Page 43 of Single-Minded
“Uncle Jagger would never leave us,” Scarlet said with every bit of faith in the world.
Jagger straightened from where he’d been inspecting something on the tandem kayak and sent me a smug look.
“You’re right, Scarlet,” Jagger said. “Uncle Jag would never leave you three angels. I might leave your dad though.”
“Then we could have a sleepover at your house,” Nova said.
“Oh, you think so, huh? I’d make you eat veggies for your bedtime snack,” Jagger teased.
“I like veggies,” Sienna said.
“She doesn’t like meat,” Scarlet informed him, and I sighed at this trend that wasn’t dying down.
“You have a vegetarian?” Presley asked me.
“That’s where she seems to be heading,” I said. “I can respect that, but it’s throwing a twist into meals.”
“I can imagine,” Presley said. She strode toward the twins in the tandem boat. “Ladies, how big are your muscles?”
Scarlet flexed a skinny bicep as Sienna climbed out of the back seat, apparently done with her imaginary boat ride. Nova bounced over and said, “Miss Presley, I’m the strongest.”
“You are not,” Sienna said. “You’re too little.”
“Am not.”
“Girls,” I said sternly.
“I have a rack for my kayaks,” Presley said, pointing up at her patio, “but this double one is pretty heavy. You think you girls could get on one end and help me carry it up there?”
They each answered affirmatively, rising to Presley’s challenge with differing amounts of enthusiasm and confidence.
I held myself back from jumping in and taking over for my daughters, seeing how they felt important being asked to help. They managed to lift their end and work with Presley to get that boat up the hill and onto the rack.
“Look at those muscles,” I called out.
Jagger came up to me and said in a low voice, “Those boats are Kevlar. Lighter than your average kayak. Also pricey as hell.”
“Sounds about right.” I went over to the pink and purple boat, lifted it to my shoulder, and headed up the hill after them.
Jagger did the same with the blue-and-green one, and within a couple minutes, we had all three kayaks in their places.
“Thank you, ladies,” Presley said to the girls.
“Welcome,” Scarlet said.
Presley came over to Jagger and me and said, “You didn’t have to do that, but thanks.”
“Not a problem,” Jagger said before I could.
“Watch me, Miss Presley,” Nova called out.
Before any of us knew what she planned, she lay on the grass and rolled barrel style down the gradual hill.
“Stop before you get to the lake,” I called out.
Within a few seconds, the other two were doing the same.
“They have so much energy,” Presley said.
