Love or Money by Peter McAra Read Free Book Online Page A

sensed that he liked her and could possibly be her friend in this little town where she hardly knew a soul. Then that chance meeting at the Golden Dragon, and…wipeout. His silly fumbling about his partner, his instant exit. Why? Groping among those tired thoughts was ruining her morning. She’d set out on the walk to enjoy the view, the tang of the sea, to forget about other people’s problems.
    â€˜Look, Daddy. A bird!’ The excited child’s voice came from the track ahead. Another seagull skimmed overhead, looking down on the humans below. A man walked into view — a tall, rangy man carrying a little boy on his wide shoulders — a man whose thatch of light brown hair flicked back in the wind. Hamish Bourke. Just when she wanted to break away from the endless mental pop-ups of that face, that body, he’d surfaced again. He flashed a wide smile as they met on the track.
    â€˜Erin Spenser! Of all people! Isn’t it a great morning.’ He stopped as she walked towards him, lowered the child onto the track. ‘Meet Dwayne. My son. Nearly four.’ The little boy looked up with a perfect copy of his father’s smile, dimples and all.
    â€˜Hullo, Dwayne,’ she replied slowly, wondering how to greet the little boy. Hamish chuckled. ‘A lot of people hesitate over his name. His mother’s idea. I’d have called him Jack or Bill or Bob.’
    â€˜What’s your name?’ The little boy looked up at Erin, deep blue eyes wide.
    â€˜Erin.’
    â€˜Mine’s Dwayne. I’m three. I can be on a swing by myself.’
    â€˜Wow! You are a clever boy. What else can you do?’
    â€˜I can do puzzles. I can do a Mickey Mouse puzzle.’
    â€˜Next week it’ll be putting on his sandals by himself.’ Hamish grinned and looked out over the sea. ‘Where will it all end?’ Erin sensed that one of his silences was about due.
    â€˜Glad to see you’re taking my advice,’ he said, after a minute spent staring down at the breaking waves. ‘Taking a walk on a morning like this might persuade you to keep the place. This talk of selling —’
    â€˜I did explain,’ Erin sighed. ‘I have to sell. It just doesn’t fit with my other life. Or my mother’s health.’
    â€˜A pity,’ he said. Remembering the tale of his Green passion, she braced herself. His eyes, widening, smiling straight into hers, told her he was about to rev it up again. ‘You’re family. Edna’s family. Her property is a key piece in the jigsaw puzzle that makes up the cliff-top walk. She bought it all those years ago, a part of her dream.’ Erin knew he was right. Too many times she’d watched her grandmother stare out to sea. Too often, she’d seen a tear roll down those wrinkled cheeks. Then the old woman would wipe her eyes and turn away, forcing a watery smile for her granddaughter.
    â€˜A new owner mightn’t go along with Edna’s dream,’ Hamish continued. ‘She always wanted the track to run all the way from Prospect Head,’ he waved an arm, ‘down to the beach.’ He pivoted, pointing in the other direction. ‘The bit we’re standing on — it’s pretty much Edna’s boundary. She never fenced it, wanted everyone to have free access. But a new owner — who knows? Her land — sorry, your land — is worth a fortune now. Something a sharp speculator would understand very well. Especially with everyone wanting ocean views these days.’
    â€˜Mmm,’ Erin murmured, wishing some way would open for her to escape the growing awkwardness.
    â€˜Fireweed.’ Hamish stooped to pull out a leafy stalk topped with a yellow flower. ‘Another one.’ He pushed aside a shrub and plucked another weed from beside the path. ‘Give that weed an inch and it takes a mile. We’ll have to get the Landcare team back one of these Saturdays soon, or