“It is,” he agreed, his heart rate picking up enough to warn him to keep it together. Knowing that India wanted him was enough to make him happy—for now.
Two minutes later Cal was showing his daughters the arrowhead he’d found close to his cabin.
“Pokey?” Marilyn asked.
“A little,” he said. “You can touch it.”
Suellen and Marilyn shook their heads and stepped back. Amberleigh leaned close, running a single finger along the smooth flint stone in the boy’s hand.
“That’s a good one,” Brody said, doing his best not to get distracted by India. She’d slowly made her way out of the Fire Gorge truck to stand, ten feet away, lingering by the hood.
“What did you find?” Jan Ramirez asked, joining them—her cameraman in tow.
“An arrowhead,” Cal said, not bothering to look up. “It’s for Miss Ada to keep here at the fort.”
“That’s nice of you.” Jan smiled. “Are you going to be an archeologist when you grow up?”
He looked up then. “Paleontologist, probably.”
“Pal-e-o-what?” Suellen asked.
“Someone who studies dinosaurs,” Brody said. “Cal is all about the dinosaurs.”
“Cal,” India called. “Let’s go give it to Ada. Come on, Tanner.”
Tanner jumped out of the open window of the truck and trotted up the path, following Cal.
“You getting this?” Jan Ramirez asked, smiling back at the cameraman.
Brody glanced at India, noting the concern on her face and the stiffening of her posture. He waved, but she was too preoccupied with the camera to notice. She hurried Cal into the information center, had Tanner sit on the porch and closed the door behind them.
What was that about?
“You don’t need me anymore, do you?” his mother asked. “I’ll go back and get your daddy’s lunch in the oven.”
“Thanks,” he said, handing over his truck keys and taking the keys to the Suburban in exchange. “We’ll be out in a few hours. You need me to bring anything home?”
His mother glanced at the camera, turned a bright shade of pink, shook her head and hurried to his truck.
“These are your girls?” Jan asked.
“Suellen. Marilyn. And Amberleigh.” Amberleigh was tugging his hand with all her might, leaning all her weight toward the information center.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Jan said. “I’m Jan and this is Marco. Marco has lots of kids, too. Six?” she asked.
“Seven,” he said.
“Wow.” Brody shook his head. “You’ve got my respect.”
Marco chuckled at the same time Suellen asked, “What’s that?” She pointed at the large camera on Marco’s shoulder.
“It’s a camera,” Jan said. “Do you girls ever watch movies?”
All three of them nodded.
“We’re making a movie about your daddy,” she said. “You want to be in it?”
Suellen and Marilyn nodded, but Amberleigh hid behind his legs. He bent and scooped her up, her little arms twining around his neck as she buried her face against his shoulder. “Feeling shy, sugar?” he whispered.