refreshing.
Kate parked and walked to the door, her feet feeling unusually light. It was odd not having Liam in tow. Odd not having him chattering at her elbow or pulling on her arm.
Kate hurried to her room and laid out the swimsuits she’d packed on the bed. There was the navy tankini—practical for nursing when Liam was an infant, but showing its age. A little stretched out. A lot faded. Kate fingered her coral print bikini and wondered if she could still get away with baring her stomach. She hadn’t expected anyone to see her other than Liam, so it hadn’t seemed practical to buy something new. On the plus side, she hadn’t been eating well the last couple months and had dropped a few pounds. She’d have to change that, of course, but for now... heck, she’d bring both and decide when she got there.
When she arrived back at the house, Kate followed the sound of voices to the dock. Liam sat perched next to Mr. Pearson at the Captain’s seat of a large pontoon ‘party’ boat. The rear canopy shaded Jim’s mom and grandmother, his friends, Susan and Alex, and their twins. At the front sat Rachel, her husband, Grace, Ian and Carter. “Sorry I kept you waiting.” Kate stepped onto the softly swaying boat and slid onto the seat next to Rachel. She looked around. “Jim’s not coming?”
“He didn’t think there’d be room,” Rachel said. “He said he’d sit this one out.”
“Oh.” Kate’s disappointment seemed disproportionate even to her. But, as they got underway, a cool breeze refreshed her heated skin, and she gave herself over to the relaxing movement of the boat and golden sun on the water.
“Liam seems to be enjoying himself.” Rachel pointed as Liam grinned ear to ear with the opportunity to ‘steer’ the boat.
Kate nodded. “He’s really taken to your dad.”
“Dad’s great with kids. He’ll be great when he has grandkids. I think they invite Alex and Susan every year as much because they’re good friends as to see the twins.”
Kate’s heart felt tight as she watched the happy interplay. “Liam doesn’t have a lot of contact with his real grandfathers.”
“Do they live far away?”
Kate shrugged. “My dad is busy with his business and... other things.” Like the golf game that kept him from attending his only grandson’s birthday party.
“What about your late husband’s father?”
Kate watched a pair of kayakers on the far shore as they bobbed like orange and yellow buoys in the water. “He isn’t in the best of health.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It is what it is.” Kate glanced again at Liam, honking the boat’s horn and waving exuberantly as they passed a family barbecuing on shore. Isn’t this the kind of experience every kid should have?
Why had she let Randy talk her into moving to southern Connecticut anyway? Sure, they were near pools and gyms and lots of conveniences, but there weren’t big sloping lawns that rambled into lakes or quiet, peaceful back roads that went on for miles.
But Randy had jumped at the chance to move into Nana’s house. We’ll never be able to afford to move there otherwise, Kate...and you know that’s where all the good customers are. Just think! If I get a job at a Lexus or Jaguar dealership... do you know what the commissions are on those babies? Do you have any idea? With my sales skills, we’ll have it made!
“Are you okay?” Rachel peered at Kate, concern creasing her brow.
“Just thinking.” The wind blew soft on her face, the hum of the pontoon’s motor washing over the murmur of other conversation. Kate gave herself a mental shake and forced a wry smile. “I suppose it’s finally occurring to me that for the first time in my life my future is entirely up to me.”
Rachel gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. “That’s not a bad thing, is it? Think of the possibilities.”
“I am, and it frightens the hell out of me.”
Rachel laughed, and Kate clasped her hand to her mouth. “I’m sorry! That
Kate parked and walked to the door, her feet feeling unusually light. It was odd not having Liam in tow. Odd not having him chattering at her elbow or pulling on her arm.
Kate hurried to her room and laid out the swimsuits she’d packed on the bed. There was the navy tankini—practical for nursing when Liam was an infant, but showing its age. A little stretched out. A lot faded. Kate fingered her coral print bikini and wondered if she could still get away with baring her stomach. She hadn’t expected anyone to see her other than Liam, so it hadn’t seemed practical to buy something new. On the plus side, she hadn’t been eating well the last couple months and had dropped a few pounds. She’d have to change that, of course, but for now... heck, she’d bring both and decide when she got there.
When she arrived back at the house, Kate followed the sound of voices to the dock. Liam sat perched next to Mr. Pearson at the Captain’s seat of a large pontoon ‘party’ boat. The rear canopy shaded Jim’s mom and grandmother, his friends, Susan and Alex, and their twins. At the front sat Rachel, her husband, Grace, Ian and Carter. “Sorry I kept you waiting.” Kate stepped onto the softly swaying boat and slid onto the seat next to Rachel. She looked around. “Jim’s not coming?”
“He didn’t think there’d be room,” Rachel said. “He said he’d sit this one out.”
“Oh.” Kate’s disappointment seemed disproportionate even to her. But, as they got underway, a cool breeze refreshed her heated skin, and she gave herself over to the relaxing movement of the boat and golden sun on the water.
“Liam seems to be enjoying himself.” Rachel pointed as Liam grinned ear to ear with the opportunity to ‘steer’ the boat.
Kate nodded. “He’s really taken to your dad.”
“Dad’s great with kids. He’ll be great when he has grandkids. I think they invite Alex and Susan every year as much because they’re good friends as to see the twins.”
Kate’s heart felt tight as she watched the happy interplay. “Liam doesn’t have a lot of contact with his real grandfathers.”
“Do they live far away?”
Kate shrugged. “My dad is busy with his business and... other things.” Like the golf game that kept him from attending his only grandson’s birthday party.
“What about your late husband’s father?”
Kate watched a pair of kayakers on the far shore as they bobbed like orange and yellow buoys in the water. “He isn’t in the best of health.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It is what it is.” Kate glanced again at Liam, honking the boat’s horn and waving exuberantly as they passed a family barbecuing on shore. Isn’t this the kind of experience every kid should have?
Why had she let Randy talk her into moving to southern Connecticut anyway? Sure, they were near pools and gyms and lots of conveniences, but there weren’t big sloping lawns that rambled into lakes or quiet, peaceful back roads that went on for miles.
But Randy had jumped at the chance to move into Nana’s house. We’ll never be able to afford to move there otherwise, Kate...and you know that’s where all the good customers are. Just think! If I get a job at a Lexus or Jaguar dealership... do you know what the commissions are on those babies? Do you have any idea? With my sales skills, we’ll have it made!
“Are you okay?” Rachel peered at Kate, concern creasing her brow.
“Just thinking.” The wind blew soft on her face, the hum of the pontoon’s motor washing over the murmur of other conversation. Kate gave herself a mental shake and forced a wry smile. “I suppose it’s finally occurring to me that for the first time in my life my future is entirely up to me.”
Rachel gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. “That’s not a bad thing, is it? Think of the possibilities.”
“I am, and it frightens the hell out of me.”
Rachel laughed, and Kate clasped her hand to her mouth. “I’m sorry! That
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