Maybe it was a member of the household staff, he guessed.

His expression grew stern. If a servant was taking such liberties, he thought, that kind of carelessness needed to be addressed.

Eric walked forward, making his way toward the pool.

When he drew near, he paused and watched from a distance.

A lone swimmer glided through the water, her movements smooth and effortless. She dipped beneath the surface, then emerged again with the same fluid grace.

Though her face remained hidden, the swimsuit left her skin exposed, glistening in the soft morning light.

Embarrassment crept in, and Eric quickly averted his gaze. He closed his eyes, uneasy at the sight. The image of a mermaid came to mind, so natural was the way she moved. He guessed that no one else would be swimming here at this hour except Ernest’s girlfriend.

A quiet curiosity tugged at him. Had Ernest finally found the love of his life, the one who had been missing for months?

Oddly enough, Eric had heard nothing about it.

His thoughts drifted while he stood there. At last, the swimmer reached the pool’s edge, gripped the railing, and lifted her head.

Eric’s nerves spiked, and he instinctively retreated a step. It didn’t seem right to stand there, watching someone else’s partner without their knowledge. He reminded himself he ought to steer clear of situations like this. Privately, he blamed Ernest for not filling him in.

Then Eric stiffened, realization dawning as he recognized the woman before him.

It was the very person who had once slapped him and called him a jerk. He never expected to run into her here and questioned whether she might actually be Ernest’s girlfriend.

Inside the pool, Hadley swept water from her face and looked up, locking eyes with Eric. Her body tensed at once. She was just as surprised to see him standing there.

Hadley scrambled out of the pool, eager to leave in a hurry.

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She wore nothing but a swimsuit, and her robe rested on a lounge chair right behind Eric.

A frown creased her brow as she hesitated, biting her lip. The only way to get that robe was to pass by him.

Eric stood there, confused by her hesitation.

It didn’t take long for him to figure it out. When he glanced over his shoulder, he spotted the robe sitting on the chair.

He didn’t hesitate. Grabbing the robe, he held it out to her.

“Take this,” Eric said, doing his best to sound calm. “You’ll catch a cold if you stay like that.”

Hadley stopped in her tracks, eyes wide with surprise. But she didn’t take the robe.

Turning away, she sprinted off, still dressed only in her swimsuit.

Eric stared after her, completely bewildered. “Wait! Why are you running away?” He wondered if he looked frightening or if she truly just wanted nothing to do with him.

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