Page 129 of Only for Love

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

Grayson

Summer’s slipping away, almost gone. Our bags are lined up behind my truck. It’s shocking how much is needed for two adults and a kid to travel to the beach. I’m ninety percent sure that Cally has more packed than we do. The sun hangs low in the early-September sky. Emma’s in the grass with Cally, and even though they are playing, she’s lost in thought.

“Hey, pretty mama.”

She snaps out of her fog and smiles. “Hey.”

“That’sa lot of stuff.” I gesture with my head toward the luggage.

She laughs. “True.”

“Everything okay?”

She scrunches her shoulders. “First family vacation. Kind of awesome.”

I stride to her and drop into the grass, pulling her into my lap. She smells like summer, and her back relaxes into me. “I got you a present just in time for the beach.”

Emma turns. “What is it?”

“Come on. Let’s roll, and you can open it on the way.”

Truth is, I’m just as excited for her to open it as I am for everything this weekend. I have two Delta jobs under my belt. Both pay in a way that lets Emma take a deep breath and open a savings account. She still gives a nervous glance at her receipts and our bank balance when she buys anything more than Ramen noodles, but I think she’s coming to grips with our new comfort level.

Our little house is definitely our home. Quality time for the Kingsley family no longer revolves around arranging babysitting for her work schedule. Still, Emma refuses to buy anything special for herself. I’m done with that.

There’s a brand new, fancy-ass camera waiting for her in the passenger’s seat of my truck. I kiss her neck them jump up with her in my arms. “Cally Bear—” I drop my head to Emma. “She gotta pee?”

Emma laughs. “Already did it.”

I learned that lesson the hard way once before. And it required me running with her in my arms to the restroom at Home Depot. We made it, but it waswaytoo close. “Cally Bear, it’s go time, kid.”

She squeals and runs toward the truck in our driveway. Patiently, she waits by her door as I carry Emma over and drop her on her feet. I’m convinced that Cally likes riding in my truck more than Emma’s Jeep because we’re higher up. I’ve playfully debated it with Emma. She loves her Jeep as much I dig my truck. “Ready for the beach?”

“Yeah!” Cally jumps with her arms in the air.

“Guess we need to buckle you in then.” It takes a couple seconds to get that job done, and as I click in the last part of the car seat, I catch Emma’s face lighting up.

Holding up the wrapped box, she beams. “Daddy bought me a present.”

Cally squeals. “It’s yur camera su-prise.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “Surprise.”

“Camera?” she mouths, eyes wide and overacting for Cally’s sake.

New lesson learned: don’t tell Cally any secrets. Emma tears the paper off and opens the box, which was opened already once before when I put the pieces together and charged the battery. “It’s ready to go.”

“Cheese!” Cally shouts, and I duck close to her for a picture.

“Perfect.” Emma snaps one quickly and then a few more as I kiss my girl and jump in the driver’s seat. This weekend is going to rock.

***

Emma

Our lazy beach vacation has been perfect. The weekend is almost over, and I don’t want tonight to end. Tomorrow we go back home, and I can’t help but remember the last time we were together at the shore, when everything was so out of control and so perfect simultaneously.

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