Page 76 of A Taste of Paradise

‘Well, usually you and that person care about each other and want the same things …’ she tried to explain.

‘That’s what Daddy said.’

Naomi looked over at Will, wondering what exactly had spurred this particular conversation between father and daughter.

‘Your dad is a smart man.’

‘I think so too,’ Holly replied as she peeked over the edge of the jetty and into the dark water. ‘You’re nice, you know.’

‘I think you’re nice also,’ she replied and stooped down beside the young girl to look into the water and watch the fish darting around in the shallows.

Once on her level, Holly looked her in the eye. ‘I told my daddy that it was okay for him to like you,’ she divulged, much to Naomi’s surprise.

‘Oh.’ She didn’t know what else to say to that.

‘But he said he already liked you anyway. A lot.’

Now Naomi’s cheeks flushed and her eyes quickly moved back towards Will, still side by side with Sam.

He turned in their direction for a moment, and as their eyes met, he flashed her a brief smile and then resumed his conversation.

Naomi was confused though. What did it mean that he liked her? Just as a person or was it alluding to something more? Holly was a little girl; she couldn’t really have understood what her father had actually meant, or the difference between platonic and romantic feelings. There was no way to know either, unless Naomi asked.

You just ended a troublesome relationship. You’re not about to go rushing after some other guy because his daughter says he likes you, even if you like him too.

Her thoughts froze then. She liked him too …

‘Guys, the cars are here,’ Sam called over at them.

‘Coming!’ Naomi took hold of Holly’s hand and ushered her back.

‘Everything OK?’ Will asked as they approached, catching her confused expression.

‘Fine,’ she blurted as she handed Holly to him and then quickly headed back to her friend and their car.

But on the entire return trip back to The Palms, Naomi’s inner voice kept repeating the same thing over and over.

You like him too.

Chapter 52

The accusations Sarah had levied had haunted Lily all night to the point that sleep had completely eluded her. She’d tried to convince herself that what Shay’s ex-fiancée had said wasn’t true, but deep down she believed her.

Lily had, after all, been hoping for something more between herself and Shay, something that could only have happened if Sarah was out of the picture. Yes, initially she had wanted to be his friend and help him through his heartbreak, but somewhere along the line her heart had gotten involved and she’d wanted more. She’d conjured up the idea that she was content to even pretend there could be something, but inside she knew it was a lie.

Lily didn’t want to pretend anymore. She wanted Shay in her life.

It was a realisation that had struck her deep in the night and it was a bitter, painful pill to accept. She and Shay would never be, and if she spoke to him again, the longer it would take for her to accept it. The more difficult her pain would be. Or worse, she’d have to hear him say the words that would make her worries a reality.

And Lily knew she couldn’t bear it.

‘Morning,’ she said to Dee blearily once she’d finally managed to rouse herself from bed to get breakfast. She’d need the energy, today especially.

‘OK, what happened?’ her friend asked resignedly, as if everything Lily was feeling was written on her face. Work had been so busy that, up to now, she’d successfully managed to avoid her friend’s curiosity about her various jaunts with Shay over the last while, to say nothing of how she was feeling.

But now she had no excuse.

‘It’s the Irish guy, isn’t it?’ Dee probed, then shook her head, despondent. ‘I knew it. Tell me everything.’