Page 30 of Late Nights & Love Lines
Seren shrugs her shoulder. “I heard the wild horses are pretty epic, so I guess I’ll go.” I can tell it took a lot of effort on her part to keep her excitement at bay, and that gives me hope.
“I’m so glad,” Rowan says. There’s a hint of relief in her tone that sinks all the way down to my bones.
“Okay if I tag along?” I finally ask. “It’s a rare free afternoon for me.”
“Oh.” Rowan’s eyelashes nearly hit her hairline, and she manages to frown at the same time. “Ah, of course. We’re going to hike through the Ruby Rolls Trail. It’s a little longer than I’d normally do with them, but it spits us out at the beach near the wild horses.”
“Sounds good. Pappy went into town with Leo to get some fishing supplies, but Leo’s fiancée dropped off a picnic lunch. I guess he told her your plans.”
She stares at me as if I’ve grown three heads while I spoke. Alexei, who has been silently observing our interactions with a smug expression of appreciation on his face, finally steps forward.
“Hi, Rowan. You might not remember me, I’m Alexei. I attended Pappy’s camp for a few summers with Seb.”
Her face remains neutral, but the muscles around her eyes tighten. “It’s nice to meet you,” she says. “There were a lot of people at camp.”
He nods, glancing between the two of us as if an answer to an unasked question will magically appear. When it doesn’t, hesimply chuckles. “Well, I’m heading to the hotel to get some work done. I’ll be back to grab you tomorrow at seven, Seb.”
“Thanks. If anything?—”
“I’ll have everything ready for Hayes and Sinclair. I’ve got this, you do…” He waves his arms around the kitchen. “Everything else.”
Alexei Stepanov might be a pain in my ass, but he cares about my family, my business, and me. I should have listened when he told me Nick was bad news.
I nod in appreciation and stand back as he hugs all my kids, then exits the kitchen with a wave.
Rowan moves around the space as if she’s always been here and starts collecting the kids’ water bottles. Kade still has ahold of her hand, so she gives him one of the bottles to hold, and they fill them at the filter on the refrigerator door.
She’s slipped into our lives seamlessly.
“Miles, can you grab the bug spray from the porch and stick it in one of these bags?” she says, pointing to a couple of backpacks on the floor with her foot. The movement drags my attention to her long slender legs.
“Yup,” he runs past me and out the door.
“Seren?”
My daughter doesn’t quite glare at Rowan, but she isn’t exactly pleased either.
“Leo said to tell you they got your Amazon order, but all packages to camp have to be inspected, and they don’t allow liquid laxatives. But you can go to the infirmary if you have a stomachache.” Rowan smiles sweetly at Seren.
I spin on my daughter. “Are you sick?” Was she ill while I was gone?
Seren’s face flames red, setting off her bright green eyes. “Geez, Dad. I’m fine.”
Worry festers in my chest. “Then why did you need a laxative?”
Rowan walks between us and chuckles. “It’s all good, Sebastian. Seren and I are still coming to a truce, isn’t that right, Seren?”
My daughter rolls her eyes, and her fingers twitch before they clench into fists. “Leo’s flyer said we can have packages delivered to camp. So much for two-day shipping,” she grumbles. “I ordered it before…”
“Before what?” I demand, unease rolling down my spine. She wouldn’t seriously try to make Rowan sick, would she?
“Before we came to an understanding,” Rowan fills in. “It’s all good. You ready?”
I can’t decide if I want to look at Rowan or my daughter, and it results in a rushed glare between them both. “Yeah, I’m ready. But this conversation isn’t over, Ser. As much as I want to be, I can’t be with you guys every second. I have to work, and we need the help, so you have to accept that.”
My daughter stomps out of the room, and Kade chases her out the door.
“I’m sorry if she’s…being difficult,” I say.
