The lawn stretches wide wherever the concrete paths don’t, providing plenty of space for people to spread out. Trees, shrubs, and flowers are planted around the property as well as a playground off to the left for kids to enjoy while parents relax with a glass of wine. To the right are several cornhole sets, bocce ball courts, horseshoe pits, and fire pits for the colder nights, which also allow them to offer s’mores for the kids.
One day I’ll be able to do that with Remy.
“You weren’t kidding about popcorn being your favorite snack, huh?”
“Nope.” Elodie spreads out the blanket she brought and I drop the backpack on it to keep the breeze from blowing it away. “Even when I had braces and it was forbidden, I snuck it every chance I got.”
She kneels and starts taking out a few toys for Remy while I unclip the straps and extract her from the carrier without dropping her.
Ha! Parenting win for the day.
I shake my head at her admission. “Looks like I wasn’t the only one that was a rebel.”
She grins. “Guess not. So, what did Laney mean about your daredevil days?”
Handing her Remy, I gently lower myself to the ground, still sore from yoga the other day. “Let’s just say that adrenaline is a powerful drug.”
“How so?” She sits Remy in her lap, her legs tucked behind her as the breeze blows her long hair to the side. Fuck, she looks gorgeous right now—especially holding my daughter.
I brush off that thought. “Football was my outlet throughout high school, but after that, I had no plans to continue playing or go to college for that matter, so I chased new highs—snowboarding, skydiving, and anything else that made me feel invincible at eighteen and nineteen, since touching drugs wasn’t an option for me.”Especially after I witnessed what happened with my parents.“But once Dilynne graduated from high school, I took off and traveled for a few years, seeking any thrill I could find. It was the first time I felt free in my life, and then when I was twenty-two, I injured myself pretty badly in a street luge accident.”
“Pretty badly? You almost died.” I peer up to find my sister staring down at me, her hands planted on her hips.
I scowl up at her. “Oh, it wasn’t that bad.”
“You had six broken bones, and they had to cut a piece of your skull off to relieve the swelling in your brain. At this point, you should be grateful you still have some ability to think straight.” Glancing over at Elodie and then back to me, my sister continues, “Well, I guess that’s debatable.”
“Nice to see you too, Dil,” I mutter as annoyance builds in my temples. It’s not that I don’t love my sister, but I was actually enjoying the conversation I was having with Elodie.
Plopping down on the blanket, my sister pushes her hair from her face. “I’m just speaking the truth.” Dilynne turns to Elodie. “Don’t let this guy fool you into thinking he was okay. If I hadn’t begged him to stop trying to kill himself and come home, who knows if he’d still be alive.”
Elodie shakes her head at me, even though there’s a smile pulling at her lips. “Well, then you wouldn’t have this little bear cub, would you?”
If she’d made that comment a week ago, I’d probably grunt with annoyance. But honestly, seeing my daughter in front of me makes me feel as though there has been a piece missing in my life all these years. And if she hadn’t appeared the way she did, I don’t think I would have been as receptive to it.
“She’s definitely changed things,” I reply instead.
Dilynne reaches out and grabs Remy’s hand as her tiny fingers curl around her thumb. “How are things going with you two?”
My head snaps to my sister. “What do you mean? Elodie is my nanny.” My question comes out a tad more defensively than it should, which of course, she picks up on.
Dilynne twists her lips. “I was talking about you and your daughter, but good to know you’re keeping your dick in your pants too.” Rolling her eyes, she turns to Elodie. “I told you my brother has issues.”
Elodie hides her smile behind her hand. “Believe me, I’m beginning to understand that. But to answer your question, I think their father-daughter bond is developing well. He’s no longer afraid of bathing her, he’s become a pro at changing a diaper, and she reaches for him when he gets home—all things that point in a positive direction.”
My sister slaps me on the back. “Look at you, acting like a dad and shit. Carol and Nick would be proud.”
“Yeah, they came by the lodge the other day. Let’s just say Carol wasn’t pleased that she found out about Remy from someone other than me.”
Dilynne cackles. “Damn. I’m sad that I missed that.” Before I can say another word, Dilynne is pushing herself up from the grass. “Well, I just wanted to come over and say hello. Laney is putting me to work tonight, so I’d better get back to it. The girl is lucky she’s my best friend. I wouldn’t do this for anyone but her.” Looking at Elodie as she begins to walk away, she says, “Text me tomorrow. Laney and I usually have dinner one night a week and you’re more than welcome to join us.”
“Thank you. I will.”
“Hey, I’ll be right back,” I tell Elodie, not bothering to wait for her reply as I launch myself from the grass and catch up to my sister. “Dil—”
“What’s up?” she asks while casting a glance at me over her shoulder.
I pull her to a stop. “Hey. Stop for a minute, will ya?”
