Page 46 of Summer Escape
"I can always watch him so you can go out," Cooper offered.
"Maybe when I'm getting more sleep," Ivy said.
"Here, let me hold him so you can serve yourself." Cooper took the baby from Ivy, and everyone smiled.
He was adorable, stretching before settling into his father's arms. I hadn't thought much about having kids, but this was a lovely domestic scene. One where it was easy to dream about marriage and kids. After what Flynn had done to me, I assumed it would be a long time before I thought about any of those things.
But being here was giving me ideas I had no business even thinking about.
"It's funny that you both ended up in the same rental. I guess it makes sense since it's your grandmother's cottage, but still," Elena said.
I nodded. "Grandma said she didn't realize it had been booked when she offered the place to me."
"If it were my grandmother, I would assume she was matchmaking," Hazel said before launching into her fake engagement story. Everyone listened politely even though I was positive I was the only one who hadn't heard the story from her. Hazel finished with, "I wonder if Blaire learned a thing or two from my grandmother."
"I'm sure it was an honest mistake," I said, not wanting anyone to think that my grandmother was matchmaking.
"I'm sure you're right," Hazel said with a smile that said she wasn't so sure about my explanation.
"Why did you decide to visit the island for the summer?" Joy asked me.
I spooned the potato salad onto my plate. "I wanted a little break from city life, and I always loved the island."
"So you're planning to go back?" Elena asked.
"At the end of the summer. My job allowed me to work remotely for a few months, but I'll need to go back into the office.
"That's a bummer. It would be nice to have another woman around here," Hazel said.
"Luna should be visiting with Axel soon." Then to me, Joy said, "Luna's my daughter. She met someone on vacation when she was renting a cabin in Maryland."
"She buys and flips houses with Axel. They split their time between Florida and Maryland," Jonathan added.
"Sometimes it seems like they spend more time in Maryland. But hopefully that will change here soon," Joy said.
My brain had snagged on the fact that Luna had met someone while on vacation. I wanted to know how long they were together before they became a thing, if they tried long-distance, or if they fell hard and fast for each other. Was it possible to find someone when you weren't looking for a relationship? Even when you were on the rebound from a cheating ex?
Chapter Thirteen
Marshall
Dinner was fine. My family spent more time talking to Saylor than me, but that was okay. I wasn't ready to talk yet. After dinner, we set up the fire pit.
Instead of breaking off to play volleyball, everyone hung around the fire. I ended up with the guys, while the girls were on the other side of the fire.
Brady approached me with a beer. "Are you planning on talking to Hudson or Dad?"
I gripped the beer bottle for something to do with my hands. "I need to."
"You should do it sooner rather than later."
I let out a breath. "I don't even know what to say."
"Start with the truth."
"I wasn't ready to come home and take over the business. I wanted to do something else. I sound like a punk-ass kid saying that."
Brady shook his head. "We all do things that our families don't necessarily agree with."
