“Is it okay to be here?” Beth asked.
I squeezed her hand which had been on my thigh most of the drive. “It’s private, but I have permission.”
“You know the owner?”
“Good friend of the family. I’ve done a lot of work for them.”
That statement wasn’t a lie. Bentley was a very good friend of my family. And I had done lots of work for the company and in the houses on the property.
I pulled up as close as I could. “It’s a short walk through the trees.” I looked at Evan. “I can piggyback you if needed. My dad used to do that with us,” I explained. “Sometimes more than one of us at a time.” We all used to dogpile on him.
He smiled, letting me know he wasn’t offended. “I’ll see how it goes.”
“Okay.”
Slowly, we made our way through the mostly flat path. The trees around us hid the high wall that ran the perimeter of the property. The thick forest to the right protected the houses from view as well. I set down the coolers and basket I had brought and opened up the two camping chairs as Beth and Paige unfolded the large blanket I had bought just for today.
I stayed with Lucy and Evan as they explored. The view of the water in the distance and the stretch of rocky beach they could see fascinated them.
“What’s around that bluff?” Evan asked, pointing to the right.
“Ah, private homes.”
“Whoa,” he breathed. “Do you think they can see the water?”
I nodded. “They have their own beach.”
“That is so cool. I would sit and watch the waves.”
I ruffled his hair. “Me too.”
“That house looks lonely,” he said, pointing to the house on the bluff in the distance on the left. Set apart from the main compound, the rocky cove was only accessible by foot over the jagged shoreline, walking through the trees and over this piece of land, or coming from the other direction to the driveway. It was the only piece of property around not owned by BAM. Not for lack of trying, but the old man living there refused to sell. The house was as remote as he was, although my family did check in on him, regardless of his rudeness. He tolerated the women a little better but hated all the men, so we stayed clear unless it was completely necessary. One day he fell, and I went to help my sister Ava get him inside. I carried him from the hard rocks into his little place, admiring the woodwork inside. He threw me out the instant his ungrateful ass touched the chair he instructed I place him in. I hadn’t been back since.
“Yeah, it does.” Evan had struck the nail on the head, and I felt another small tug of guilt. Maybe I should go back and try again. I didn’t care about the land, although Mr. Owens thought that was my game. Mrs. Owens had died when I was a kid, but I remember her being kind. He was alone, and I needed to try harder to be a better neighbor—even if he was cantankerous. Loneliness did that to a person.
We ate the feast I had brought while sitting in the sun. I felt some sort of caveman-type satisfaction knowing I had brought the food and looked after all of them. After lunch and the best brownies I had ever eaten, plus a slice of rich vanilla cake, we lay on the blanket, looking up at the puffy white clouds. I had made Beth study the sky, but she assured me there was nothing exciting about the clouds. She did, however, check her phone and break down the weather report for me, adding in a few extra words. I kissed her when the kids weren’t looking, in thanks.
“That’s a bunny,” Lucy said, her head on my chest.
Evan was beside her, and he shook his head. “That’s not a bunny.”
“What is it, then?” she demanded.
He pursed his lips. “It’s a dragon.”
She was silent. “I liked it better when it was a bunny.”
I chuckled and met Beth’s gaze. I patted my chest. “Plenty of room over here,” I said, crooking my empty arm in invitation. Again, that feeling of satisfaction swelled as she curled beside me and we all looked at the clouds as they drifted by. We found lots of bunnies, kittens, and flowers in the sky. A few more dragons and an alligator. Beth found a shoe. I enjoyed listening to them all.
Paige wandered around, sitting near the edge, her sketchpad on her lap, and she was busy drawing. Beth told me Paige had been so excited to come and hoped to be able to do a little sketching.
“Not much scope for nature in Toronto,” she explained. “Some pretty parks but they’re usually overrun with people.”
I was glad she was having a good time, and I had no problem spending time with the kids. They were highly entertaining, and I liked both of them a great deal.