Paramedic Partners. Abigail Gordon

saw enough of each other at the station without being under each other’s feet while off duty, and he was in her thoughts enough already.

      There were two places that she was going to avoid, but she hadn’t reckoned with Josh.

      ‘Let’s go by the garage and see if Uncle Peter’s there,’ he suggested, ‘and then go along the canal to the marina.’

      It took Selina all her time not to groan out loud. Peter Abbot, who owned the local garage, was Dave’s cousin and, like herself, was partnerless. His wife had left him, and because they were both on their own he’d been sending out signals that they should get together.

      He was a likeable enough man, but the last person on earth that she would contemplate as anything but a friend. For one thing, his one topic of conversation was cars!

      Hopefully the garage would be closed by now, but there was the Lock-Keeper’s Cottage, situated close to the marina. It was a house that she’d always wanted to live in. Built of limestone with high apexes and mullioned windows, it had a sort of compelling charm about it…and incredibly it was for sale. A fact that had registered only briefly as there was no way that she could afford to buy it. But what if Kane was wealthier than she?

      The garage wasn’t shut. Peter was working beneath a silver Jaguar out on the forecourt and her spirits sank as Josh ran over to him and tugged at his feet.

      As he slid from under the car he looked across to where they were standing a few feet away and then slowly pulled himself upright.

      ‘Selina!’ he said, wiping his hands on an oily rag. ‘This is a pleasant surprise.’

      As far as he took any notice of the man by her side Kane could have been invisible, but she wasn’t going to allow that. Maybe here was an opportunity to let Peter see that she wasn’t as alone as he’d thought.

      ‘Allow me to introduce Kane Kavener,’ she said pleasantly. ‘We work together on the ambulances.’

      ‘How do you do?’ Peter said stiffly. ‘Been there long?’

      ‘No. Just a short time,’ Kane told him.

      ‘Hmm. Right. Well, if you folks’ll excuse me, I have to get on. The customer’s expecting this to be ready by morning.’ And he eased himself back underneath the car.

      ‘A relative?’ Kane asked casually as they continued along the village’s main street. ‘Josh referred to him as ‘‘Uncle Peter’’.’

      ‘My husband’s cousin.’

      ‘I see.’

      He did see. He saw quite clearly, Kane thought as they strolled along. That guy had a claim on her of some sort. Or thought he had. And if that was the case, was it any of his business?

      When Selina had invited him to eat with them he’d been surprised. For one thing, she didn’t know him from Adam, and for another it was plain to see that she was still grieving for her husband.

      He supposed it was the hand of friendship to a stranger that she was offering and all credit to her for the thought. But he sensed that wasn’t all it was.

      Kane could tell that she thought he wanted to come and live in the village, and she was right. He did. It was an enchanting place. But he could also tell that she didn’t want him to for some reason, and there was no way he would want to upset this fragile young widow.

      So when they came to Lock-Keeper’s Cottage, nestling beside the peaceful canal, with its ‘for sale’ board tantalisingly displayed, he concealed the excitement that was gripping him and walked casually past.

      ‘That’s the house where we’d like to live, isn’t it, Mum?’ Josh said guilelessly, and Selina managed a smile.

      ‘Yes…in our dreams, Josh,’ she said quietly, and that was that.