Page 147 of The One With the Mountain Man

"I got him," Marley said, squeezing my arm as she passed. Gus had warmed up to her quite a lot and the guy had good taste because he blushed and got all shy when she sat down beside him and picked up a block.

"Still like the redecorating or are you secretly plotting to destroy our homes in revenge?" The house looked good. More cluttered than we left it, but good. Like she'd settled into it.

She swirled her tea and smiled. "I love it. I needed a change, but I was just so stuck in the storm that was my life I couldn't figure out how to slow things down."

"You look better."

"I'm getting there. In fact... I'm going on vacation."

I stood up straighter. How was I just hearing about this? Was she taking Gus? Where was she going?

"Slow down big brother. I see those gears of yours spinning. I have it all under control thanks to Marley and Eve."

My gaze shot to Marley. She smiled and hummed like having this secret was a fun little game.

It was not. I did not like this game.

"She hooked me up with a sweet little resort on Calusa Key. I'm spending five days there all by myself. I'm getting massages and facials and sitting in the sand. Oh, and she gave me a list of everywhere I should eat and visit. I'm going to read so many books! I can't wait!"

"And why was I kept out of the loop on this?" I shot Marley a look. This made no sense.

"Because you have spent too much time taking care of all of us. You don't need to know everything. You do not need to help me plan a vacation."

"What about Gus? If we're babysitting, I should know this!" And Charley was due any day now. How could we watch Gus and manage Charley? I knew her well enough to know she needed managing.

"Eve is staying here while I'm gone. He has a playdate at Ollie's, and Daisy will babysit in the afternoons, Colin and Minna both have shifts too. Marley only signed up for one morning."

While I appreciated that my siblings could do things for themselves, I didn't like being left off the sign-up chain. Not one bit. "And when is my shift?"

"Right now." She grinned, pointing at the waiting suitcases. "I'm hitting the road as soon as you're settled."

"You'redriving?" I knew full well that Marley drove here, but it seemed ridiculously far for Karis to make the same drive for a vacation. "It's what? Thirteen hours give or take?"

"I'm taking a plane, silly. I don't want to be away from Gus longer than necessary."

Right, planes existed. And Karis was perfectly capable of taking a solo vacation if that's what she wanted.

And yet I said it anyway. "Do you want us to take you to the airport? Gus won't mind a little road trip."

"Would you like to book the seat beside me and hold my hand the whole way too? Are you planning on staying in my bed or will you be standing guard at the door the whole time?"

Marley snickered from the living room. Gus had an impressive tower going. It was nearly as tall as he was.

And while I knew I sounded ridiculous I couldn't help myself either. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

She set her tea aside and touched my arm. "I need to do this. I need to get away and reset, but I also need to remember I'm Karis. Not Gus's mom. Not the woman who was cheated on. Not Jackass's ex-wife. Not even George's daughter. Ugh, that man."

Indeed. He was out on bail but the high-profile nature of the kidnapping plot and the evidence that the kidnapping was also going to be violent and deadly meant that it wasn't looking good for dear old dad. "Boner says there's phone records and text messages between Dad and Cristobal while he was in town. Looks like he was actively tracking Marley and giving away her location that day. He's in big trouble."

"You guys really have to stop calling him that. He got a boner once in high school. Once." She shook her head like that was the worst thing I just said and not the part where our father was helping a violent stalker try to kill my girlfriend.

Fiancée.

It was like she heard my thoughts because a second later we were grinning at each other like lovesick teenagers.

"Ugh, I can't be around this." She waved between me and Marley. "I love it for you two, but I'm too jealous and too tired to put up with it." She grabbed her bags and I held the door for her. "Marley has my itinerary. Make sure my little dude is taken care of, okay?"

"He's going to love all this aunt and uncle time. You just make sure you have a good time. The school year is coming up fast."

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