Chapter 3 #2
She blinked at least three times before asking, ‘I’m sorry. What?’
He scanned her face for a moment prior to repeating himself. ‘I said, “I think he wants that one.” That ball.’ He nodded to the ball bobbing in the water just a metre or so from the shore.
She turned her head to look at it, almost having to drag her eyes away from him.
‘Ah, yes. That ball. Well, unless he wants to go in and get it, or Neptune or a mermaid, pushes it back to dry land, I’m sorry to say, he’ll have to come to terms with its loss.
Surely one ball is very much like another? ’
The man let out an exaggerated gasp, and then laughed. It was a pleasant laugh. ‘That’s nothing short of blasphemy. Have you had this handsome boy long?’
‘Oh, he’s not mine. I’m looking after him for a friend.
Well, my mum’s fiancé actually. He and my mum are currently cruising the Caribbean.
They became a couple over the Christmas holidays, and got engaged right away and she’s now moved in with him.
He booked the cruise as a Valentine present …
and … you didn’t need to know any of that.
’ Kate’s voice trailed off as her cheeks flushed crimson.
‘I didn’t. But it was interesting. That was all rather sudden. It sounds like something out of one of those romance scam stories, but I’m sure it isn’t.’
‘Romance scams!’ Kate scowled at him. ‘It’s nothing of the sort. Frank is one of the nicest, kindest, most generous men you will ever meet. He and his wife have lived next door to my mum for years.’
‘His wife?’ The man raised one eyebrow.
‘She’s dead. And no. He didn’t kill her before you suggest he did.’
The other brow shot up. ‘I wasn’t going to suggest any such thing. I apologise if I’ve caused offence. It wasn’t my intention.’
Kate took a deep breath. ‘No. I’m the one who should apologise.
I have no idea why I babbled on like that.
About my mum, I mean. I think it’s probably because I’ve got a lot on my mind.
My daughter got engaged on New Year’s Eve and she’s just moved into my mum’s house with her fiancé.
Not my mum’s fiancé. Beth’s fiancé. That’s my daughter.
And my mum’s not living there anymore because she’s moved in with Frank and …
Oh. My. God! I’m doing it again. I didn’t sleep well last night and…
’ She tutted loudly. ‘And I’m clearly losing my mind this morning.
’ She shook her head vigorously. ‘Sorry. It was lovely to meet you, but please ignore me. Goodbye.’
Kate stepped away from him and hurried towards Rufus who was still standing at the water’s edge eyeing his ball as if he might be trying to decide whether he should go in and get it or not.
Kate wanted to look back to see if the stranger had walked away but she didn’t dare.
Why should she care if he had or not? Okay, the man was handsome. And he had the most incredible, blue eyes she had ever seen. And that smile. Wow. His laugh was rather nice too.
What was wrong with her? She wasn’t interested in him. It was purely down to a lack of sleep. She was obviously lightheaded or something.
‘Come on, Rufus. Let’s go home and have some food. I promise I’ll buy you an even better ball than that one.’
‘There’s no such thing,’ the man said, suddenly appearing by Kate’s side, the legs of his blue jeans rolled up and his bare feet making footprints in the sand.
He strode into the water without hesitation, retrieved Rufus’s ball, and threw it back to him.
Rufus let out a bark before chasing after it as it bounced on the hard sand.
Once again, Kate stood and blinked at the man. ‘I … I can’t believe you did that for me,’ she said, as he wiped his wet feet with his navy-blue scarf and bent down to put his blue socks and dark blue Timberland trainers back on.
‘If that’s your way of saying thank you, you’re welcome. I did it for Rufus, not for you.’
‘H-how do you know his name?’
The man gave her a bewildered look. ‘I heard you say it.’
‘Oh,’ was all she said.
‘Have a good day,’ the stranger said. ‘And perhaps be more careful where you throw your mum’s fiancé’s dog’s ball in future.’ He turned and walked away.
‘What?’ Kate was even more astonished that he had remembered all that. A second later Rufus returned with his ball and dropped it at her feet. That was when she spotted a bunch of keys with a plastic tag attached, sitting in a pool of water on the sand.
She bent down and picked up the keys. ‘Rafferty and Hope’s Rescue Centre for Dogs, Old Farm, Bluewater Bay,’ was etched into the plastic in a blue ink not too dissimilar to the colour of the stranger’s eyes.
‘Wait!’ she shrieked, spinning round to call after him. ‘Are these yours?’
The man stopped in his tracks, but stood for one second with his back still to her as though he might be wondering if he should turn around or continue on his way.
He turned to face her and she waved the keys in the air. He patted both pockets of his blue-black cashmere overcoat, let out a sigh, judging by the expression on his face, and marched back towards her.
Kate still held the keys aloft. The man smiled as he took them from her.
‘Thank you,’ he said with a tight smile.
‘No, thank you,’ she said. ‘We’re even now, I believe.’
‘Even?’
‘Forget it. Mad woman here due to lack of sleep. Erm. I know it’s none of my business, but since when did Old Farm become a dog rescue centre?
Old Farm has always been a farm. Well, it hasn’t been a working farm for a long time, but it’s definitely never been a dog rescue centre.
And who on earth are Rafferty and Hope?’
Once again the stranger raised his brows.
‘Do you live in Bluewater Bay?’
‘No. But my grandmother does. She has done for years. We all come and stay with her. On frequent occasions. I’m staying with her now. She knows everything that happens in this place.’
‘I see. Clearly not everything. If so, she would know that, not only does Old Farm have new owners, it’s also had planning permission and change of use to become a dog rescue centre since the latter part of last year.’
‘Really?’ Kate couldn’t hide her astonishment.
‘Really.’ The stranger didn’t hide his sarcasm.
‘How did that happen without Granny Viv’s knowledge?’
‘It’s clearly a shocker.’ His brows drew together. ‘Wait. Granny Viv? Do you mean Viv Day? The Viv Day who lives in Prince Regent Terrace?’
‘Yes. She’s my grandmother. But how…? You know her? She hasn’t mentioned you. Who are you, by the way?’
He smiled half-heartedly. ‘I’m Raff Gale. Co-owner of Rafferty and Hope’s Rescue Centre for Dogs. And you are…?’
‘Totally and utterly bemused. How can this be? She would’ve told us. When, exactly, did this happen? Is the rescue centre open for business?’
He laughed sardonically. ‘Pleased to meet you, Totally and utterly bemused. That’s a rather unusual name. As much as I’d love to be interrogated by you, I’m afraid to say my feet are freezing and I’d really like to go and get warm. Perhaps you can ask your grandmother about it instead.’
‘I will, don’t worry. Wait. Are you … Rafferty? You said Raff. That’s short for Rafferty, isn’t it? But you said you co-owned it. Who else is involved? Your wife? Is that the ‘Hope’ in the name?’
He stiffened visibly. ‘No.’ And then he relaxed.
‘Hope is a dog. Was a dog. I really must go. I’d rather like to keep my toes and I can feel frostbite, or something similar, may be setting in.
If you insist on an inquisition, may we do this another time?
I know where to find you. And you know where to find me. ’
‘Fine,’ Kate said grudgingly as Raff Gale turned away. She watched him for a few moments and then shouted after him. ‘It’s Kate. My name is Kate Stone.’
He glanced over his shoulder and smiled. ‘Nice to meet you, Kate. See you again, Rufus.’
Kate looked down at Rufus and quickly attached his lead. ‘We must get home, boy. You need your breakfast and I need to ask my gran why on earth she hasn’t told any of us about this man Rafferty Gale. And about Old Farm becoming a dog rescue centre.’