Page 59 of Feels Like Home

Reece’s face breaks out in a cheesy grin. “But, I’m on vacation and don’t want to think. This way, I don’t have to put any thought into what I’m going to wear every day. As long as it doesn’t smell, I’mgood.”

“The boy has a point,” Andychuckles.

“I have no words,” Ijoke.

Not only did I pack a lot of clothes, I felt like I was bringing enough food to last us a month rather than just a long weekend. Of course, no one complained aboutthoseextra bags. I’ve been around the boys (and Andy) long enough to know that you can’t have enough food around, but Reece may be right. Not that I would admit it, but I know I over-packed just a bit for clothing. I’ll just text Bri that if she decides to head up when she’s done working, she doesn’t need to packclothes.

After unloading and getting everything put away, we make sandwiches, which they inhale quickly (see above about never having enough food) and decide to go for a walk so they can keep showing mearound.

I use the bathroom off my room to freshen up a littlebit.

“Comeon,Christine!” Aidan hollers fromdownstairs.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.” I giggle and slide my arms into myjacket.

I walk into the kitchen just as the boys shove a grocery bag into a cupboard, Aidan whispering, “Hurry up before shecomes!”

“Iknow, Aidan. I’m not anidiot.”

“I didn’t say youwere,but Dad wants it to be asurprise.”

“Duh. You don’t think I know that? He only told us that like a milliontimes.”

“Then close the cupboard before she comesin!”

I hear a door slam and then, “I can’tbelieveshe didn’t see the bag when we wereunpacking.”

Reece snickers, “That’s because she was weighed down with all those bags ofclothes.”

I step back behind the wall, not having a clue on what they’re hiding, but that’s okay. I press my lips together to stop the giggle that’s wantingout.

It’s obviously something important to them, and so it’s important tome.

So, I’llwait.

* * *

"I’m starving,”both boys whine at the sametime.

I giggle, feeling grateful that I packed as much food as Idid.

Yesterday we hiked through the woods until we got to an open field where we plopped down on the ground on a blanket that Andy carried with him and ate sandwiches, laid back, and watched the clouds makeshapes.

The last two days were glorious and relaxing, and last night ended with us munching on tortilla chips and Rotel cheese dip in front of the TV, watching a movie at the end of thenight.

The boys both curled up in oversized chairs while Andy and I took thecouch.

Andy had showered and changed into a pair of lounge pants but forgot hisshirt.

Which under any other circumstances I would haveenjoyed.

Immensely.

The fact that the shirt was forgotten when his sons were present and we were still officially-unofficially in the friend zone meant that I couldn’t explore the shirtless chest the way I wantedto.

All it did was cause a distraction, and I’m pretty sure he knewit.

The smirk that didn’t leave his face was oneindication.

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