outpost, guarding
the harbor. Fun to explore. Beautiful views too, and a quick drive from here.
We can take a walk, go for a coffee at the Naval Museum afterwards. What do you
think?”
“Sounds fun. I’d like that.”
“Right, then. Give me your address, and I’ll pick you up. Two
o’clock Sunday suit you?”
“How about if I meet you here instead?”
“You don’t want me to know where you live, is that it?” he
asked, brows raised.
“I learned that the hard way. Nothing against you. I just
try to follow a set of safety rules now.”
“You’re going to have to give me your mobile number, all the
same,” he said. “I’ll give you mine as well. Just in case something comes up.”
“You’re holding all the cards here anyway,” he pointed out
as she reluctantly complied. “All you have to do, if you don’t like anything I
do, is tell Hannah. Has Drew wrapped around her finger, eh. I do value my
career—and my good looks. Wouldn’t want either one spoilt.”
“That’s what she said. Not in so many words,” Kate hurried
on when Koti looked surprised. “Just that the players were probably the safest
men around, for that reason.”
“Met somebody braver than me, have you? Tell me who it is
first, and I’ll let you know if he’s OK. And whether he has another girlfriend.
Hannah isn’t necessarily going to know about that.”
“No, of course not.” She frowned back at him. “I’m not
interested in dating right now, let alone getting involved with anyone. I’m not
exactly ready, in case you haven’t noticed. Let’s stop talking about my
non-love life and get back to the topic. How about if I meet you at your house?
I don’t know exactly which one it is, though.”
“How do I know you won’t stalk me?” he protested. “I don’t
tell people where I live either.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“No more ridiculous than my stalking you.”
“Back to Plan A, then. I’ll meet you here,” she decided.
“Outside the café. Two o’clock.”
“Right,” he said with a sigh. “Bring a torch. For the
tunnels,” he explained at her confused look.
“Oh. A flashlight. All right. See you then.”
Chapter 7
Kate slid into Koti’s car with a groan the next week. “Something
wrong?” he asked as he waited for her to fasten her seatbelt. “Fight something
that bit back?”
“Very funny,” she grumbled. “No, I took surfing lessons
yesterday. And they were hard. I’m so sore today, I can hardly move.”
“How’d you go, though?” he asked with interest.
“Terribly.” She shook her head with a rueful grin. “I
couldn’t manage to stand up on the board, no matter how hard I tried. I fell
off every single time, and had to swim to shore towing that useless surfboard.
Then paddle back out to fall off again. It was exhausting.”
“It’s not easy to learn if you don’t grow up doing it,” he
commiserated.
“Don’t tell me. You know how to surf too.”
“Course I know how to surf. You may not have noticed, but there
isn’t a lot to do in En Zed, other than spend time outdoors. Why do you think
we invented all those extreme sports? Not just because we’re strong and brave.”
“Not to mention shy and retiring, in your case. Don’t forget
that. But I do wish I knew the secret of standing up on that board. It was
pretty humbling. Everybody else managed at least once. The instructor was so
nice and patient. Although I’m sure he went home and laughed about me. He told
me to come back next weekend and he’d teach me again, even offered me a big discount
on a private lesson. Clearly I’m a hopeless case.”
He laughed. “No, that would be because he fancied you.”
“How do you know? You weren’t there.”
“No worries. I didn’t have to be there to know that. You
look good in your togs. He wanted another look, that was all. And maybe a bit
more.”
“You’re obviously very knowledgeable about these things. I
defer to your expertise.”
“May as
the harbor. Fun to explore. Beautiful views too, and a quick drive from here.
We can take a walk, go for a coffee at the Naval Museum afterwards. What do you
think?”
“Sounds fun. I’d like that.”
“Right, then. Give me your address, and I’ll pick you up. Two
o’clock Sunday suit you?”
“How about if I meet you here instead?”
“You don’t want me to know where you live, is that it?” he
asked, brows raised.
“I learned that the hard way. Nothing against you. I just
try to follow a set of safety rules now.”
“You’re going to have to give me your mobile number, all the
same,” he said. “I’ll give you mine as well. Just in case something comes up.”
“You’re holding all the cards here anyway,” he pointed out
as she reluctantly complied. “All you have to do, if you don’t like anything I
do, is tell Hannah. Has Drew wrapped around her finger, eh. I do value my
career—and my good looks. Wouldn’t want either one spoilt.”
“That’s what she said. Not in so many words,” Kate hurried
on when Koti looked surprised. “Just that the players were probably the safest
men around, for that reason.”
“Met somebody braver than me, have you? Tell me who it is
first, and I’ll let you know if he’s OK. And whether he has another girlfriend.
Hannah isn’t necessarily going to know about that.”
“No, of course not.” She frowned back at him. “I’m not
interested in dating right now, let alone getting involved with anyone. I’m not
exactly ready, in case you haven’t noticed. Let’s stop talking about my
non-love life and get back to the topic. How about if I meet you at your house?
I don’t know exactly which one it is, though.”
“How do I know you won’t stalk me?” he protested. “I don’t
tell people where I live either.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“No more ridiculous than my stalking you.”
“Back to Plan A, then. I’ll meet you here,” she decided.
“Outside the café. Two o’clock.”
“Right,” he said with a sigh. “Bring a torch. For the
tunnels,” he explained at her confused look.
“Oh. A flashlight. All right. See you then.”
Chapter 7
Kate slid into Koti’s car with a groan the next week. “Something
wrong?” he asked as he waited for her to fasten her seatbelt. “Fight something
that bit back?”
“Very funny,” she grumbled. “No, I took surfing lessons
yesterday. And they were hard. I’m so sore today, I can hardly move.”
“How’d you go, though?” he asked with interest.
“Terribly.” She shook her head with a rueful grin. “I
couldn’t manage to stand up on the board, no matter how hard I tried. I fell
off every single time, and had to swim to shore towing that useless surfboard.
Then paddle back out to fall off again. It was exhausting.”
“It’s not easy to learn if you don’t grow up doing it,” he
commiserated.
“Don’t tell me. You know how to surf too.”
“Course I know how to surf. You may not have noticed, but there
isn’t a lot to do in En Zed, other than spend time outdoors. Why do you think
we invented all those extreme sports? Not just because we’re strong and brave.”
“Not to mention shy and retiring, in your case. Don’t forget
that. But I do wish I knew the secret of standing up on that board. It was
pretty humbling. Everybody else managed at least once. The instructor was so
nice and patient. Although I’m sure he went home and laughed about me. He told
me to come back next weekend and he’d teach me again, even offered me a big discount
on a private lesson. Clearly I’m a hopeless case.”
He laughed. “No, that would be because he fancied you.”
“How do you know? You weren’t there.”
“No worries. I didn’t have to be there to know that. You
look good in your togs. He wanted another look, that was all. And maybe a bit
more.”
“You’re obviously very knowledgeable about these things. I
defer to your expertise.”
“May as
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