Page 6 of Summer with the Single Dad

He was also a social media guru. Whenever whales were out in the bay in front of the pub, he was posting about it like crazy and their revenue doubled or tripled after that.

Jagger was incredibly smart, giving, patient, and never said no when they asked him for help with the kids. Hell, he even came over at five o’clock every morning to sleep on Bennett’s couch and be an adult in the house with the girls so Bennett could go for a run.

He’d been their rock when the women died in the accident.

Guilt over having negative thoughts about his brother hit him hard, and his scowl dropped.

He swallowed and hung his head in shame. He was so fucking tired. His head hurt and all he could think about besides their money woes was, what was Justine making herself for dinner tonight? Did she cook? Or would she go to the pub?

Dammit. He was in trouble.

Little feet thundered down the stairs.

“You’re home early!” Aya announced with glee, wrapping her arms around Bennett’s waist.

He ran his hand over the back of her head. “Yeah. Just wanted to get home.”

“The new lady in the cabins is very pretty,” she added. “I like her.”

Jagger turned around with a smirk on his face that Bennett wanted to smack off.

Emme started to help set the table.

Almost ten-years-old and the oldest of all the cousins, she was easily the most responsible and levelheaded child. Aya could be fanciful and dramatic, but Emme was Bennett’s logical, practical, and methodical twin. Sometimes a little too much perhaps. Very little ruffled her feathers, and although he knew she wasn’t some emotionless psychopath, he did wish she showed a little more emotion sometimes. Maybe he needed to model the behavior he hoped for his child. Maybe he was too stoic, and she thought that was the way she needed to be too.

He threw on a big smile even though the headache in his forehead tried to make him frown again. “How about ice cream for dessert?”

The girls’ eyes lit up.

“Can we get the good stuff from down at the pub?” Aya asked. “The raspberry sorbet Uncle Wyatt keeps in the walk-in freezer on the left side behind the filo pastry?” Her cheeks grew pink.

“And how do you know exactly where the sorbet is?”

She giggled. “Uh … just a guess?”

Bennett snorted and jerked his chin at Jagger. “You’re cool here?”

“Planned to be here longer. Go grab the sorbet.”

Nodding, Bennett headed back for the door, but he had a shadow this time. Aya decided to join him.

“Do you think we’ll see Justine again?” Aya asked, skipping beside him, her blonde shoulder-length curls bouncing.

“I don’t know,” he said, desperate to keep his nerves and desire to see the new guest hidden as deep down as he could get them.

“Well, I hope we see her. I like her.”

Bennett punched in the code for the gate. Yeah, he hoped they saw her again

too. Because he really liked her.

CHAPTER TWO

Justine was completely unpacked in fifteen minutes. Since she was the only guest in the cabin, she didn’t bring much. Sure, it looked like she had a lot of stuff, given how full her SUV hatch was, but after she unpacked, she realized just how much she forgot to bring. Like a beach towel, sunscreen, seasonings for the kitchen, and most importantly—earplugs.

It only took her half a second to dismiss driving into town and the grocery store. She was settled in and had no desire to leave her cozy, new, little place of refuge. She could suffer through one un-silent night. Tomorrow, she’d go explore, visit the town center, and pick up what she needed.

Staring into her open fridge, she grumbled and chewed on her lip. She could and probably should cook dinner for herself. She certainly brought enough provisions, but she took a peek at the pub menu while on the ferry, and the Cajun Chicken Burger and homemade beer-soaked fries had her belly rumbling. She could cook tomorrow.

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