Page 52 of A Very Un-Shakespeare Romance
Then she started running into the surf, shrieking in delight as the water rushed over her bare feet. He had no choice but to sprint after her, scooping her up and heading into the ocean. When he was waist high, she slapped the water with her wand and then started laughing when it sprayed them both in the face. He gritted his teeth, keeping an eye out for jellyfish.
He stewed. She played. From the cheers on the beach, the surfing lesson was going great. He did his best not to watch Summer and her sweet and sexy form. But her laughter stopped his dark thoughts in their tracks. Then he would gaze at her and be unable to think of anything else, his heart beating heavily in his chest.
Cassidy hugged him a few times, taking him down an even deeper emotional rabbit hole. There was a weird sweetness in his life right now, one he’d never experienced before, and it was making him go out of his ever-loving mind.
Tim and Billie finally accompanied Reagan and Summer into the ocean with the surfboard, and Robbie watched as the water lapped at Summer’s skin. He wanted to be that water.
Billie hoisted Reagan onto the board, and he and Tim held her arms while she practiced balancing more, with Summer caging her waist to make sure she didn’t slip. Clarice was on the beach, he noted, taking photos with her phone.
His blood chilled.
Cassidy caught him in the neck with her wand, making him wince. What was he going to do about those photos? Surely, she wouldn’t post them on social media. Especially without asking permission.
Dammit! He’d hoped there wouldn’t be anything awkward like this. Certainly, he could say he believed in privacy for the girls. He wasn’t on social media as a cop, but his brothers? How was he supposed to explain Tim’s and Billie’s reticence? They had social media accounts.
Shit.
“Where’s my whale?” Cassidy asked, laying her head against his chest.
He didn’t want to tell her that you couldn’t summon a whale with a magic wand. Hardened cynic though he was, he knew that was akin to telling a kid Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were the biggest parental lies in kid history.
He wasn’t even a father and here he was beginning the journey of lying to a kid. Hell, and he was already lying to the woman he was attracted to.
This was the worst pseudo vacation ever.
“The whale’s sleeping.” He started walking toward the beach. “Maybe he’ll come around later. After you have lunch and take a nap. Okay?”
He kissed her cheek for extra measure, feeling like super slime for lying.
“I’m taking Cassidy in,” he called to others. “Reagan, you’re doing great!”
He knew his enthusiasm wasn’t up to his normal, but she was impervious, thank God, as she balanced on the rocking board while three protectors helped her find her feet.
Clarice was waiting for him when he strode out of the water. “I have some great photos of Reagan surfing. Do you want me to send them to you? Maybe their mom would like to see them?”
“Mommy!” Cassidy cried out, waving her wand.
He halted, trying to find his polite smile, the one he used when he had to deal with customer service people or assholes from the FBI who wanted to horn in on his cases. “Thanks. You can send them to my phone, but call me a concerned kind of guy. I’d prefer none of them be posted on social media. In case you were posting about your vacation. I’m a cop, and I’m a little nervous about stuff like that.”
Her big brown eyes widened. “I would never put photos of someone else’s kids on social media. Especially without asking.”
He punched up his smile and patted her arm companionably. “Thanks,” he said with an earnestness he didn’t have to fake. “Some people don’t understand. Even my bros laugh it off, so I’d appreciate you not sending them any photos. It’ll save me from having to knock their heads together later if they ignore me and screw up.” Okay, that was a total lie too.
“Of course!” She blew out a huge breath, practically grimacing. “Trust me, I get why you’d be protective about that. There are a lot of sickos online. I have creeps messaging me all the time. Oh, never mind. Anyway, if you’ll tell me your number, I’ll text you right now.”
He nodded with another lying smile taxing his mouth. Crisis averted. “Great.” Reciting his number to her, he patted her again on the shoulder. “Thanks, Clarice. That was very thoughtful of you. I’m sure their mother would love to see them.” That much was true at least…when she finally came out of hiding.
Walking off, he tucked Cassidy up higher on his chest so she could see her sister over his shoulder. God, he deserved a medal for lying under fire, and damn if he wasn’t proud of himself.
He’d had her send the photos to his real phone, which was tucked securely in a Faraday bag with Internal Affairs to make sure no one could track them.
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
Choosinga dress for an undercover date had never been so difficult.
Not that Sheila had seemed to have any issues preparing for her date with Billie. She’d already finished getting dressed. Lily wanted to kick herself as she held up the strapless yellow cotton dress, still worrying over her choice as she regarded herself in the mirror.
“Too much of adon’t touch mevibe,” Sheila commented from her spot on the bed. “After Lieutenant O’Connor routed me soundly today with the photos, we need a dress that will have him either swallowing his tongue—”
