Page 25 of Dauntless
“That’s the last repeat,” I said.“You’ll need a fresh prescription next time.”
“Aye,” Young Harry said.“I’m seeing the doctor in Newcastle again next week.Hopefully I’ve kicked it, and I won’t need anymore.”
“I hope so too.”I wasn’t necessarily privy to the medical information of the people who came to me, but everyone on Dauntless knew everyone else’s business, and the whole island knew Young Harry had a chest infection he couldn’t shake.It didn’t seem to slow him down, at least.
I set the diary back on top of the bandages, then closed the chest and locked it.
“I imagine I’ll be taking your guest back to the mainland next week too,” Young Harry said, stepping over to the stovetop to inspect my breakfast.
“You’ll have to ask him that.”
“Well, Dauntless is no place for a Hawthorne.”Young Harry tugged ruminatively at his beard.“Particularly not one poking his nose in.Though he seems a decent bloke apart from all that.Could talk underwater with a mouthful of marbles though.”
I made a sound of agreement.
“Well,” Young Harry said, “ask him if he wants that tent of his back, will you?No use letting it flap in the wind down there.”
Young Harry was a born scavenger.
“He’ll probably want it back, Young Harry.”
“Well, just ask.”Young Harry stuck his pinkie finger in the porridge and tasted it with a hum.“Your porridge needs some brown sugar.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.The tent and the sugar.”
“Righto then.”Young Harry hefted his canvas bag up from the kitchen table.“Have a good one, Red Joe.”
“You too, Young Harry.”
“Will we see you at square tonight?”
I thought of Eddie.“Maybe.”
Young Harry hummed thoughtfully and then, without another word, headed on his way.
Hiccup followed him happily, but was back in time for porridge.
Of course she was.
* * *
Eddie was not an early morning person.He stumbled out of bed just before eight, grunted at me on his way to the bathroom, and was still blinking himself awake after he’d showered and dressed.
“I’ll put some coffee on,” I said.“Do you want porridge for breakfast?”
He mumbled something that sounded like agreement as he sprawled in a chair at the kitchen table.
“Hi,” he said, once he’d had his first sip of coffee.He reached out and caught me by the sleeve.Tugged me close, then leaned into me.“Good morning.”
I smiled down at him.“Awake at last.”
“Still getting there.”He pulled me down for a quick kiss.“That’s better.”
I couldn’t stop my smile from spreading.“Yeah, that’s much better.”
I’d never been one for flings with tourists.Even back on the mainland I’d never been much into hook-ups.I was an introvert, I supposed.I liked my solitude, and conversations with near-strangers often felt forced and awkward.But me and Eddie fit just right, even though I was terrible at conversation and he babbled like a creek in the spring.And maybe that was because I knew this was a short-term thing, and that there was nothing in it to over-think.But there might be more to it.I could see myself with someone like Eddie.Someone whose idea of a perfect night was sitting in front of the fire, feet on the coffee table, reading a book.
Not that I was a monk.Reading books was great, but sex was pretty fucking incredible too.I had a series of hickeys across my chest that attested to that, and I was very much looking forward to paying Eddie back in kind.
