Page 66 of Just Watch Me
Finlay looked down as if he’d forgotten he was holding it. “I just thought— Mum?—”
“Yeh,” Zane said. “It was a good thought. Go to bed, and we’ll see you in the morning.” And finally, they all trailed out. Footsteps on the stairs, and that, hopefully, was that. For tonight.
“So,” Zane said, letting out a breath and giving her a rueful smile. “That didn’t go to plan.”
“No,” Skylar said. She’d long since tied her dressing gown, and now, she tugged at the bow. “Probably for the best. Wrinkles. Kids.”
“So there’s no chance of you coming to bed with me,” Zanesaid. She looked at him wildly, and he gave her a crooked smile and said, “Just checking.”
“Ah,” she said stupidly. “Yes. Checking. Well, no. I’ll say goodnight and we’ll … well, we’ll get this sorted tomorrow. However.” But she didn’t leave. Not yet. Because he still looked so tired. Besieged. Possibly even confused. She stepped closer, put a hand on his cheek, and said, “You did so well tonight. I was proud, watching you. And so were your kids. You’re Scarlett’s hero, and she doesn’t want to share you. It’s not ideal, but it’s not unusual. You’ll talk to her, and it’ll be better.”
“Yeh,” he said. “I will. I’m sorry you heard all that. I’ll sort her, and Nan, too. You don’t have to worry about it. Go to bed.”
She had to smile. “You’re a commanding man. Maybe remember that I’m an adult?”
“Oh. Right.” He grinned sheepishly. “I mean, ‘Please go to bed and get some sleep.’ That better?”
“Much.” She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his cheek. “Goodnight. And Zane?”
“Yeh?” His hand was at her waist again, almost as if he couldn’t help but touch her.
“Thanks for the swim,” she told him. “It was magical.”
25
TEETERING ON THE EDGE
It was exactly one week later, and exactly one day before they flew home and the holiday was over. Oh, and exactly six hours before tonight’s All Blacks match. Which would be held right here, in Wellington. Zane would be skipper again. He’d also be leading the haka again, and this time, she’d be watching in person.
Just the thought of him pacing between the rows of men, calling out the challenge, was enough to give her gooseflesh. And, yes, she wanted to see him slapping a hand against a flexed, tattooed bicep while his entire body radiated that ferocious determination. Of course she did. Anybody with estrogen in her body would want to see that.
So, yes, tonight. But meanwhile, there was today, and by the time the third argument had broken out, she’d had enough. She shut her laptop, where she’d been checking on any last-minute changes for the new term, and announced, “Everybody get their things together. We’re going to Te Papa.”
“What?” Scarlett said. “We’ve already been twice this holidays, and it’s Dad’s match tonight!”
“Against Ireland, Mum,” Finlay said. “They barely lostagainst France in the Six Nations, and the All Blacks beat France last week, but they barely did, and Ireland has their good winger back again now, so they’ll be better on attack than they were then, and the All Blacks aren’t?—”
Scarlett said, “Other people besides you know about rugby, you realize.”
“My mum doesn’t,” Finlay said. “I’m explaining to her that it’s a very important match, that’s all.”
Skylar didn’t say, “I do so know about rugby,” because (a), she really didn’t, and (b), that wasn’t the point. She said, “Yes, it’s an important match, which is why we’re probably all a bit on edge, waiting for it.”And waiting for Zane,she didn’t say.
Because … yeh.
What exactly had happened during the previous week? Well, first, there’d been Sunday, which had started out in a pattern that was becoming annoyingly familiar. As in, a slightly bleary-eyed Skylar had cooked breakfast for all six kids and told herself,Not the nanny. A guest. A guest who happens to be acting like a nanny.And then, of course,Why are you whinging? You’re on holiday with your three kids, staying in a beautiful house in one of the most expensive cities in New Zealand, and doing all these activities for free!Unfortunately, she couldn’t quite shut out the “nanny” idea. She’d swim one last time after the match tonight, she vowed, tired as she felt just now. Nannies didn’t take lovely moonlit swims in the family’s beautifully heated swimming pool, did they? No, they did not. It was all in how you looked at it.
She was being so determinedly positive that when Granddad and Maureen waltzed in at nine forty-five, she put down her book—which she was reading while stretched out on an extremely luxurious leather chair in this lovely house in this lovely city, again in an un-nanny-like fashion, while the little kids played outside and the older ones played cards in Scarlett and Olive’s room—and smiled. Yes, she smiled.Welcomingly. For bonus karma points, she said, “Welcome back. Have you had breakfast yet? I made French toast with crispy bacon and stewed apples, and there’s extra in the fridge.” Gratitude was an attitude, after all.
Granddad was about to answer when Zane turned up, her first sight of him this morning. In rugby shorts and T-shirt, his bronzed skin showing scraped spots on an arm and a calf, and with bruising around one eye that had come out since last night. He said, “Sounds good to me.”
She got up out of her chair, thought again,Gratitude,and said, “I’ll heat it up for you, then.”
“Nah,” he said. “I’ll do it myself.” And fixed his grandmother with an … interesting sort of look, even as she came forward to kiss his cheek. “But I’ll have a chat with Nan while I do it. The kids are busy, eh. Perfect timing. Busy doing what?”
“In a couple of cases,” Skylar said, “I imagine they’re busy nursing their grudges against the two of us.” And smiled.Notthe nanny.
Zane laughed. “Probably, yeh.” Granddad had taken the suitcases back to his and Maureen’s bedroom, possibly prudently, because there was something in Zane’s tone despite the laughter. He said, “Let’s have that chat, Nan, but first … Skylar, you and I could go for a walk in a bit, once I get outside of all that brekkie, and get a coffee. You could even get a mimosa, since I know you like champagne. Or we could take a bushwalk, even better. The Mt. Kaukau Summit Track, maybe. Best views in Wellington.”
