Page 163 of Somebody's Watching Me
“That’s our Sammy coming through. Bossing people around helps get his mind off things,” Simone said, sounding relieved. “You weren’t just surfing this morning to clear your own head.”
“No, ma’am.”
“He’ll feel even better once Josie gets here. Mamas can calm their boys better than anyone.”
The front door opened, and Samuel stood in the doorway, the shock of his appearance striking Jamison head on. A sharp contrast from the shirt and tie just yesterday, he wore black athletic pants and a plain blackT-shirt with stains on it. His hair hung hopelessly disheveled, sticking up at all ends. “You’re here already? I just got rid of my dad.”
“Don’t be rude,” Simone swept past him, dropping a kiss on his cheek as she went by. “Where are my babies?”
“Living room.” He moved aside so everyone could enter and shut the door behind them. A series of locks and bolts ground into place, the house going into full lockdown mode. “Did Dad make it back to Haven before you left?”
Liam shoved a bag at him. “Yeah, I told him to go ahead and take his three o’clock meeting while he waits for us to get back.”
“Oh.” Samuel’s brows drew together. “I was supposed to jump on to that.”
“I think you’ll be forgiven.” Jamison laid a hand on her brother’s arm. “Are you okay?”
He didn’t reply as Theo came dancing around the corner to a song only she could hear. Dressed in a rainbow tutu and orange tank top, she spun over to them on her tiptoes. “Gigi said I coulds swim.”
Samuel lowered himself to her eye level. “And I said no.”
Theo’s hot pink painted lips parted in surprise over being denied. “Gigi said when Gigi here, she da boss.”
“Gigi is wrong.”
“Gigi said if you says nos again, she gonna call Papa and he gonna come beat yours booty.” Theo sucked in a long inhale, filling her lungs to capacity as she argued her case. “And den she said, if you no let me go swim afters dat, Nana gonna be here and whoa boy.”
Samuel’s brow furrowed. “I’m not scared of Papa, and Nana won’t be here until tomorrow.”
Matching her father’s expression, Theo placed her hands on her hips. “If yous no let me go swim, yous gonna make mama cry again.”
That did it. Samuel rose to stand. “Where is your mother?”
Returning to her dance, Theo took her father’s offered hand and used it to twirl. “Getting mys bathing suit cuz she said yous gonna say yes now that GiGi and Unc is here.”
“Unc to the rescue as always.” Liam tilted one of the bags he was carrying so she could see the contents. “Gigi is making you dinner tonight.”
Theo halted, gray eyes blinking at Liam as if he’d promised to buy her the pony she’d always wanted. “Chicken nuggets?”
“And I think there’s something else you like in here.” Jamison tilted her own bag to give Theo a peek. “Gigi’s homemade chocolate cake.”
“But my daddy said wes gots to eats healthy fers the baby.”
“Your dad is boring, Theo. It’s about time you learned this,” Liam whispered loudly. “How about I just beat your dad’s butt now, so we can eat chocolate cake and swim, and not have to hear him complain?”
Theo plastered herself on Samuel’s leg. “I loves my daddy, but I loves swimming and chocolate cakes, too.” She chewed at her bottom lip, worrying over the choices. “I don’t knows what to do.”
“Unc won’t hurt daddy.” Jamison tickled her. “If anyone is going to beat up your dad, it’s me.”
Theo squeezed Samuel’s leg tighter. “Yous can’t beat up daddy, right now. Mama needs you.”
It was a horrible thing, given the circumstances, but the idea of being needed by her older sister made Jamison’s heart soar. So very often, it was the other way around.
She took the stairs two at a time and found Evie in the main bedroom with Harper. The curtains on the back wall were spread apart, giving an unobstructed view of the beach below, but also highlighting the absolute disarray of the space.
“The cavalry has arrived.”
Harper came over to hug her, already in her bathing suit. “Is Unc downstairs?”
