Page 35 of The Archer and his Rosebud

The chuckle wins. “Ahhh, I see.”

Hand clean, I toss the dirty wipes in Archer’s campsite trash, and bump Eli’s side as I sit beside him. “You were doing so well with riding your bike. I bet you’ll be a pro by the next time you stay at your dad’s.”

He offers me a smile so like his father’s, I melt.

When Clem fusses, I pull her from her stroller and Eli plays tour guide, telling us all about their kayaking and swimming adventures yesterday while walking us down the road toward the lake. The breeze picks up and Clem releases a little gasp snuggling her face into my chest the closer we get to the shore.

“We should go back so your dad doesn’t worry. Plus, I think this girl needs a clean diaper.”

I’m tuggingClem’s polka-dot joggers into place when Archer slips into his tent behind me, the bill of his cap clutched tightly in his fist. “Using my bed as a changing table, huh?”

I glance over my shoulder with a grin. “Eli said I could change her here, and this being your bed is pure coincidence.” Or deductive reasoning as this is the one cot in the tent.

He sinks to the floor next to where I’m kneeling. “Eli is five.”

“Almost six.”

“Right.” He pushes his unruly waves back and slips his ball cap back on. “Almost six.”

He’s aged a few years in the last thirty minutes. Since the moment Nolan’s scream terrorized our ears. “Is he all right?”

“Yeah, he’s good now. He’ll probably be a little quiet for a few hours.”

“And how about his dad?” I sit facing him, keeping a hand on Clem’s wiggling body. “How are you?”

“I’m wondering how many gray hairs that scream gave me.” His large hand runs down his bristled jawline. “I can’t even tell you all the things that went through my head. If you hadn’t been there—”

“Then he would’ve been with you two, and this wouldn’t have happened.”

“No.” He covers my hand holding Clem. “That’s not what I was going to say at all. Scary things happen, Willa. He’ll get hurt again, whether I’m with him or not. Something will happen someday. There’s no blame to pass around. I’m just grateful you were there to calm him. Thank you for taking care of him.”

“Anytime.” And I find that I mean it. Taking care of him was like second nature, a motherly instinct.Huh. I guess giving birth has that sort of effect.

An hour later, after some rousing games of UNO and Nolan gradually lowering the protective wall he built after the incident, Archer sends Clem and me on our way before the sun sets.

“I don’t want you driving past dark if you don’t have to.” His protectiveness is charming.

Surprisingly, I’m reluctant to leave. Nature isn’t so bad when you’re with people you enjoy being around.

“I’ll be okay. I’m not tired. Gotta stand on my own two feet sometimes, Arrow.”

“Sure, but she’s sleeping.” Archer clicks Clem’s seat into my Honda. “Now’s the perfect time to go.”

He shuts her door carefully, then opens mine.

Curling a lock of hair behind my ear, I smile. “Thank you for inviting us today. This was fun.”

“Minus the traumatic bike injury.”

I chuckle. “Minus that, of course.”

Moments pass without Archer saying anything, his eyes taking me in, a slight twist of his full lips. His throat bobs on a swallow, his stare drifting around my face. “Well, you know, I couldn’t go more than two days without my fix.”

His Clem fix? I mentally shake my head. Of course, his Clem fix.

“Drive safe and let me know when you get home?”

“It’s forty-five minutes, max.”

---