“Same,” Katee says, and rubs her belly. “Think they have maternity?”
“Only one way to find out,” Sam says, and heads inside. I’m about to follow them, when from the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of a woman darting around the corner. A woman who looks an awful lot like Sara.
10
Jamie
“Seriously,” Jonah says and glances at the buckets of chicken, all the side dishes and the pies laid out on the counter. “You guys had so little faith is our hunting and gathering skills?” He raises his hand, palm up and out, displaying mock indignation as Zander and I drop the cooler onto the floor of the kitchen. Fallon looks past my shoulder and smiles. I turn to see all the kids grinning as Luke ushers them inside. I take in Daisy, who is talking a million miles an hour, her purple shirt stained with chocolate ice cream, much like the other three.
“Hunting and gathering skills, my ass,” Quinn says as she plants one hand on her hip. “You had rods, and the lake was stocked.”
“That makes it worse,” Jonah says, incredulous. “In a stocked lake, you still didn’t think we could bring home a few trout for dinner. And for the record I won. My fish was this big.” He holds his hands out wide, and we all laugh as Zander pushes them closer together.
Quinn crinkles her nose. “Well, good for you, but we weren’t sure if the kids would like fish. That’s the only reason we got the food,” she says as she winks at the other women. “Isn’t that right, ladies?” she asks, and Fallon, Sam, Nina and Katee all jump in to her rescue. I smile, loving how the women took Fallon in and bonded with her. Sara was her closest friends, and as far as I know, when she left me, she left Fallon too.
“Nice try.” Jonah opens the cooler to show off our catches. “For that I might not let you have any.”
“Ah, good,” Quinn says as she glances into the cooler at the bloody, headless fish.
“And for that, I’m going to make you eat it now,” Jonah says and drags her in for a hug.
“Yuck, get away from me.” She shoves him and pinches her nose. “You smell like fish.”
Jonah lifts his arms and smells his shirt. “That’s a good manly smell, babe.”
“Come on, let’s go dunk you in the ocean before you shower. I don’t even want you inside the cottage smelling like this.”
“I want to swim, too!” Chase exclaims.
“I know I need to dunk,” I say.
“Let’s all hit the beach before dinner,” Fallon says.
“Oh, by the way,” Zander says to Sam. “I hope you’re up for a sleepover. Daisy invited the kids over.”
Sam throws her hands up in the air. “The more the merrier.” I don’t miss the stiffness in Fallon’s spine. Sam must notice it too, because she turns to the women and says, “That’s if you’re all okay with it, of course.”
“Like you have to twist my arm,” Quinn responds with a snort. “Scotty is all yours.”
“I’m sure Brandon would love that,” Nina says.
Fallon crosses her arms. “I’m…not sure.”
“Can I, Mommy, can I?” Chase pleads, his brown eyes big and begging.
Quinn snorts. “I’m telling you know, that boy is going to be a heartbreaker when he grows up.” She laughs as his long thick lashes fall slowly over dark chocolate eyes. “Oh, you are in for so much trouble.”
I step up to Fallon. “They’re only three houses down. I think Chase would love it.” I lean in to her, and lower my voice for her ears only. “I spent the day thinking about all the ways I can make you scream my name tonight, and now you won’t have to worry about little ears hearing it.”
She swallows, and I love the soft pink color creeping into her cheeks. “When you put it that way.” She glances at Sam. “It’s okay by me, but he’s not used to sleepovers. So…”
“If he cries to come home, Zander will bring him, but I think little mother hen over there,” she says, pointing to Daisy, who is doting on Scotty, “Is going to make sure he has fun.”
“It’s settled. Let’s get the stink off these guys,” Katee says.
“I’ll get my water wings,” Chase says and runs from the kitchen.
As everyone files out the door, Fallon reaches into a bag and pulls out a new bathing suit.