Page 42 of Mark

Max points to his chest. “Me? She was the one who chased me like I was a goddamn criminal.”

“You stole my sandwich so the shoe fits,” she snaps.

“You weren’t eating it,” he argues.

“I was just about to get it out of my bag and you goddamn well know it.”

“You should have been quicker,” he continues.

“Stop!” Dad barks, holding his hands up. “Max, you are an adult. Act like it.”

Hayden gives her dad a smug smile. “Yeah, Dad, act like an adult.”

“No,” Dad warns. “We are not doing this. Go your separate ways before I remove you both myself.”

“Well, I fancy soaking in some sun,” Hayden remarks, then wiggles her fingers at her dad. “Bye, Dad.”

“I’m going to find my two favourite children,” Max utters, storming away.

“Keep lying to yourself. I’m always the favourite.”

“Not after you stole a bite of my sandwich.”

“It was mine,” she cries, stomping her foot.

Mum sighs. “Your uncle was an adolescent when I first met him. I always thought he would mature as he got older. But he’s still as crazy as he was back then.”

I grab my towel off the back of the sun lounger. “You do realise she will get him back at dinner.”

“Oh, I know. Your dad will probably lock Max in his cabin to avoid the drama.”

Madison snorts. “Not Hayden?”

Mum smiles. “He would never do anything to upset any of you.”

“How’s my girl?” Dad asks when he joins us. He swings Sunday into his lap before leaning over and kissing Mum.

“I splashed in pool,” Sunday tells him. “We go in again?”

“Once your food goes down,” he promises, before turning to Mum. “You okay?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

“I’m good. Nothing I haven’t dealt with before,” he assures her. “Where did Faith and Beau go?”

“Faith is feeling a little bit sea sick so she’s gone to lie down. I gave her some of those sea sickness tablets. Beau is going to stay with her.”

“We will go check on her in a bit,” he promises. “What about Lily and Jaxon? I didn’t run into them on my way up here.”

“Lily is with Jaxon inside. They wanted to get Rose out of the sun for a bit, but they’ll be back out once she’s fed and gone back to sleep.”

When he glances mine and Madison’s way, I give him a bright smile. “I’m great, Dad. Thank you for asking though.”

He rolls his eyes. “I can see that for myself. Why aren’t you with the others in the casino?”

“Because I wanted to spend some time with Sunday in the pool.”

He nods and drops Sunday on the seat between him and Mum. “Then you won’t mind watching her whilst me and your mum go and check on Lily and the baby.”

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