Page 24 of Life After Levi

He starts laughing then says, “I have no problem with that, just please wear your sunscreen because otherwise, the guys will call you ‘Lobster’ and it’ll stick.”

I snicker because I’ve heard some of the not so flattering names they call each other. So far, I’ve been fortunate for one to not catch on when it comes to myself, but I’d prefernotto be called Lobster for the rest of my career. “I promise, we’ll both be protected from the sun. I’m kind of excited actually, because I asked Damien to come with us and he said yes.”

“It’ll be a good way for the two of you to get to know each other,” he replies. “Now, your shift is over so get on out of here and be sure to let me know once you have your documents in hand and whether or not you want the job I’ve offered you.”

“Will do, Captain. Thank you,” I say as I stand up to leave.

He snaps his fingers as if he’s forgotten something, so I stop my process of leaving and wait for him to tell me what just entered his mind. “Oh and take lots of pictures because I definitely want to see Vinnie as she goes down some of those slides.”

“I always do,” I murmur behind a hidden smile. Because of Levi’s death, I pretty much documenteverythingwhen it comes to our daughter and I also make sure I’m in pictures as well so in the event something should ever happen to me, she’ll have memories to look back on with fondness.

ChapterFourteen

Damien

“Oh my God,look at the smile on her face!” Emerie exclaims as Levinia comes down the Buckaroo Banzai water slide. Thankfully, the water park that Emerie found is extremely kid-friendly. There’s a section for older teens, and adults of course, but the bulk of the slides and lazy rivers are for little kids like Levinia.

“Guess we’re getting that picture too,” I tease, looking up at the monitor that captured her as she came down the slide. Most of the rides have a photo opportunity at the key point of the ride, and so far, we’ve bought every one of Levinia’s. Not that I’m going to complain because she’s photogenic as all get out and seeing both her and her mama so relaxed and smiling has me falling even more for her.

“Was there any doubt?” she asks, grinning at me. She told me what the captain at the fire department said about sunscreen, and she coats it on herself as well as Vinnie, but still, her cheeks are a bit pink as is her nose.

She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Her goodness practically oozes from her skin, and I’ve watched time and again how people seem to naturally gravitate toward her. Even Vinnie has cultivated a small posse of little girls to play with in the splash pads. She’s a natural-born leader like her father was, that’s for damn sure. I grab my phone and snap a few pictures of the two of them, as Vinnie is grinning up at Em while she smiles down at her. It’s a profile shot, but I can already picture it printed and in a frame, hanging on the wall of their home as a memento of this week.

So far, my leg has held up. It probably helps that Vinnie loves the lazy rivers, likely because the float we brought specifically for her is an inflatable chicken. That means that I’ve been able to do a lot of my exercises without the pressure I usually have since the water is a good resistance for what I have to do therapy wise. I have no clue where Dale found it, but Vinnie’s eyes were huge when he presented it to her the night before we left. Surprisingly, the park had no issues with her using her own, which is a good thing because I don’t want to see one of her tantrums. I’ve already met Morning Vinnie, and she’s definitelynotan early bird whatsoever.

“How about some lunch for my two bathing beauties?” I ask as Emerie wraps a kid’s beach towel around Vinnie, who’s shivering a little bit after coming out of the water.

“I think that’s a great idea, then we’ll go rest during the heat of the day and come back later,” Em says, appearing ready for a reprieve from the activity.

“Mama, I don’t want to rest,” Vinnie protests, her lower lip slightly pushed out.

“Well, we’re going to because it’s too hot for me to be outside right now,” Em firmly states in a no-nonsense tone of voice. “And if you start with an attitude or throw a fit, we’ll be done for the day, how about that?”

I pick up the chicken float in one arm and hold out my hand to Emerie. “I heard this restaurant has chicken fingers, Vinnie. I didn’t know that chickenshadfingers!”

She giggles, her miff over having to go rest all but forgotten as she shakes her head at me. “Mr. Damien, chickens don’t have fingers.”

“Well, I guess you’d know since you help your memaw with hersandyou have Bonnie,” I reply, grinning down at the little girl who has captured my heart as much as her mother has done.

* * *

“For someonewho didn’t want to rest, she didn’t last very long,” Emerie murmurs as she carefully places a throw over Vinnie’s sleeping body.

“The sun wears a body out,” I reply, holding back a yawn. “Come on, let’s rest while she’s napping. I honestly had no clue that kids her age had that much energy.”

She giggles as she turns toward me then walks over to the other bed. While I wish she could sleep with me at night, I’ll make do with our naps since they’re on top of the covers, although she also covers herself with a light throw. I don’t like feeling restricted, so I typically don’t use anything. Even a sheet bothers me at times. As I curl my arm around her waist, I send up a silent prayer that what’s going on between us continues to grow.

Because I’m captured, hook, line, and sinker.

* * *

“I’mglad you thought to pack so many swimsuits,” I say as we get out of the lazy river to head over to another water slide.

“Honestly, I don’t like putting on bathing suits that are wet. It feels icky to me,” she confesses as Vinnie skips just ahead of us, arm in arm with one of her new friends. Since we’re going in the same direction, I’m not worried something will happen to her.

This slide is a bit different; the three of us are in a raft together, but the attendant assured both of us that Vinnie would be fine. She better be, she’s wearing a vest with floaties attached and is buckled into a special seat. Em and I are not since adults don’t have to be, and I suspect we’re about to be flung to and fro, but I can’t wait to see what the picture is going to look like, since both Em and Vinnie have their curls somewhat tamed by ponytails. The thing is, the little tendrils bounce along the side of their faces which has them constantly pushing them back or trying to flatten them back with water from the park.

“Are y’all ready?” the attendant asks after checking Vinnie’s seatbelt, making sure it’s securely locked in place. He looks at her and smiles then says, “This is one of those rides you can scream because it’s so much fun.”

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