Page 65 of Always Be Mine

She grinned, and Craig couldn’t help but shake his head and laugh. He knew when he’d been beat.

“Honestly, it’s not something I ever had to think about before. But this baby is making me think of a lot of things in a different way. Maybe just a small scoop of that raspberry sherbet?” She winked. “Baby better like it.”

Ten minutes later, they were settled at the table by the window, each with a scoop of sherbet in front of them.

“I don’t want to overstep, Charli, but how are you going to manage…” Craig gestured toward her stomach. “When the baby comes? I mean, you’re busier than ever and I know you have Symon to help, but he’ll be right in the swing of things coaching ski season when the baby comes and trust me when I say, a baby is a lot of work.”

Thankfully, his sister laughed and didn’t take offense to the question. “I can imagine the baby will be a lot of work. But you’re right, I’ll have Symon to help when he’s not on the road. You did it all on your own, Craig, and I can’t even begin to think about how much work that was. But you have Lucy now. That seems to be working out pretty well, isn’t it? After the six months are up, do you think you’ll?—”

“I don’t know what’s going to happen at the end of October, Charli.”

“That’s when the time’s up? End of October?”

“You know it is.”

“Will she stay?”

He swallowed hard. He didn’t know what she would do. But he did know what he wanted her to do, and he was too afraid to ask whether they were the same thing.

When he didn’t answer, Charli pointed her spoon in his direction. “You should ask her.”

She wasn’t wrong. “I’ll think about—” A pair of familiar faces, holding hands and skipping through the plaza, caught his attention.

Charli followed his gaze through the window to where Craig was looking. “They’re pretty cute together.”

“Aren’t they?” He shook his head, aware he’d spoken aloud, and pushed up from the table. “I’ll be right back.”

He ignored his sister’s laughter as he made his way outside. “Hey, you two.”

Meri turned at the sound of his voice and ran into his arms. “Daddy!”

He’d never grow tired of the enthusiasm from his little girl every time he saw her, even if it was only a few hours ago.

“What are you two up to today?” It was a professional development day at Meri’s school and over breakfast that morning, they’d been very seriously discussing their options, but they hadn’t settled on a plan by the time he left.

“We’ve already been to the park,” Lucy said. “And it’s clear that Meri can swing higher than me.”

“I can gosohigh. Higher than anyone else.”

“Is that right?” He lifted his eyebrows and glanced at Lucy, who nodded seriously.

“It’s like she’s flying.”

“Well, I don’t know if I love the idea of you flying away, but that is pretty cool.”

“Silly, Daddy. I’m not going to fly away.” Meri rolled her eyes, and he chuckled. “But Lucy can do the monkey bars better than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

“Is that right?”

Lucy shrugged. “What can I say? I’m part monkey.” She tucked her hands under her arm and started to make monkey noises.

“Me too, me too.” Meri joined in and the two of them circled Craig, who couldn’t help but laugh.

“You, too, Daddy.”

How could he resist?

Craig followed suit, adding in some big monkey jumps until they were all laughing.

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