Page 84 of Smitten with the Single Dad

“Right. Jake, can you get my back?”

Jake rolled his eyes, but helped out his little brother.

“Dom said he’ll give you a ride this morning,” Clint said, addressing Vica. “He’ll be over in a minute with Silas.”

“Perfecto,” Vica said. “I’ll just go brush my teeth.” She zipped off upstairs to the boys’ bathroom.

Clint lifted his brows at Wyatt. “How are things going?”

Wyatt glanced at his kids. They were busy rubbing sunscreen into Griffon’s skin. Clearly, they’d applied too much and his son resembled a ghost. “They’re,uh … they’re weird.”

“Weird how?”

“We’ve, um …” He glanced at the kids again.

Understanding dawned in Clint’s eyes. “Ah. Say no more. Been there. And you’re feeling … regret? Guilt?”

“No … not that. Just … this is all temporary, right? And yet, as the days go by, it’s feeling that way less and less.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“It was never the plan.”

“Sometimes the best things in life don’t go according to plan.” Clint’s smile was lopsided, and his gaze flitted up to the stairs as Vica made her way back down. A moment later, there was a knock at the door and Dom entered with a ready-for-the-beach Silas.

“Ready, Freddy?” Clint asked Silas, taking in the kid’s long-sleeve rash guard, floppy sunhat, and shades.

“Yep,” Silas said, always a kid of few words.

“Don’t you think the UV protection is a little extreme?” Wyatt asked Dom.

Dom shrugged. “Beats repeatedly slathering on sunscreen. He might be pasty year-round, but at least he won’t burn or get melanoma.”

Wyatt snorted. “I guess …”

“All right, climb into the truck,” Clint said. “Your cousins are in there too.”

“Do we get to ride in the back?” Griffon asked.

Clint’s gaze slid to Wyatt, then back to Griffon, a cheeky smile on his mouth. “I was planning to strap you to the roof.”

Griffon did a fist pump. “Yes!” Then he stopped and glanced at Vica. “I mean,si!”

Vica chuckled and grabbed her purse from the bench near the door where the kids sat to put on their shoes. “Have fun, boys. I’ll see you later.”

“Arrivederci, bella,”Jake said with a big grin.

“Arrivederci, orsetto,” she replied, just as Jake growled like the little bear she’dcalled him. Then she kissed both boys on their cheeks, and to Wyatt’s surprise, they kissed her on the cheek back.

Clint shot Wyatt one more look over his shoulder before disappearing with the kids. A moment later, the truck pulled away in the driveway.

“Shall we?” Dom asked, nodding at Vica.

She nodded. “Si.Andiamo.” Then she turned to Wyatt. “Rest. I will see you later. All is well. Okay?”

All he could do was bob his head. The lump in the back of his throat was too thick and spikey.

Dom’s smile was thinner and flatter lipped. Like he knew what was going through Wyatt’s mind almost better than Wyatt did. “Rest, brother.”

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