Chapter 16
16
SKYE
She still couldn’t decide whether to share information about her family with Joe. She took a shower, hoping to clear her mind a little. It had been another amazing day at the farm and she was feeling more and more comfortable in Joe’s company. Skye felt her energy being revitalised as the sensation of hot water cascaded refreshingly down her head and body. She shampooed her hair while she gave her conundrum more consideration. By taking Joe into her confidence, she was opening another layer of herself, something she hadn’t felt comfortable doing with another man since her last relationship ended so badly.
She thought of her ex and how he had betrayed her, gaslighting her when she discovered he had been seeing an acquaintance of hers for several weeks by trying to make out Skye had been the one not trying in their relationship. The following six months away had been eye-opening and character building and she now knew that it was the best thing that could have happened to her. Although, she would have much rather them not break up for such an upsetting reason, because that had caused her latent distrust of most men her age. If only he could have had the courage to admit he had met someone else, instead of moving on before bothering to tell her and letting her find out for herself.
Skye soaped her body, then rinsed her hair and skin and stepped out of the shower, just as there was a single knock on the door before it opened and Joe stepped into the tiny shower room.
Skye shrieked as she made a grab for her towel, cursing when it slipped from her fingers onto the damp floor.
‘It’s fine,’ Joe said, turning his back immediately and covering his eyes as he reached backwards to pick it up. Standing, he held it out. Skye snatched it from his hands, furious with him for bursting in on her. She wrapped it around herself as he hurriedly left the room. ‘I’m so sorry about marching in like that,’ he said from outside the closed door. ‘I hadn’t expected you to be in here.’
Mortified and hoping she had covered her boobs before Joe had seen anything but doubting it, Skye grumbled, ‘Maybe wait for an answer after knocking next time?’
‘Don’t worry, I will.’
She heard him mumble something to himself as he walked down the landing. It sounded like Joe was as mortified as her. She felt a little mean for snapping at him for what had been an obvious mistake.
After tidying up after herself, she left the shower room.
‘Shower is free now, Joe,’ she yelled and gave a quick knock on his bedroom door in case he hadn’t heard.
‘Thanks.’
Skye hurried to her bedroom to dry herself and dress in her favourite tracksuit. There was nothing for it but to brazen it out and go to join him. Thoughtless man, she thought angrily as she dried her hair. She tried not to think about what had happened.
They had agreed to meet downstairs at seven o’clock to make supper and talk about their plans for the following day. Although she would rather not have to see him again that evening, she decided she had to face him sometime and may as well get it over with rather than feeling embarrassed. Anyway, she reminded herself, she wasn’t the one in the wrong and she still needed to work out whether or not to confide in Joe about her parents.
Having roughly dried her hair and clipping it back from her face, Skye left her room and passed the shower room. All she could hear was water from the shower. For once Joe wasn’t singing some tuneless song she didn’t recognise.
She fed the dogs, filled their water bowls and then refolded the thick blankets on their beds, needing to keep busy until Joe came down. Skye washed her hands, filled the kettle and pressed it on. She desperately needed a cup of tea and couldn’t recall the last one she had drunk that day.
‘I’m so sorry I walked in on you like I did.’ Joe strode into the kitchen, pushing a strand of his damp hair from his handsome face and making her stomach flip over. ‘I’ve clearly spent too long living alone in my bungalow and must remember to knock before entering.’ He frowned. ‘You all right?’
Apart from being embarrassed to be seen without her clothes, Skye reminded herself it had been a mistake and seeing how mortified he seemed to be about the incident decided she was fine. ‘I’ll lock the door next time, just in case you forget again.’
‘I don’t think that will happen.’
Skye didn’t want to ruin an otherwise happy day with an atmosphere between them and, she mused, he did seem horrified by what he had done.
‘It’s fine. No harm done.’
‘You sure?’
‘Yes.’ Deciding to change the subject, she said, ‘I was just thinking about something.’
‘Anything I can help with?’
She saw the look of concern on his face and knew she wasn’t ready to confide in him yet. ‘No. It’s nothing really.’ She turned and pointed one arm to the fridge and the other to the pantry. ‘What do you fancy eating tonight? There’s a choice of a few things, and I’m happy with all of them.’
‘Not a fussy eater then?’
Skye looked at him and grinned. ‘No. Why, do I look as if I could be?’
He shook his head, looking amused. ‘You don’t.’ He seemed unsure. ‘Then again, what does a fussy eater look like?’
‘Not me.’ It dawned on her that Joe hadn’t realised she was teasing him. And, not wanting to worry him at all, she told him.
‘I knew that,’ he said, looking relieved. Joe shook his head. ‘I seem to be making a habit of saying or doing the wrong thing.’
‘Only tonight.’ She laughed, determined that their evening wouldn’t be ruined by any unfortunate misunderstandings.
Joe looked at her gratefully for a moment before he walked over to the fridge and pulled open the door.
‘Good plan. I’m sure there’ll be more than enough topics for us to fall out over and argue about during the coming weeks. We need to choose our battles with each other if both of us are going to come out of this with any energy left at all.’
Skye laughed. ‘My sentiments exactly.’ Her stomach rumbled loudly and she went to stand next to Joe at the fridge door, staring into the compartments just like he was doing. ‘Do hurry up and choose,’ she moaned. ‘I don’t know how much longer I can wait and we still have to cook whatever it is we decide to eat.’
They finally settled on steak and chips for Joe and salmon fillet with chips and peas for Skye. As they ate Skye continued to reason whether or not to share her situation with Joe. On the one hand, he was bound to know people who remembered the summer seasons in the nineties – probably through his grandfather’s friends or contacts through other locals. It was a small island after all, so a lot of people must know each other. On the other hand, by telling him about her father, she was opening herself up to him more than she had ever done with anyone else other than her grandmother and Melody, and she wasn’t sure she was ready to do that.
But if she didn’t accept Joe’s offer to help her, then she might waste these next few weeks. How would she feel to return home never having such a good opportunity again to search for her long-lost father?
However unused to allowing others to see her vulnerability Skye might be, she was beginning to think that she needed to be brave and open herself up to him.
If Joe did turn out to be the man she suspected he might be and help her find her father, then surely that would be worth any embarrassment. And, if he didn’t end up being someone worth trusting, then she would have learnt another valuable lesson. Not one she wanted to have to go through, but she had faced difficulties before and if there was one thing Skye knew about herself it was that she was resilient. Hadn’t she needed to learn to be when she lost her mum, then her gran when she was younger?
She caught him looking over at her thoughtfully and could tell he was worried about her. Skye finished her last mouthful and set her cutlery down on her plate. Taking a sip of her tea, she swallowed. It was now or never before she lost her nerve.
‘Joe, I have something I’d like to share with you.’
‘I’m so pleased,’ he said, his hands becoming still. ‘I was hoping you’d decide to trust me with whatever has been bothering you.’
Skye sat back in her chair and folded her arms. This being vulnerable thing wasn’t to her liking at all, but she had decided to give it one last go. ‘It’s about who my parents are.’