Page 14 of Deep Waters
Her mouth twitched, and she pushed the naughty curl I loved back from her cheek.
“Deal.”
Chapter 7 – Rae
Since I was taking the kids hiking with us, Vi volunteered to drive Lucy and Anya to meet us at the trailhead. Zach and I had fallen into a rhythm of sorts. He got up early for work. I got the kids dressed and to their summer camp before going to work. In the afternoon, Zach picked Tae and Hana up from camp and either took them to Harbor Brews or home, depending on how much coverage he had.
He was already at work when I loaded Hana and Tae into the car. We met Vi and the others at the trailhead at Jakle’s Lagoon.
“Hey, Tae. Hana. How are you today?” Anya wore her blond hair in a bouncy ponytail and looked disgustingly awake in bright turquoise leggings and a matching sweatshirt.
“Good,” Tae said.
I’d fought a losing battle to get him to wear pants. The sun wasn’t high enough to truly warm things up. I could see my breath fogging the air.
“I’m grrreeat!” Hana said, adding an innocent smile.
“And that has nothing to do with the pastries we picked up at the bakery yesterday.”
Anya transferred her smile to me. “I’d be smiling too if I had one of Harlow’s scones powering my morning.”
“Yes. Sugar is pretty much my one interim-parenting move.”
“Sounds like a solid strategy to me,” Lucy said, saluting me with her coffee mug. Her dark hair was under a baseball cap.
“Whatever gets everyone out alive,” Vi added. “I’m pretty sure Gran went through a five-pound bag of sugar every time our folks left town.”
I arched my brow. “I don’t think of your gran as a baker.”
Vi grinned. “Oh, she’s not. Pretty sure Drew took over the cooking duties when he was about twelve after one too many burned grilled cheese sandwiches. Gran makes a mean cinnamon-sugar toast though.”
“It’s a wonder you and your brothers don’t all have diabetes.”
Vi chuckled. “Gran used to say she was sour enough to cancel out all the sweet.”
I snorted. “That, I can believe.”
We set out on the loop toward the top of Mt. Finlayson. Hana skipped along the rough dirt path in leggings and a pink and purple shirt. Tae followed his sister more sedately, scuffing his feet. I let them go ahead.
“How’s it going, co-parenting with my least responsible brother?” Vi exchanged a knowing grin with Anya.
“Don’t sell Zach short. I know you idolize Drew, but the man lived at home until recently. That pedestal is a little wobbly. And Cole? He ran away from home like five years ago. I hardly think he counts.”
Vi held up her hands. “Didn’t mean to strike a nerve.”
My face softened. “Zach’s been pretty great, actually.”
“You’re giving me a hard time for doubting him, yet you still sound surprised…”
I lifted my shoulder, adding a sheepish smile of apology. “I shouldn’t have jumped all over you. He picked the kids up from camp every day this week and cooked dinner last night. I’m starting to feel guilty that I’m not pulling my weight. He even reads bedtime stories.”
“With the voices,” Hana volunteered. I started guiltily. I didn’t realize she’d been paying attention. “He and Auntie Rae have even been snuggling.”
“That’s so sweet,” Vi said.
“You mean they’ve been snuggling with you or with each other?” Lucy asked.
“With each other,” Hana answered innocently.
