“Ouch,” Lauren muttered. “Me and my brother used to do that, though. Would drive my mom nuts.”
“Done!” Peyton announced. He looked at his brothers, who were still chewing like maniacs, and grinned. “I win.”
“Not a race, Pey,” Will droned.
Peyton just grinned. “Hey, Dad. Can I have the treasure chest?” He held his hands out as his dad pulled the box out of their beach bag. “Grey, come look!”
Because the salon-side of the counter was crowded with the Muellers, Grey walked around the peninsula to stand by Lauren in the galley so they could be appropriately wowed by the boys’ find. She smiled at the way Lauren leaned into her when she put a hand on the small of her back, and leaned forward interestedly. “Whatcha got?”
Reid finished chewing in a hurry so he could answer Grey’s question. “Dubballoons.”
“Duh-bloons,” Peyton corrected.
“That’s what I said!” Reid argued.
“No it’s not,” Max said.
“No backing out of that babysitting offer,” Kim told Lauren and Grey.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Grey assured her. “Like I said, we owe you some alone-time.” She smiled at the boys and added, “So, who’s gonna help me get this boat moving?”
“Me!” the boys all shouted as they leapt from their chairs and took off running out the door.
Grey chuckled and gave Lauren’s side a quick squeeze before she started after them. “I’m gonna keep them so busy this afternoon that they’ll pass out as soon as they’ve finished dinner,” she told Kim.
Kim just laughed. “Good luck with that,” she told Grey as the brunette disappeared onto the back deck.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
THE MUELLERS’ LAST day aboard theVeritaswas a hectic whirlwind of island-hopping and clearing customs, and by the time they were anchored in Christmas Cove, everybody was ready to just relax. That meant more swimming for the boys and their father, while Kim stretched out on the trampolines to watch them as she soaked up the last few rays of the day.
Because Lauren was busy in the kitchen preparing a special dinner for the family’s last night aboard the boat, Grey gathered bottles of root beer for the boys and a couple bottles of Saint John’s Ale for Will and Kim and carried them out to the front of the boat. Seeing the family enjoying themselves made her smile, and she laughed out loud as she watched Peyton go flying off the starboard pontoon with an excited, “Watch this!” before landing a textbook belly flop.
“That had to hurt,” Grey commented as she set the tray of drinks down onto the small walkway that cut between the forward trampolines. She grabbed one of the beers and held it out for Kim. “Here you go.”
“My son, the rocket surgeon,” Kim chuckled as she sat up and took the bottle from Grey. “Thank you. And, thanks again for watching them last night so we could go out.”
“It was—”
“Wonderful,” Kim interrupted. She sighed and peered over the edge of the boat to where Peyton was cry-laughing in his father’s arms. When she was convinced that he was okay, she rolled her eyes and turned back to Grey. “The boys cannot stop talking about how much fun they had making pizzas with you two and playing games, and I just want you to know that Will and I really appreciated the opportunity to spend a little time alone.”
Grey smiled. “It really wasn’t a problem at all. They’re good kids. We had fun, too.”
“Still… Thank you.”
“It was our pleasure,” Grey assured her with a small tip of her head as she looked out over the cove. Despite the fact that nearly every one of the twenty-two mooring balls that dotted the cove were taken, there was still an air of tranquility about the place that she loved. And she needed that tranquility, especially after dealing with customs and busy ports all day. Her personality was best suited for small groups and open space, so having to maneuver through crowded harbors and hordes of people always left her feeling exhausted. She needed to recharge her batteries, to sit with a bottle of beer or a glass of scotch and enjoy the feeling of the sun on her skin and the wind in her hair, but that would have to wait until later. For now, a few quiet moments with Lauren would have to suffice until the workday was officially at an end. “Well,” she murmured after a beat, “I should probably go see if Lauren needs any help with dinner. If you guys need anything, just holler.”
“Will do.”
“Moooooommy!” Max yelled, and Grey chuckled when Will echoed the call.
Kim sighed and set her beer back on the tray. “Looks like I’m up,” she drawled wryly as she laid her sunglasses beside the bottles and walked over to the edge of the boat. “What’s up, Max?”
“Come swimming!” all three boys chorused.
Grey laughed. “Have fun.”
“Yeah. You too,” Kim said, winking at Grey before she leapt off the side of the boat, knees tucked to her chest as she cannonballed her entire family.
