Page 53 of Raspberry Cake
“Are we taking your car?” Renley asked after instructing the boys to clear the table.
“Laira said we could take hers if you don’t mind driving.”
“Not at all.” He kissed her hair and helped the boys fill the dishwasher. “Do they allow snacks there? I haven’t even looked it up yet.”
“Laira’s already packed for us.”
“So, we’re good to go?” When she nodded, he nudged the boys up the stairs. “Go and tell your parents we’re heading out.”
Drew and Mathew thundered back down with Tod right behind them. “Laira wanted me to remind you to take the bag she packed and don’t spoil these two completely rotten—we still have to live with them.”
“A little late don’t you think?” she laughed and pulled her shoes on.
Tod made sure the boys were buckled in and kissed them both while Renley stowed her wheelchair in the trunk. With his fingers weaved with hers, Renley followed the GPS instructions to the trampoline park. Unable to do any of the activities, she usually only went with the boys when Tod or Laira tagged along. Had it not been for Renley, their day would have looked completely different.
When they got there, Renley minded the boys until she was settled in her chair. Not that they would have wandered off—they were rather protective of her when they were out—especially Mathew. After all, Tod raised them to be good men someday, teaching them to open doors and look for elevators before she even had to ask.
They claimed a table inside, and the boys took off before Renley could even kick out of his boots.
“Why aren’t you taking your shoes off?” he asked Eveline. “You don’t think you’re going to miss out, do you?”
“What?”
“Take your darn shoes off, woman, before I do it for you.”
Confused, she removed her shoes and followed Renley to the floor where the boys were already jumping away. Squealing, she was lifted into Renley’s arms. He carried her onto the net and set her down, Drew cheering as he hopped in circles around her. She bounced up and down, laughing until she couldn’t breathe, with Renley’s smile just as wide as her own.
Her heart swelled with love—yes,love—for Renley and how he hadn’t even hesitated to include her as much as possible. When they finally took a snack break, she pulled him closer, tears blurring her vision as she poured all her love and adoration into a chaste kiss.
“Ew!” the boys called in unison, but she waved them off. Renley wasn’t getting off the hook this time.
Out of breath and with the boys running towards their next adventure, she leaned her forehead against Renley’s. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“You’re just you. Wonderful, gorgeous, and soul-healing you.”
Renley held her face between his large palms and ran his thumbs over her cheeks. “If you don’t stop, you’ll make me blush and cry and then I’ll lose my cool uncle status.”
“You don’t mind them calling you that?”
“No! I fucking love it.”
She pecked his cheek and turned to see the boys in line for the ball pit. “They adore you.”
She stayed in her chair for the rest of the day, watching Renley chase the boys around while reminding them to eat and drink. Before they headed home for the day, they insisted that she join them one last time. She had a blast, sitting and watching while Renley showed off his flips and taught the boys to do the same. On the way home, she texted Laira a warning just in case they’d chosen to hang around the house rather than go out.
While she and Renley prepared dinner, the boys did their evening chores in between stealing berries from the garden. After a movie, they made sure the two little devils readied themselves for bed. She read them a good night story on the couch, and Renley carried them both up the stairs and tucked them in.
“More snacks?” he asked as he came back down.
“Yes, please. Would you mind grabbing my knitting bag?”
When Renley returned, he had both their crafts in hand. “I think I’m getting the hang of it.”
She smiled when she saw how much his blanket had grown since she’d seen it last. “It looks great.”
“At first I thought it would take forever, but I sort of lose myself when I sit down with it.”
