Sailor Proof (Shore Leave 1)

I tilted my head, considering. “How fast?”

“Like lightning! I can do all the words to ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’ in under twenty seconds.” Seth proceeded to demonstrate, doing the fastest rendition I’d ever heard, managing to keep the tune even as he rushed through the song.

“Sold.” I gave him a high five. “We’ll call it Seth’s Super-Fast Songs and you can do a couple like that. People will love it.”

“Awesome.” He raced back to the other kids. Some of them were turning cartwheels instead of practicing the steps, but we were minutes from the dinner gong, so I didn’t rein them back in.

“You’re good with them,” Derrick observed as the music moved on to the next song, which inspired one of the kids to show off a backflip.

“Not particularly good at keeping them in line.” I laughed because even with the high-energy antics, this had still been fun.

“Eh. That’s what you’ve got me for, right?” Derrick bumped my shoulder. “I meant more that you’re good at relating to them. That’s like the fourth kid I’ve watched you find a talent for.”

“They’ve all got something. It’s just a matter of finding it.”

“Yup.” He met my gaze, and the appreciation in his eyes was almost better than another kiss. “That’s why they’re lucky to have you in charge of this thing—Hey! No climbing!”

The moment abruptly shattered as the twins and Taylor scampered up one of the trees. Taylor swung back and forth on one of the branches before dropping to the ground.

“And that right there is why I’m glad I’m not in the kids’ cabin this year. Love them being someone else’s responsibility.”

Derrick nudged me again. “Better as the cool uncle than the dad?”

“Trust me, no one wants me to parent,” I said automatically, but a weird pang went off in my chest. Derrick and I made an excellent team. Having someone like him around was enough to make me reconsider my long-held stance against kids. A glimmer of a vision of a future that wouldn’t be flickered through my brain, Derrick and me and a pack of rowdy kids.

Not privy to my inner yearnings, Derrick laughed lightly. “Same.”

But I remained ambivalent even as the parents arrived back to collect their kids for dinner. Derrick would make an awesome dad. Probably not with me, but someone. Being jealous of an imaginary future that Derrick didn’t even seem to want was not the most productive use of my time, yet I still stewed over it as we lined up for dinner.

“Come on, man. At least make it best two out of three.” Calder had the same pleading look for Oliver that he’d had whenever Oliver and Roger had gone off to do something together, leaving Calder stuck at home to watch me.

“What’s that?” I asked as Derrick and I found seats at the table. Maybe it was petty, but I was happy to see Calder put out about something. “Did you actually lose at something?”

“Ollie won a hand of cards last night.” Calder made a dismissive gesture. “No big deal, but I have to watch the kids tomorrow night so he and Stacey can have a date night.” Calder shuddered dramatically at the word kids, which got a laugh from the whole table. Derrick might have solid dad potential, but Calder had no such aptitude or inclination. “I need another chance to redeem myself.”

“No way, man. I won fair and square.” Sitting back in his chair, Oliver folded his arms. “You might not be my first choice as babysitter, but I’m not turning down some alone time with my wife.”

“Arthur!” Calder made a show of pretending to only just now notice my presence. “Maybe you want kid duty?”

His dramatics got a predictable laugh from the rest of the table, but I shook my head.

“No way.” I hated how he always assumed people would be willing to bail him out simply because he was so charming. “You can handle a couple of hours of kids.”

“I’d play you for it. You could come play tonight.” Leaning forward, he turned all that charisma my way. Luckily, I had a lifetime of learning not to take bets with him, and I was already shaking my head.

“Nope. You only invite me when you want something. I’m turning in early.” I risked a glance at Derrick. He’d promised me later, and I was damn sure planning to cash in on that. I had zero patience for Calder and his friends, especially when I had something way better on offer.

But I wasn’t the only one looking Derrick’s way. Calder clapped him on the shoulder. “Guess that means you’re all ours. You got out of cards last night, but you owe us a game.”

“Yeah, man. Someone needs to put Calder in his place again,” Calder’s friend Max chimed in. Great. A team effort to tear Derrick away from me. My muscles tightened, but I worked to keep my face neutral. If Calder got wind that our pretend relationship might include some very real kisses, we’d never hear the end of it, and I didn’t want to risk Calder’s reaction being enough to put Derrick off his promise to me. Besides, it was kind of nice having a secret from Chief Know-it-all.