Blake said to forget about it for now. We’ll talk about it after Alexa falls asleep. But the news from this morning hovers over me like a storm cloud. Every time I’m distracted by my daughter’s laughter and Blake’s smile, a lightning bolt reaches out to zap me with the truth.
Marcel’s only my half-brother.
What does that mean for our relationship?
Oh my God.That means little Grace is his sister. Why’d it take me so long to figure that out?
My temples throb.
“Heidi!” Blake calls out.
I find him grinning and pointing at Alexa, happily paddling in the water in front of him.
Fighting off my anxiety about my pregnant body in this too-small swimsuit, I wade through the cool waist-high water. I dodge playful, splashing children, a woman swimming laps, and finally reach Blake’s side.
“Looks like all the swim lessons at Z and Lilly’s paid off.”
“Water memory,” he says. “I kinda wish we’d built a pool at the house now.”
“Wouldn’t that be difficult?”
He shrugs. “Anything can be done with money.”
“Hmm.” At least he’s smiling now, although the tightness in his shoulders suggests he hasn’t forgotten the ugly scene from this morning.
He slides a glance at me and one corner of his mouth curls up. “You look hot, by the way.”
I reach to adjust the slightly too-small bra top. “I feel like I’m popping out all over the place.”
“You are. And I like it.” He hooks an arm around my waist and yanks me closer, water sloshing all around us.
“Hey!” Alexa yells. “Momma, watch meeeee!”
Keeping me tight to his front, Blake turns me in his arms so I can see Alexa. “Don’t move,” he breathes against my ear.
The water’s warm but my body shivers. “Why?”
“Because what’s going on in my shorts isn’t family-friendly.”
Laughing, I bend over, bumping into him.
“Ow,” he growls. “Well, that helped.”
Laughing even harder, I swim away from him, taking Alexa’s hands and spinning her in a circle.
He crouches in the water, humming the Jaws theme, and approaches us slowly.
“Daddeee!” Alexa frowns, watching his stealthy movements. She flicks her concerned eyes my way. “Momma?”
“Daddy’s playing shark.”
She scowls, then mermaid flaps her feet, splashing water in Blake’s direction. He captures one ankle and drags her closer, careful to keep her above the water.
“Nooo!” she shrieks and laughs.
While they play, I skirt around them and lean against the edge of the pool, hooking my elbows over the side and lazily kicking my feet in the water.
On the opposite edge of the pool, a boy maybe nine- or ten-years old shoves a little girl in the water. She screams and thrashes around. I push off the edge of the pool but before I get far, a man scoops her out of the pool. “Why’d you do that to your sister?” he yells at the boy.