“Hi.” She waves, rolling down the window. “The car seat base is on your side,” she tells me.
“Thank you for this,” I say, placing the seat into the base and unloading my bags to the floorboard. I check to make sure the seat is secure before closing the back door and climbing into the passenger seat.
“No problem. I’m glad you’re joining us.”
“Where’s Conrad?” I ask her.
“He’s already there. He and his brothers took the boat out early this morning to do some fishing before it got too hot. I expect them to have the grill fired up by the time we get there.”
“Oh, I should stop and pick something up to bring with us,” I offer, despite knowing I can’t afford much.
“That would be a negative. You’re a guest. Besides, the guys would be pissed if I let you. This is what they do, and they always have enough food to feed an army.”
“If I don’t get a chance to, please thank him, well, all of them for me.”
“Not necessary, but you’ll get the chance. We have a day of fun in the sun. They’re all going to be there. I think Jase and Sam are coming as well. They’ll have their little girl, Aria, with them. She’s older than Carter, but I don’t know exactly how old she is. What I do know is that she’s a cutie.”
“Jase and Sam? Have I met them?” I’m trying to work through all the names they’ve mentioned, and Jase and Sam are not one of them.
“No. Jase is Royce’s best friend. Sam used to work for him until she got pregnant. That’s when Royce hired Sawyer, and well, you know how that turned out.” She chuckles.
“Layla and Sawyer both work for the family business, right?” I ask just to make sure I have it straight.
“Yes. Aurora and I have the bakery. Well, we did have the bakery. We will again soon. We’re just not sure what that will look like or even if it’s going to be in the same location. Sam is a stay-at-home mom now, and she’s loving every minute of it from what I hear from Sawyer. They became close when Sam was training Sawyer remotely.”
“So much to learn.”
“Oh, well, there will be two more. My future in-laws, Stanley and Lena, will probably show up at some point today as well. We told them all about you and how Maddie took to Marshall. I wonder if that was a fluke thing or if it will happen again?” she muses.
Every time I think about how easily Madeline took to Marshall, I get a warm feeling in my chest. “I’m not sure. She’s not spent a lot of time around men, so it was just as big a shock to me as it was to all of you.”
“That’s right.” She reaches over the console and places her hand on my arm. “I’m sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine doing this on my own.”
“No one ever does, not until you have to.”
“Well, I think you’re a badass.”
“Thanks. I think,” I say, and we both burst out laughing.
“Hey, should we call your friend Carrie and invite her?” she offers.
“Thank you, but she’s working a double today at the ER.” Just like that, this family has taken me in as one of their own, offering to invite who they now know is my only family to join us. It’s overwhelming and wonderful all at the same time.
“Damn, it’s such a nice day out too.”
“That’s the life of healthcare.”
“We’ll definitely have to invite her next time,” she tells me as she pulls up to a large building. “This is it.”
“Where’s the lake?”
“Oh, it’s back away on the property. One of the guys is supposed to be here to drive us. If not, we’ll call them, and someone will come and pick us up.”
Together we climb out of the car just as a UTV stops beside us. Conrad grins when he sees his wife. “You ladies need a ride?”
“Good timing.” Aspen smiles.
“Brought the one with the base.” He motions to the second row of the UTV, and sure enough, there’s a car seat and a base, which I’m assuming is for Carter and Roan.
“Thank you.”
“We’re always prepared when it comes to the baby in the family,” he tells me. “Let me help you,” he offers, but I wave him off.
“I’ve got it.” I quickly snap the car seat into the base and place my bags at my feet. “All set.”
“Babe? You got everything you need?” Conrad asks Aspen.
“Yep.”
Conrad takes off, and within a few minutes, we’re stopping at a lake. Not a pond, but a lake. I thought maybe they just called it the lake, but no, it’s an actual lake. There are two boats, some jet skis, and a whole lot of Riggins.
What did I get myself into?