Page 83 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
“What do you think of my kite, Daddy?”
A couple hours later, Piper held up her colorful kite with its long tail.
“It’s beautiful,” he told her. “Why don’t we fly it now?”
After lunch, Reid and Piper attended one of the kite-making workshops Trisha Witherspoon, the owner of Crafty Creations, heldat her booth by the beach. Becca, Cash, and Astrid also attended, but they’d already finished their kite and were running on the beach, participating in the kite-flying contest.
Reid and Piper trudged out onto the warm sand, and Reid spotted Kaiah taking photos of the kites dancing in the air. She was gorgeous yet casual, wearing a gray tank top and jean shorts, with her thick golden hair pulled back in a ponytail and small hoops dangling from her ears. But what he couldn’t stop staring at were her long, lean legs, tanned by the sun.
“Let’s stand here, Daddy.”
Piper yanked him out of his daydream, hopping on the spot where she’d chosen to launch her kite. Reid held the kite in his hands, and on the count of three, he thrust it upward. The gentle spring breeze carried the kite as it sailed toward the sky.
“Hold on to the string, pumpkin,” Reid told her.
Piper bit her bottom lip as she held on to the spool with all of her might.
Reid pointed. “Look at it go, Piper. You made that glorious kite!”
“Piper! Reid!” Kaiah pointed her camera toward them. “Smile!” she ordered.
Reid tapped Piper’s shoulder and gestured toward Kaiah. “Look over there, honey. Kaiah wants to take our photo.”
They both grinned for the camera. “This is so fun, Daddy,” Piper said.
“It is, isn’t it?”
“I’m so glad Miss Kaiah came to see us. I’m having such a great time with her.”
Reid smiled. “I am too.”
That evening Reid’s eyes flickered to his rearview mirror to where Piper slept in her seat. Her second-place ribbon was stuck to her shirt, and she hugged her kite against her chest. “She’s tuckered out,” he said.
Kaiah rotated toward Piper in the back seat and grinned. “She had an exciting day. I’d be more surprised if shewasn’tfast asleep.”
Reid looked over at Kaiah. They’d spent the day swimming, laughing, and eating together, the three of them. He’d only known Kaiah for two weeks, and he knew it was fast, but he didn’t care. It felt like the three of them belonged together.
Kaiah dipped her chin toward the screen on her digital camera. “I’ll have to show you the photos I took of the kids flying their kites. I may be biased, but I think they’re pretty good. I’m going to include them in my article, as long as it’s okay with you and the other parents.”
Reid steered down the street toward his house. “If you say they’re good, then I know they’re good. You’ll have to show me after I get her settled into bed.”
Kaiah flipped a few buttons on her camera, staring at the screen. “I wish you didn’t have to work tomorrow.”
“I know. But after tomorrow I’m off five days in a row.”
“Hmm.” She rested her finger on her chin, her mouth curved in a smirk. “I get why you took this job. You’re off more than you work.”
He chuckled as he parked in the driveway. “Let’s get her inside.”
Reid carried Piper while Kaiah brought in their bags.
When he set Piper on her bed, she yawned and rubbed her eyes. “Can Miss Kaiah give me a bath tonight?” she asked.
“I’ll ask her.” Reid slipped out into the hallway. “Kaiah?”
“Yeah?” she called from down the hallway.
“Miss Piper has requested that you give her a bath.”
