Page 72 of Summer with the Single Dad

Justine nodded. “Yeah. I guess so.”

Brooke’s smile was coy and knowing. “You don’t want to move into it. Do you?”

“Not really,” Justine said with a sigh of honesty. “But the alternative is unfair. Bennett is on the futon in his study right now.”

“You’ve paid good money for a nice bed and a place to stay. I’d say it’s plenty fair. Besides, can’t you just invite him into your bed—which is actually his bed? You two are sleeping together now, right?”

“We are. Or … we have, yes. But that just feels …”

She’d never had an open conversation with a stranger like this before. Heck, she’d never spoken about her sex life with anybody besides the person she was sleeping with, and usually that wasn’t overly specific either. This was unchartered territory and she should feel uncomfortable. Yet, she didn’t.

The fact that it wasn’t uncomfortable was what made her uncomfortable more than anything.

“Like you’re rushing things?” Brooke asked. “Been there. Only I was in the guest room—which is Aya’s room in Bennett’s house—and I ended up sleeping in Clint’s bed anyway. It was a bit challenging to keep it from Talia, but in the end, she didn’t care. Now she’s happy that her dad and I are together.”

“I have no idea what we’re doing though. I’m not moving here.”

“Been there,” Brooke said again with humor in her tone. “I thought my time here was temporary. But as I’m sure you’ll agree, the more time you spend here, the less inclined you are to leave.”

“Well, that’s true.”

“I’ve never felt as safe as I do here. And any time I have to leave the island for work, I get all queasy.” She laughed light-heartedly. “And I’ve only been here a little over a month!”

“And you already moved in?” That question came out abruptly and Justine immediately grew hot in the face and clapped her hand over her mouth. “Sorry, I didn’t mean for that to sound judgmental. I—”

Brooke dismissed Justine’s rudeness with a hand flick. “Oh god, don’t worry about it. It all happened so fast. Unconventional, warp-speed and completely out of both of our norms. But it’s working, and I just feel deep down, that it’s going to continue working. I love Clint—and Talia—so much. I feel safe and happy when I’m here. It’s unlike any joy I’ve ever felt before.”

It’d been less than a week since Justine moved to the island and already she was beginning to feel the same way about Bennett and the girls. Was there some weird magical spell that the McEvoy brothers cast over women who stayed here? Or was it just the island? Was it just the family that was magically charming and wonderful?

Brooke pulled into the parking lot for a big yurt-style building with wood slat siding. There were several other vehicles parked in the gravel, as well as nearly a dozen bikes. A few people waved and said “hello”, their yoga mats under their arms as they headed toward the front door.

“I don’t have a mat,” Justine murmured, carrying nothing but her water bottle and wallet.

“First timers are free and they let you borrow a mat. It’s all good.” Brooke rested a gentle hand on her arm. “It’ll be fun. I promise.”

“Brooke,” purred a woman roughly Justine’s age—thirty-six—with long blonde braids over her shoulders, a septum piercing and two sleeves of colorful, floral tattoos down her arms. “So happy you can join us for flow today.”

“Hey Lotus. Yeah, I’m trying to focus on family right now. So I’m not working too much. This is Justine. She’s a cabin guest.”

Lotus smiled at Justine, her pale-blue eyes friendly and bright. “Welcome.”

Justine forced a smile. “Thanks. I, uh, I don’t have a mat.”

“Not to worry. We have lots to spare. Just grab one from that basket over there.” She pointed to a tall wicker basket loaded with rolled up yoga mats. Justine selected a powder-lilac-colored one with magenta mandalas on it. “We just need you to sign this waiver. First classes are free though.” Lotus’s voice was soft and breathy, almost ethereal. She placed a form on a clipboard in front of Justine, along with a pen.

The dichotomy of Lotus’s spiritual, hippy aura, combined with her professional business-like waiver, struck Justine as odd. But the woman was just covering her business’s butt. Justine could respect that.

She quickly read over and signed the form. Then with a nod and smile from Lotus, she followed Brooke into the cool, gently scented yoga studio in the center of the yurt.

The place was packed.

“Oh my goodness,” she breathed, following behind Brooke like a lost puppy as the blonde beauty wove her way through the people stretching and chatting. Serene spa-like music played softly in the background, but it was mostly drowned out by all the conversations.

A hand shot up near the far side, two rows deep, and waved Brooke over.

“This way,” Brooke said, tipping her head. “Jordana saved us a spot.”

“Hey!” the pretty redhead with freckles and bright amber eyes said, moving a towel and water bottle off the two spots she’d saved.

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