Side-by-side, they soared into the summer sky, the breeze catching in their hair. In front of them, Copper Mountain towered over the Marietta streetscape. The sun-gilded peak called for them to reach higher and higher. Finn’s little legs stretched in and out to make himself go faster. Bridie divided her attention between making sure Finn remained safe and on scouting the road for the silver truck Ethan drove. The increasing flutter in her midriff had nothing to do with the motion of the swing.
Seeing Ethan again had left her unsettled and she couldn’t pinpoint why. She’d had relationships in the past, even one she’d labeled as serious, but she’d never once felt ... derailed. When she was around Ethan, she was hyperaware of his smile, his every micro-expression and just how gorgeous he was. She only hoped her awareness of him would decrease once she released the pressure valve on her emotions. So until then she had to conceal the effect he had on her. She had to appear as though she were coping with the loss of her father. Any blushes, vacant stares and shallow breaths were not signs she had herself under control.
Ethan’s truck swung into the parking lot. As he left the driver’s side he waved to another cowboy who approached with a smile. Bridie slowed her swing to a stop, helped Finn out of his and walked over to a nearby empty picnic table. Ethan soon headed over to them.
“How does toffee sound?” He passed her a cone topped with a generous serving of toffee-streaked ice cream.
“Perfect. Thanks.”
She didn’t need to look at the cone he held in his other hand, and that would be his, to know he’d choose a safe and plain vanilla flavor.
Finn settled himself onto the table seat and Ethan handed him his cookies n’ cream cone.
“Thanks, Ethan”
Ethan sat beside him. “Anytime, buddy.”
They ate their ice cream and watched the children play on the pirate ship-themed equipment, their voices loud and cheeks flushed with the joy of childhood.
Bridie finished her cone and when she glanced across at Ethan she realized he now watched her and not the playing children.
Their gazes locked.
“So what do I need to bring for our trip?” she asked, hating that her voice emerged breathless.
“Not much. I spoke to Zane earlier, that’s how I knew you and Finn were in town, and he’s got most of what you’ll need. I just need to know if you’re allergic to anything and what type of things you like to eat.”
Beside Ethan, Finn crunched loudly on his cone.
“How’s your ice cream?” Ethan asked, smiling.
“Good.”
“And almost gone,” Bridie added with a grin. She looked at Ethan again. “I’m allergic to bee stings and maybe wasps but will have an EpiPen filled with epinephrine. As for food, I eat anything but peanut butter.”
Ethan raised a brow. “No peanut butter? Finn, did you hear that? Bridie doesn’t like peanut butter.”
Finn grinned through his last mouthful of ice cream.
“That’s right,” she said, “I’m an Aussie, remember. I eat vegemite.” She smiled sweetly at Ethan. “You should try some.”
“No, don’t.” Finn quickly shook his dark head and came to his feet. “It’s horrible.”
Bridie laughed and lifted her legs over the picnic table bench to also stand. “Let me guess it was Bug and not you who ate that whole plate of vegemite crackers?”
Ethan followed Bridie and Finn over to what he assumed to be the famous climbing spinner. Sunlight shone on their identical shades of dark hair. While Finn’s eyes were a true blue, and Bridie’s a blue-grey, their high cheekbones also marked them as nephew and aunt.
Ethan glanced skyward as swallows swooped and dipped close by. It might be the ice cream giving him a sugar-high but the sky appeared extra bright, the summer breeze extra sweet and Bridie, well, she just looked extra beautiful.
His gaze clung to her slender back as her ponytail swung across her shoulders as she walked. He’d forgotten the warmth of her quick smile and how much he enjoyed the Australian cadence of her voice. She wore jeans and boots again but instead of a Western shirt she wore a fitted white tank top. Her winter-pale skin was now lightly tanned and with her hair pulled back she would have passed for any Marietta local.
She held the spinner still while Finn clambered on and then she joined him. They scaled the rope web, laughing as they climbed.
Ethan’s chest tightened. It was so good to see Bridie have fun. She hid her grief so well. It was only when she thought no one was watching that the light in her eyes dulled and the corners of her mouth wilted. He’d do everything he could to ensure tomorrow’s trip brought with it the space she needed to grieve. And that included not acting on the attraction he felt toward her.