Chapter 8
Faith fanned herself with a napkin as she watched a half-naked Darcy throw his daughter into the water. The afternoon’s heat had nothing to do with why she was so hot. Nothing was sexier than a man who cared that much for his daughter.
She’d been watching Lara grow more and more despondent as her stepfather ignored her. Sofia hadn’t seemed to notice, but then again, she’d been having an intense conversation with Darcy. It wasn’t easy for either of them, but Faith was Team Darcy all the way.
The way the water glistened as his back muscles bunched and he launched his daughter into the air. Those wet jeans moulding to his butt.
“Nice view, isn’t it?”
Faith jolted, glancing at the speaker and smiled. “Sure is.” Dot held a take-away coffee and wore her police uniform. “Coffee break?”
“Yeah, needed a top up.” Dot’s gaze didn’t leave the beach.
A little frisson of jealousy skittered down her spine. “You interested?” She liked Dot. They had fallen into an easy friendship when Dot had started taking the adult horse-riding classes Faith offered.
Dot laughed. “Not like that. Darcy fell into the friend zone when I dated Brandon in high school,” she said. “But I can still appreciate a body like his.” Her radio squawked with instructions of where she was needed. She sighed. “I’d better get back to it. See you Saturday.”
Faith waved and when she returned her gaze to the beach, she found Sofia walking towards her. “Are you Darcy’s girlfriend?” she asked.
“We’re friends,” she replied, holding out her hand. “I’m Faith.”
Sofia shook it and sat under the shade. “The horse-riding instructor?”
Lara must have mentioned her. “Yes.”
The woman sighed as she shifted her chair so she faced the ocean. “I used to hate how Darcy had so many female friends at school,” she said. “He was so charming and all my friends fancied him.”
“How old were you when you had Lara?” She’d figured they must have got married quite young.
Sofia seemed surprised by the question. “Seventeen.”
Wow. Practically a baby herself. “Were you in the same class?”
She nodded. “Hasn’t Darcy told you?”
“No. It’s none of my business.”
Lara’s laughter rang out over the beach. Sofia sighed. “I knew he would be a great dad,” she said. “It was the one thing I didn’t fear when I left. He adored our child from the moment he held her in his arms.” Sofia looked at her. “My only thought was I finally had my body back.”
It was difficult not to judge, but Faith tried. She’d never been pregnant, but her friends and sisters-in-law either loved or hated the experience.
“My plans after high school had never included having a baby and staying in the Bay, but when I got pregnant, Darcy painted such an idyllic picture of our life together. Reality was nothing like his image.” Sofia studied her. “I’m not telling you this for sympathy, but so you know I understand how my choices appear. Seeing Josh with his boys awakened a desire to meet my daughter and she’s so very sweet.”
“Do you want her to live with you?”
“I want what’s best for her.” Sofia hesitated. “I’m not sure what that is yet.”
The woman was blind if she couldn’t see Darcy was best for Lara. They still played in the water and Darcy even threw the twins around, much to their delight. “How long are you in town for?”
“Until Monday. Darcy’s invited us to the Ridge on Sunday.”
“I’m sure the boys will enjoy it.”
She nodded. “Probably. I don’t know them very well. They spend most of their time with their mother.”
Faith wanted to know more. “Have you been married long?”
“Almost six months. It was a whirlwind romance.” Sofia smiled. “He literally bumped into me on the street. Spilt coffee down my blouse and then insisted on taking me into the nearest store to buy a new one.” She waited for Faith’s reaction, so Faith said, “Cute.”
