He pulled back from her and she was forced to meet his gaze.
‘So me not wanting kids could be a deal-breaker?’
She had to clear her throat before she answered, trying not to let him guess how shaken she was. ‘Perhaps. For something long-term. But we’re only talking four days, aren’t we? It doesn’t matter for...for a fling.’
‘I guess not. But I wanted to make sure you knew where I stood.’
At the age of thirty she couldn’t afford to waste time on any relationship—no matter how brief—that didn’t have the possibility of children. Knowing that parenthood wasn’t an option for Ben should make her pack up and leave Dolphin Bay right now. But she didn’t have to think further than four days—and nothing could stop her from having this time with Ben. Come what may.
‘I’m sorry, Sandy,’ said Ben. ‘This wasn’t the way I thought things would pan out today.’
‘It doesn’t matter. I...I’ve lost the mood,’ she confessed.
Suddenly she felt self-conscious being naked. With a murmur about being cold she disengaged herself from his arms. Fumbled around on the bed and found her dress. Pulled it over her head without bothering about wasting minutes with her bra. Wiggled into her panties. Found his clothes and handed them to him.
She felt very alone when he turned his back to her and dressed in awkward silence.
She sat on the edge of the bed and wondered how everything could have gone so wrong. ‘Sunny Sandy’, Ben had used to call her. But it was hard to see the glass-half-full side of finding out that he didn’t ever want to have another child. And then there was that photo. How ready was he really to move on to another woman?
* * *
Ben wanted to pound the wall with his fists to vent his frustration and anger. He wanted to swear and curse. To fight his way through raging surf might help, too.
But he could do none of that. Sandy looked so woebegone sitting there, biting on her lip, her arms crossed defensively across her beautiful breasts. He had to control himself. Do anything in his power to reignite her smile.
His revelation that he didn’t want more children had knocked the sunshine out of her. He appreciated how kind she’d been, how understanding, but dismay had shown on her face. But he’d had to put his cards on the table about a future with no children. He couldn’t mislead her on such an important issue. Not that they were talking beyond these four days.
He reached out, took both her hands and pulled her to her feet.
‘Sandy, I’m sorry—’ he started.
‘Don’t say it again,’ she said with a tremulous smile, and put her finger to his mouth. ‘I’m sure we’ll laugh about it one day.’
He snorted his disbelief. He would never see the humour in what had happened. Or had not happened.
‘So what now?’ she asked. ‘Do I go back to the bookshop?’
He tightened his grip on her hands. ‘No way. It’s shut for the day. You’re staying with me. We’ll have lunch, then tonight I want to take you to a dinner dance.’
Her eyebrows rose. ‘A dinner dance? In Dolphin Bay?’
She was such a city girl. She had no idea of how much the town had grown. How big his role as a business leader had become.
‘The Chamber of Commerce annual awards night is being held at the hotel. As president, I’m presenting the awards. I’d like you to come.’
‘As...as your date?’
‘As my date.’
Her smile lit the golden sparks in her eyes in the way he remembered. ‘I’d like that. This could be fun.’
‘The speeches? Not so much. But there’ll be a band and dancing afterwards.’
‘Do you remember—?’ she started.
‘The dance?’
‘I couldn’t believe it when you asked me to dance with you.’
‘I wasn’t sure you’d say yes. You were the most beautiful girl there.’
She leaned up and kissed him on the mouth. ‘Thank you for saying that.’
‘You’ll be the most beautiful girl there tonight.’
That earned him another kiss.
‘Will I know anyone?’
‘My parents. My brother, Jesse—he’s back home for a couple days. Kate...’
Sandy’s face tightened at the sound of Kate’s name.
‘Kate has a big mouth, but she also has a big heart,’ he said.
‘She can be confrontational.’
‘Don’t judge her too harshly. She means well.’ He didn’t want Sandy to feel alienated during her time in Dolphin Bay. That was one of the reasons he’d asked her to be his date for tonight, to go public with him. Encouraging a friendship with Kate was another.
‘I’m sure she does. It’s just that...’
‘Yes?’
‘Nothing,’ she said, with an impish twist to her mouth.
He wasn’t in the mood to argue with a female ‘nothing’. ‘C’mon. I’ll make us some lunch.’
He kept her hand in his as he led her towards the kitchen.
‘I didn’t know you could cook,’ she said.
She didn’t know a lot about him. Some things she might never know. But his cooking prowess—or lack of it—was no secret.
‘Basic guy-type stuff. Mostly I eat at the hotel. We could order room service if you want.’
‘No. I like the idea of you cooking for me.’
She started to say something else but stopped herself. He wondered if her ex had ever cooked for her. He sounded like a selfish creep, so that was probably a no.
‘What’s on the menu, chef?’ she asked.
‘Take your pick. Toasted cheese sandwich or...’ he paused for dramatic emphasis ‘...toasted cheese sandwich.’
‘With ketchup? And Snickers for dessert? I have some in my handbag.’
‘Done,’ he said as he headed towards the fridge.
Without realising it, he started to whistle. He stopped himself. Why would he want to whistle when he was furious at himself for the disaster in the bedroom and fresh with the memories of his loss?
‘That’s a sound I haven’t heard for a long time,’ Sandy said as she settled herself on one of the bar stools that lined the kitchen counter.
‘It’s rusty from disuse,’ he said.
‘No, it isn’t. I like it. Don’t stop. Please.’
Her eyes were warm with concern and understanding. Her yellow dress flashed bright in the cool, neutral tones of the kitchen. Her brown hair glinted golden in the sunshine that filtered through the porthole windows. Sandy. Here in his home. The only woman he had brought here apart from his mother and the maids from the hotel who kept it clean.
He picked up the tune from where he had left off and started to whistle again.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SANDY WAS ONLY too aware that every detail of her appearance would be scrutinised by the other guests at the Chamber of Commerce dinner dance. Every nuance of her interaction with Ben would be fuel for the gossipmongers of Dolphin Bay.