“Olive is certainly taken with you. She talks about you nonstop. ‘Abby told me the funniest story today,’ or ‘Abby had two dogs when she was a girl,’ or ‘Abby likes blueberries the most out of any berry.’ I know more about you than I do myself.”
I grin at him. “I really love spending time with her. She has such a special little soul.”
“That she does.”
“I hope you don’t mind me saying, but I think you’re doing a wonderful job with her.”
Liam narrows his eyes in confusion. “Now, why would I mind you paying me a compliment?”
“I don’t know. Because I don’t have kids.”
“Anyone can tell the difference between a well-behaved child and bratty one.” He’s quiet for a moment, then he says, “To be honest, parenting is kind of like sailing. You bob along with the waves, hoping you’re aiming in the right direction. Except with children, there aren’t any checkpoints to follow, so you have to guess and hope you’re going the right way.”
“Well, from an outsider’s perspective, it look like you’re right on course. She’s a lucky girl to have you for a dad.”
He shrugs off my compliment. “I’m the lucky one. She’s an easy child to raise.”
“She didn’t get that way by accident. You had a hand in that.” I can tell by his expression that he’s about to rebuff the praise again, so I hold up a finger and give him a stern look to stop him. “Ah! Just accept the compliment, Liam.”
“Bossy.” He says, narrowing his eyes so he looks annoyed. “I don’t know why I’m surprised by that, though. I should have figured it out the first time I met you and you bit my head off for trying to sit beside you.”
I laugh and feel heat creep up my neck. “Correction, the first time you saw me, I was sitting at the bar with a beer foam moustache.”
“Oh, right. I forgot about that.” He lets out a loud laugh. “The best part was when you swiveled the stool so hard, you snapped back like a rubber band and planted your hand in your dessert.”
We’re still laughing when the door slides open, and Olive appears, looking frustrated. “Dad, I can’t find my sunglass clips.”
His expression changes from jovial to stern in an instant. “That’s because you left them by your fairy garden last night, so I hid them in the bread bin.”
“Dad!”
“Don’t you ‘Dad’ me, young lady. You need to learn to take better care of your things.” He softens his expression to let her off the hook. “Now, go get them, and I’ll let you be captain for a bit.”
* * *
Two hours later, we find a place along the rocky shore of a tiny island to anchor the boat. It’s small enough to see the width of it without turning my head. Liam stands knee-deep in the water, and we hand him what we’ll need—folding beach chairs, a blanket, the food, and some drinks. Olive slings on her backpack, telling me it’s her explorer’s bag. She has been on the lookout for mermaids since we left the pier, and she’s certain that even if we don’t see any actual merfolk today, we will most definitely find evidence of them.
She’s all business as she tallies the contents of the bag for me. “I’ve got binoculars, a magnifying glass, specimen jars, and a notepad and pencils to record my findings.”
“Impressive. I had no idea you were a serious scientist on the weekends.”
She gives a slight nod at the acknowledgment. “Well, it’s true, Abby. I am a very serious scientist.”
She climbs down the ladder while Liam and I exchange ‘my God, wasn’t that adorable’ grins. A moment later, it’s my turn. I take off my shoes, as my hosts have done, and toss them onto the beach. I then make my way down the ladder.
Liam holds out his hand to help me navigate the small leap from the boat to the beach. His palm is rough and warm against mine, and I find myself wanting to continue holding it after I’ve landed safely on the shore. Instead, I let it go quickly and collect my Toms. Olive is scrambling up the bank, like a puppy who has just been released from a crate, and the sight of it warms me as much as the sun ever has.
Liam and I set up a small picnic site, facing the shore from which we just came. It’s wonderfully strange to be in a place inhabited only by crabs and insects and shorebirds. It feels like a trip to prehistoric times before humans arrived and changed everything to suit ourselves.
When lunch is set out, Liam calls Olive to come back, then the three of us sit on the picnic blanket to eat. I’ve made a pizza sub for her, and turkey on rye for the adults. Small plastic bowls containing berries and cut-up apples bring a delightful array of color to the faded orange blanket that serves as our buffet table.
Olive is too excited to sit still, having discovered a small tidepool that is in immediate need of a thorough scientific investigation.
“Go on, you can take your sandwich with you,” Liam says, “But stay clear of the open water.”
We sit in a comfortable silence, watching her for a few minutes. Suddenly, she turns. “Dad! I’ve made an exciting discovery!”
He gets up and makes his way to the shore, and I see him examine whatever it is she’s put in her jar. He tucks a piece of hair behind her ear, and she grins up at him. The sight tugs at my heart and I feel unexpected tears behind my eyes.
