Free Helsinki Sunrise by Marion Ueckermann Page A

gentle dangling of their feet in the lake’s coolness moments ago. Gone were the calm waters. Drops sprayed, sending ripples onto the lake as they fell back into the expanse.
    Even from where she stood, Eveliina could tell their moment had passed.
     
     
     
     

10
     
    She missed him? This Joel.
    Adam hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. It was difficult not to overhear Eveliina’s conversation. If only she’d walked to the top of the jetty instead of standing a few steps away. From the tone of her voice, it didn’t sound like things were hunky-dory. Why had she lied about being alone, about what she was doing? She had nothing to hide. They’d done nothing wrong.
    His fingers clenched against the jetty’s edge. Another watery spray flew into the air as Adam’s foot cut through the water. How could he continue their conversation now, without knowing who Joel was and what he meant to her?
    Eveliina slumped down beside him.
    Adam turned to her. “Trouble?”
    “Nothing I can’t handle.”
    A warm sensation flowed through him as she reached around his back, leaning against his shoulder to pull the blueberry bucket closer.
    “Now, where were we?” She rummaged in the plastic container and then popped a blueberry into her mouth.
    “Discussing our painting schedule for tomorrow?”
    Eveliina shook her head. “No. That wasn’t it. You were about to tell me something.”
    Adam grabbed a handful of the purply-blue fruit and held out his hand for Eveliina to take from there. She obliged. He chose a plump one and flicked it out into the water. “It doesn’t matter.”
    “Of course it does, Adam. It sounded important.”
    “Another day.”
    She shrugged.
    Adam hoped he’d made the right choice not to pursue what he’d been about to tell her. Was Joel’s call God’s way of stopping him? Perhaps it was too soon to tell her everything that was on his heart. He flicked another blueberry into the water.
    “Hey, what are you doing?”
    Like a child caught doing something wrong, Adam gave a weak smile and a flimsy explanation. “Feeding the fish.”
    “Fish don’t eat blueberries.”
    Adam chuckled. “You know that how? Have you ever seen what a fish does when a blueberry floats past its face?”
    “No. Have you?” The expression on her face challenged him for a good response.
    He rummaged in his hand until he found a blueberry with a small stem attached to it. He dangled the tiny ball in front of Eveliina’s face. “No, but I can imagine what they’d do.”
    “I can too.” Cross-eyed, Eveliina puckered her lips and nibbled at the blueberry. With a disgusted look, she shook her head, “That’s not a worm,” and turned her attention to Adam’s hands, nibbling at his fingers. “Hmm, that’s more like it. Tasty.”
    “No, no, no.”
    Eveliina wasn’t playing fair.
    Adam dumped the blueberries back into the bucket, retaining only the one he’d used to illustrate his fish food scenario. “This is how they react.” He held it up in front of his own face, squinted and puckered up as she had. With a growl he attacked the blueberry. It disappeared inside his mouth. Adam chewed on its sweetness when suddenly he remembered. He spat out the mushed fruit with the same vehemence as he’d attacked it.
    Eveliina’s laughter filled the air. “See, I told you fish don’t eat blueberries.”
    Adam scooped up a handful of water and washed out his mouth. “Point taken.”
    “Would you like to sauna? It wouldn’t take long to stoke the fire.” Her face beamed.
    It was good to see her smile again, but Adam couldn’t trust himself to be alone with her in there. He’d already had a momentary lapse on the blueberry, even though it was just a tiny fruit, which he’d spat out before consuming. He couldn’t take a chance on messing things up with Eveliina.
    “Do you mind if I take a rain check? It’s already seven-thirty, and I’m weary tonight.” A grin followed Adam’s yawn. “I need my rest if we’re to paint a