Valerie held up her hands. "I'm so sorry, guys. I had no idea that she was actually going to make a pitch to you. She's been fascinated with elephants since she watched Dumbo."
"The cartoon or the remake?" Ellie asked.
"Both," Valerie informed her.
"I was actually an extra in the remake."
Londyn's eyes got huge. "You met the elephants?"
Ellie nodded. "I did."
Londyn held out her hand. "Come on. We need to talk."
Tyson watched Valerie's expression soften as she watched the two leave the dining room. "I hope Ellie knows what she just started."
Colton laughed. "I'm sure she can handle it. She handled Hollywood."
Tyson looked back at his plate. He wondered the same thing about Valerie. Did she have a clue what she had restarted when she showed back up?
Chapter Seven: Just a Snack
Valerie Blanchette Kenway
Valerie stayed behind after everyone else went home to help Vinia clean up. Tyson and Londyn were in the living room watching a documentary on elephants while the women did dishes.
"He's going to feed her obsession until she holds him hostage for an elephant."
Vinia grinned. "I kind of thought that he would shy away from her. You know, under the circumstances."
Valerie turned to her. She already felt like one of the family again, and that was a dangerous feeling. "Vinia, I didn't leave because of Ty. Well, I kind of did. That was part of it. But I left to keep him safe. To keep you all safe."
She winced as Vinia frowned at her. She hadn't meant to say anything, but her emotions were all unravelled and she couldn't think straight.
"Keep us safe? Honey, did you forget who we are?"
"Not at all. But there is so much you don't know."
"And that's a conversation you need to have with Tyson. I'll find out about it later, rather than sooner. Just like everyone else in the family."
After they finished cleaning up, Valerie went to collect her kid. "Come on, sweetheart. You could use a nap."
"A nap? Mommy, I'm six."
"And that means you're not too old to take a nap." They had this conversation all the time, and Valerie knew from firsthand experience what happened if Londyn didn't take a nap. It wasn't a pretty sight.
"But I haven't had my snack."
"You just ate lunch. But I have stuff in the cabin if you absolutely need a snack. We just cleaned the kitchen, and you are not asking Ms. Vinia to get it dirty again."
"Do you want a snack, Ty?"
Valerie's heart dropped. This was not going the way she needed it to. First off, listening to her own child call Tyson by his shortened name was unnerving. And getting away from Ty for a little bit was the plan, not dragging him along. She hoped he turned down the offer.
Instead, almost as if he could read her mind, he grinned. "I'd love a snack. And I can check the thermostat in the cabin, which I would have done tonight for your arrival tomorrow."
Londyn held his hand as they walked the distance to their cabin. Valerie found it hard to breathe being so close to Tyson again, so she lagged back, which also proved just as difficult. He still made a pair of jeans look damned good, and coupled with the perfectly fitting T-shirt, he was just as sexy as always.
They were just reaching the cabin when she heard Ty ask Londyn about her father. Before she could intervene, Londyn looked up at him and laughed. "Silly. Daddy never does anything with us. And even when he does, we're happier when he doesn't."
