Water Lily in July Read Online Free PDF Page A

very much in love.
    His heart twisted and his stomach burned. Who was he? Why was he even bothering with her if she were involved with someone else? He was an idiot and should leave now.
    “I’m ready.”
    He turned around, the photo still in his grasp. His gaze went to her left hand, a white line visible on her ring finger.
    Kaylie took a deep breath. “That’s Phil.”
    Rob put the photo down. “It’s a nice photo. I’m guessing boyfriend. Do you see him much? I don’t want to come between you, or step on his toes or anything…” He broke off, aware he was gushing and not making much sense.
    “You’re not going to get in the way. Phil’s my husband.”
    His gaze shot back to her left hand and he swallowed hard, feeling sick. “Husband?”
    She crossed over to him and picked up the photo. “ Was my husband. He worked on the oil rigs. We, uh…” Her eyes glistened. “He died three years ago in the Piper Delta chopper crash. We’d been married three days. He got a phone call while we were on our honeymoon. We couldn’t afford to go abroad, so we were in the UK when he got recalled to sort out some computer glitch.”
    “I’m so sorry.” Grief stabbed him and he wished he hadn’t asked. He rubbed her arm. “I didn’t mean to upset you. It must have been really hard.”
    “It was. It’s a little easier now. It’s why I took the job—although I’m glad we don’t use the chopper as a matter of routine. I rent out our house. I only lived there by myself. I put it on the market this morning with the letting agent. He seems to think the current tenants would buy it. He’ll get back to me after the weekend.”
    “I came close to marriage once,” he said. “But she didn’t like the way I’d be gone for days. She ditched me for a banker in the city.” He ran his gaze over her simple top and skirt. “You look lovely.”
    “Thank you.”
    He held out a hand. “Shall we?”
    “Love to. When do you head out next?”
    “Tomorrow morning, but I’ll be back early on Thursday. Probably before 6:00 AM.”
    “Would you like lunch here when you return?”
    “That sounds wonderful. I’m always starving after a long trip.”
    “OK, cool. Well, not lunch, unless you want salad.”
    He laughed. “Come on, let’s go eat. You fancy Chinese or the local pub again?”
    “Pub’s fine,” she said, grabbing her keys.
    “In that case, my lady, your chariot awaits.”

4
    Kaylie spent the week pottering around the cottage, but her usual onshore activities didn’t hold her attention the way that they usually did. Instead, her mind was filled with thoughts of a tall fisherman with long brown hair, how he moved and spoke and the way his cologne preceded him into a room. She’d expected him to smell of fish, but he’d always taken care not to.
    The water lilies he’d bought her were flourishing. She sat in the garden by the pond most afternoons and late into the evening. Would Rob call the lighthouse knowing she wasn’t there? Who would answer him if he did?
    Thursday morning, she left the cottage early to go food shopping. She hadn’t slept the night before at the prospect of seeing Rob again and had resisted the temptation to go down to the harbor and wait for his boat to come in. Because that would put her in the girlfriend category, and she didn’t think she was quite ready for that yet. Even if her heart was skipping a beat with just the thought of him.
    She stood behind an elderly lady with ebony skin in the post office. “Morning, Miss Lydia.”
    Lydia Wells, one of the ladies from church, turned and beamed. Despite the fact they had the same surname they were no relation whatsoever—no earthly relation, that is. “Hello, Kaylie. I’m sending my niece a parcel. How are you enjoying your leave?”
    “It’s fine. Well, honestly, it isn’t the same. There’s something missing.”
    The old lady winked. “That would be your young man.”
    Kaylie almost choked. “My what ?”
    “That young