Page 35 of A Very Un-Shakespeare Romance
Reagan’s mouth twitched as Cassidy lurched off Robbie’s chest and shot her hand in the air. “I do magic!”
“You sure do!” Robbie held her out. “Too much for me.”
That had the little girl laughing as he brought her close and kissed her on the top of the head again. Lily felt a strange pull to keep watching him with Cassidy. God, they looked so sweet together, and right before her eyes, Robbie seemed to become taller and more handsome than ever. Like he was suddenly the most handsome man she’d ever seen.
Shit.
She had to force herself to turn back to Reagan. “Do you have any special glasses we could use?” She shook the shaker, making the ice clank against the metal. “Why don’t we serve it up? You can try it and see what you think.”
“Let’s do it outside,” Robbie suggested, setting Cassidy on his hip. “That way we don’t have to worry about the Drool Baby spilling anything since she won’t be using her sippy cup.”
God, Lily had a very hard time not smiling just then. Hardened police officer Robbie O’Connor was talking about spills and sippy cups?
“Good idea, bro.” Tim grabbed a bottle of insect spray from the counter. “How is your fellow victor this eve, Summer? Still wearing a crown of laurels after laying my brothers so low?”
Lily wasn’t sure how to respond, but she couldn’t keep her lips from twitching. Tim clearly wanted to poke at his brothers.
“Ignore Shakespeare over there, Summer.” Robbie jerked his chin toward his younger brother. “Someone dropped him on the head or something, and the madness is finally coming out.”
“Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.”Tim lifted Cassidy from his brother’s arms and set her on the counter. “Close your eyes, sweetheart. We don’t want you getting all bit up outside.”
He shielded her eyes, then turned to Reagan who did the same so she could get sprayed. Finished, he turned swiftly and sprayed Robbie before his brother could stop him.
“Hey!” Robbie shot out. “I’m going to toss you into the ocean for the jellyfish to eat for dinner if you don’t cut that out.”
The younger man danced out of reach. “Girls, let us pour you this drink the lovely Summer made for you this eve. Hark! I wonder what it might be.”
Robbie’s mouth was a flat line. Obviously, he hated the Shakespeare stuff, and Tim knew it. Which was why Tim was doing it, his dramatic theater accent only making it more amusing. The girls started giggling, and Lily couldn’t help but join in. “You obviously have a gift for making people laugh.”
“There’s just something about iambic pentameter and a dramatic British accent,” Tim said to her. “I use it at the retirement home with my patients all the time and it makes them laugh. Seems it works on pretty little princesses too.”
“That’s me!” Cassidy yelled, wobbling on the counter, prompting Robbie to grab her and set her on stable ground. “I’m a princess!”
“Me too!” Reagan cried out. “So is Summer!”
She inclined her head at being included, and they shared a smile.
Tim thrust his hands on his hips as he looked down at the girls. “Then where is thy crown?”
“We don’t have crowns here.” Reagan made a face. “They’re at home.”
“What injustice is this?” Tim thrust his hand into the air and headed to the cabinet under the sink, pulling out aluminum foil. “We must remedy this travesty immediately. Come!”
Reagan ran after him with Cassidy trotting along behind them as fast as her glittering pink sandals could carry her. Adorable!
“He found out the Shakespeare thing drives me and Billie nuts,” Robbie explained with an aggrieved sigh.
She strove for a straight face but mostly failed. “I kinda got that.”
“Sure, you’re laughing now. Just wait. It gets old. Likemold on Chinese takeoutold. Never, ever show a weakness to a sibling. I must be having a slow week since I allowed it.” He paused, looking at her, then added, “I was out of line when I shot my mouth off about how we were going to best you and Clarice today. Beating me and Billie senseless today was just deserts.”
She couldn’t contain her surprise. “Is that an apology?”
“Yes.” He lifted a shoulder, his awkwardness obvious. “Can you tell your friend? She seems to be tied up with my brother.”
She nodded, glancing out the window with the view of the patio to see what Sheila and Billie were doing. Sure enough, they huddled together at the patio table, knees touching. He was already sipping a taste of the margaritas from a spoon they’d brought over, her partner batting her eyelashes at him. Sheila had him well occupied.
“Let’s forget all about that.” She picked up part of her dress and waved it. “That’s a white flag reference in case it’s not obvious.”
