Page 30 of Beached Wedding

“I’m sure they’ll appreciate that,” I said, because it was true. I read Sandy’s immediate reply. “Sandy says she’d love to see you.” His phone dinged again. “And don’t worry about sending food. They’re eating leftovers from lunch.”

“So we’re only seven,” Joanna said. “We can dish up in here, then. Some of us can eat off our laps, rather than move the table.”

Ashley pulled salads from the fridge and took them to the chairless kitchen table.

“You want a beer, Fox?” Oliver offered.

“I’m on the wagon. I’ll pour myself a tap water, thanks.”

“I don’t usually have more than one myself when I’ve got Ry-guy.” Oliver bent and picked up the boy who’d come to hug his leg. “What’s up, little man? Hungry?”

Ryan nodded and curled his arm around Oliver’s neck. He tilted his head into his father’s jaw, but he was staring pretty hard at me. Was I the first Black man he’d ever seen?

“Hi, Ryan. My real name is Felix, but most people call me Fox.”

“Fliss said you would take us to the beach and we can try a boogie board,” he said.

Ah. “I did say that. Do you want to? Do you surf? Hang ten?” I gave him the finger-thumb hang-loose sign.

Ryan didn’t know if he wanted to shake his head or giggle. He wound up grinning at his father while Oliver folded Ryan’s three fingers into his fist and left his pinky and thumb sticking out.

“Then go like that,” Oliver coached Ryan to swivel his hand.

“You’re a natural. Can you swim?” I asked.

“He’s had lessons. Only in a pool, but he can get himself from one end to the other. We brought a life jacket for him to wear.”

Ryan got a disgruntled look on his face.

“I call life jackets PFDs. You know what that stands for? Pretty Fine Duds. I love seeing people wear them. I’m an open-water lifeguard and people who think about staying safe in the ocean are my favorite kind of people. We’ll see how the waves look in the morning, try to get out before it gets too hot. Sound good?”

Ryan nodded and slid down his father like an otter off a rock.

“Fliss!” Ryan ran outside. “He said he would take us!”

“He probably won’t sleep,” Oliver said with a chuckle. “Fliss said you two were offering to babysit, but we can all go to the beach after the walk.”

Oliver had the same inclusive nature that Shane had, like a herd dog who needed everyone to stick together.

“No worries. It didn’t sound like Ash or Fliss were that keen on the gardens. Go for your walk with Whitney and catch up to us when you get back.” Yeah, it was a blatant effort on my part to win Whitney over, but so what? “Ash and I can handle it.”

“You got kids?” Oliver asked.

“Three little brothers and two little sisters.” I didn’t get into how they weren’t really related to me. “The youngest is fourteen, but no one grows out of playing in the waves, not even me.”

Oliver chuckled, started to say something, then caught himself as though he suddenly remembered he was supposed to be getting my measure, not making friends.

I didn’t mind. I was doing the same thing. It might not be my place to be protective of Ashley’s family, but I was protective of her. I would make no apologies about wanting to keep her from being hurt by association.

Whitney offered an empty plate to Oliver. “Do you want to fill this for Ry or should I do it?”

“I’ll do it, thanks.” He dropped a light kiss on her lips and turned to dig a serving spoon into the potato salad.

Whitney offered me a plate and gave me a flickering once-over as she did.

“So?” she prompted.

I didn’t know how I was supposed to respond to that.

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