Page 23 of Deep Waters
Reluctantly, I picked up my phone. At least I could stem the tide before I got back to Rae and the kids. Sure enough, Drew had already done his damage.
Drew: Guess who I caught kissing today?
Gran: If it’s you and Anya in a mirror, that’s not news, just a new kink.
Mom: Mom, please stop.
Vi:Not it.
Dad: Usually that means it’s you, Vi. Whenever one of you kids claims innocence, I only look at you harder.
Gran: She has an alibi. She was with me today.
Mom: Sure. Because your word is ironclad, Mom.
Gran: I’m an old woman!
Mom: Exactly. The only thing bulletproof about you is your ego.
Drew: Ahem. Rae and Zach.
Vi: !!!
Gran: Back in my day, babysitters only got caught stealing snacks, not swapping spit.
Mom: She’s lovely. You know we’ve always liked Rae.
Dad: Good choice.
Sharing my family’s group chat with Rae might scare her away for good. But if I didn’t show her, and they started messaging her directly? I shuddered. It could be so much worse. Gran was merciless with her grandchildren.
The kids cheered when I returned with the pizza. The scent of marinara and garlic hung in the air, but it did little to calm the nervous energy swirling in my gut. Rae hung back, arms crossed, weight shifting from foot to foot. She didn’t meet my eyes.
I knew I should tell her. Keeping her in the dark wasn’t fair. Getting blindsided by Gran or my mom later would absolutely send her running. If it were just me they were teasing, she’d defend me fiercely. Now that she was in their crosshairs? I wasn’t sure how she’d handle it. I didn’t want to risk her turtling on me. So I hesitated.
Rae handed me a plate, our fingers brushing. She froze as if she expected me to pounce on her. I cleared my throat.
“About earlier…” I said, reluctant to rip the Band-Aid. Her cheeks flushed, but she held my gaze steadily. “My family might already be working on new nicknames for you.”
She exhaled sharply, half laugh, half sigh, her face scrunching briefly, eyes closed, as if she were gathering strength. When she opened them again, there was a steadiness there, a quiet resolve. “That’s okay.”
“It is?”
She dipped her chin. “I’m not ashamed of kissing you, Zach.” A flicker of the reckless spirit I loved flashed across her face. “I plan on doing it again.”
Nonchalantly, she grabbed her plate, joining the kids at the table. She left me standing in front of the remains of the rapidly cooling pizza, utterly thunderstruck.
After dinner, we took the kids to Lime Kiln Park. The wind had kicked up, but the mix of blue sky and clouds promised a spectacular sunset. The state park on the west end of the island was one of the more accessible places to watch. We picked our way along the trail that hugged the seashore toward the lighthouse.
Tae scampered up a bank of rocks, and his sister followed. Hana struck a pose at the top, a cute little superhero with her hands on hips, chin tilted bravely toward the ocean. Her brother mimicked her.
Rae laughed, snapping a picture. “I’m going to send this to your mom. She’ll love it.”
A flicker of sadness crossed Hana’s features. The kids had been surprisingly upbeat about their mother being gone. But we still had weeks left to test their easy-going attitudes.
Waves crashed on the rocks below, a hypnotic background that brought peace as we followed the path, lingering beneath the madrona trees as the sun sank. The setting sun illuminated the lighthouse in a fiery orange.
Tae and Hana sat at one of the picnic tables, and I wrapped one arm around them, sheltering them from as much wind as my bulk would allow. I patted the wooden seat on my right.
