and slid into a seat next to Shirley. Caryn said a cheerful good morning through a mouthful of eggs and Shirley gave a tight smile as the ship’s cook came out with two more plates of breakfast and placed them next to each other on her side of the table.

      ‘How did you sleep?’ Caryn asked casually.

      Shirley reached for the salt and pepper, desperate to be doing something as this conversation happened around her. She concentrated on breathing.

      ‘Actually, like a log,’ Hayden said. ‘Must be the sea air.’

      ‘Or the late night exercise,’ the blonde offered.

      Shirley’s hand closed hard around the salt shaker. Any harder and it might shatter. ‘I’m surprised to see either of you up this early,’ she hedged.

      ‘Twuwu has to have checks every four hours overnight,’ Caryn said. ‘Ten, two and six. So here I am.’

      ‘You went out again after I left you?’

      ‘The line of duty,’ Caryn said, wiping her hands and mouth on her napkin. ‘I can sleep all I want when I get home.’ She stood. ‘That said, I’m going to head back down to her now for her six o’clock check. Remember to come on down and say hi. She’s bored already.’

      ‘I know the feeling,’ Hayden grunted.

      Was that why he’d pursued Caryn—ennui?

      And, ultimately, what did it matter why he’d done it?

       You didn’t want him, Shirley …

      Shirley smiled as Caryn departed, then let it fall from her lips. She focused on pushing her scrambled eggs around the plate.

      ‘You working on a masterpiece, there, Picasso?’

      She lifted her eyes to Hayden’s. They were lighter, by far, than they had been when she’d last seen him. Maybe his good mood was symptomatic. Unfortunately for him, she’d had no sleep and no … stress relief to enhance her mood. She hit him with full-frontal sarcasm.

      ‘Does arrogance come naturally to you, Hayden, or do you have to work at it?’

      His frown doubled. ‘Shirley …?’

      ‘Late night exercise. Caryn.’

       Duh!

      Right at the back of his deep blue eyes a little light bulb illuminated. His answer was measured. ‘I walked around the deck and I ran into Caryn on her way back from checking on Twuwu.’

      ‘Unplanned, of course.’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘Because you know nothing about planning seductions.’

      Ha. Hoist with his own petard. And other nautical metaphors.

      ‘There was no seduction.’

      ‘I guess there wouldn’t need to be if she was willing enough.’

      ‘There was no sex.’

      She pushed her plate away. ‘Spare me the details, Hayden. I don’t know why I’m so surprised.’

      ‘Given the kind of man I am, you mean?’

      She rounded on him, guilty heat surging forth. ‘Well, was I wrong?’

      ‘Actually, yes, you were. I have nothing to apologise for. And no requirement to, come to think of it. I’m a free agent.’